As temperatures rise and natural resources become scarcer, ants often blaze a trail toward houses. This makes ant prevention a top priority, and it’s something that Clark, your friendly pest, mosquito, and termite management – and grounds care – expert can help you with.

What attracts ants to your home when they appear to be perfectly content outside crawling along sidewalks or across your patio? The answer is simple: food.

Argentine ants, with their large colony sizes and aggressive foraging behavior, are the most widely encountered ant species in California. Also on the list of annoying ants in the state are odorous house, pavement, and pharaoh ants.

Each different ant species may require a different control method, so it’s important to properly identify the type of ants you are dealing with to manage them effectively. Your Clark Pest Control technician can help make a positive identification and then make the correct treatment recommendation.

Ant prevention and control tips

The most effective way you can prevent ants from blazing a trail into your home is to remove the source of the attraction and the access points that allow ants inside.

Keep your home clean: Regularly clean up food crumbs, spills, and other food sources that may attract ants. Pay attention to kitchen countertops, dining areas, and other areas where food is prepared or consumed. Ants have a sweet tooth that makes kitchens, pantries, cabinets, and indoor and outdoor dining areas attractive.

Store food properly: Keep all food, including pet food, in tightly sealed containers. Ants can easily access open food packages, so transferring food to airtight containers will help prevent infestations.

Seal entry points: Inspect your home for any cracks, gaps, or openings that ants could use to enter. Seal these entry points with caulk or weatherstripping to block access.

Remove potential nesting sites: Ants often build nests in outdoor areas, such as tree stumps, firewood piles, or overgrown vegetation. Remove or relocate these potential nesting sites away from your home.

Trim vegetation: Trim branches, shrubs, and plants that make physical contact with your home. Ants can use these as bridges to gain access to your house, so breaking contact will reduce the risk of infestation.

Eliminate excess moisture: Check for and remove any standing water sources near your home, as they can attract certain ant species. Fix any leaks or plumbing issues to prevent water accumulation. Not only are ants attracted to crumbs and spills, but they are also drawn to the moisture that sinks, leaky faucets, and even improperly caulked showers and bath enclosures can provide.

Clean outdoor garbage and recycling cans: Make sure that your outdoor garbage cans are tightly sealed and clean them regularly to prevent attracting ants.

Call California’s trusted, friendly ant control expert at (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or email us at clarkcares@clarkpest.com if you suspect your home has an ant problem.

Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for helping to keep unwanted pests out of your home and yard.