Ants in Your Pants, and Other Places They Like to Hide
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Although ants don’t really hide in your pants, at least not most of the time, their small size helps them hide in a number of other places throughout your home. Some types of ants are destructive, but just about every kind of ant is bothersome, so watch these common hiding spots and take steps to get rid of ants when you find them in your home.
Foundation Gaps
It’s hard to spot gaps in your foundation, but even the strongest foundation tends to have small gaps and cracks that are wide enough for ants to crawl through. If the foundation beneath your home isn’t a solid block, this can also lead to spaces that ants can penetrate as they search for sources of water and food. One way to fix this problem is to have a professional analyze the condition of the foundation and repair any damaged components.
Wall Cracks
The walls in most homes contain cracks and small gaps that occur over time. Older homes and those in humid climates tend to have more cracks in the walls. Ants often hide in the gaps in the walls, coming out when the house is dark and quiet to look for food. Even a few small crumbs on the kitchen floor or countertop can serve as a feast for an ant, so ants tend to keep coming back when they find food in your home.
Look around your home for cracks in the walls, gaps along the seams of windows and walls, and other holes that might have been made to house an electrical line, vent, outlet, or window.
Bedrooms
If your bedroom contains knick-knacks, piles of clothing, or other areas of clutter, these items all serve as perfect hiding places for ants. In your kids’ bedrooms, ants might hideout within toys, especially if any of the toys have been brought in from outside. House plants in the bedroom might also contain ants.
Some ants come in from the outside, where their nests are located, while others actually live inside of your home. Certain ant species make their nests in holes in the walls or rotted sections of wood, so they move throughout the home by crawling through small gaps and holes for electrical, phone, cable, water, gas, and other utility lines.
Behind the Cabinets
Ants tend to visit the kitchen more than other rooms in your home. The kitchen is usually the place where ants can find crumbs and other food sources. Pet food bowls left out might quickly become a constant source of food for ants, so it’s best to put the food away in airtight containers when your pets aren’t currently eating it. Sweep the floors and wipe the countertops frequently to eliminate any crumbs that would appeal to ants. Granules of sugar and other sweets are especially appealing.
Ants can appear at any time from these common hiding places. If you’re struggling to control the ants in your home, bring in a professional exterminator to get rid of them.
