-
Those pesky ants aren’t just looking for a holiday home, they are also on the hunt for a local restaurant. Summer heats up the ground and dries out many of the natural water sources ants rely on. Your home, with its cooler floors and maybe a few drips from the kitchen sink or bathroom, can seem like an oasis to a thirsty ant. The same goes for food.
-
In the wild (aka your garden!), summer can be a bit hit or miss for ants; some days there’s plenty to go around, and other days, not so much. Your home, on the other hand, is like an all-you-can-eat buffet! Crumbs, pet food left out, a toddler’s snack on the floor or spills on the benchtop are all irresistible to an ant and their many, many friends.
-
Ants are also master explorers and communicators. When one ant finds a good source of food or water, it leaves an invisible chemical trail for its buddies to follow right back to the jackpot—your home. Before you know it, there's a whole line of ants marching in and out, carrying away whatever they can.
-
Another reason ants come inside during summer is the weather itself. Ants are built to handle a lot of outdoor challenges, but extreme heat and dry conditions can push them to seek refuge. Your home’s foundation, walls, or any small openings offer a cooler, more stable environment for ants to hang out and avoid the scorching sun.
- Sometimes, it's not just about survival; it's about expansion. Summer is prime time for many ant colonies to grow. As they expand, they send out scouts to find new territories. Unfortunately, if your home is in the path of these intrepid explorers, it might become a target for colonisation, especially if there are easy ways to get in, like cracks in walls, unsealed windows, or doors left ajar.
So, what can you do? Keeping your home free of food scraps, sealing up any entry points, and staying vigilant about standing water can make your home a lot less appealing to ants. But if you’re already dealing with a full-on invasion you may have to call the professionals to banish these tiny tyrants!
