At first glance, ants don’t seem to be extremely unpleasant insects – there are certainly much more dangerous and damaging ones, for sure. But when it comes to having ants in the house, the matter becomes slightly more serious. Having bugs in the kitchen or the bathroom are not ideal, and what’s more, it’s often difficult to get rid of them. Ants are, apparently, one of the most common insects that like to ‘invade’ homes. What are the reasons for that and how to stop it?
Reasons for ants in the house
Ants are insects which occur in more than thirteen thousand different species. They’re ubiquitous and they live in large groups – that’s why we see them in every garden, playground or woodland. But sometimes cases arise where ants don’t stay in their natural habitats and they venture indoors in search of food or other nesting opportunities. They’re not an extreme danger, but they can be annoying and disturb the usual order; often to such an extent that employing chemical repellents is needed. No matter what the reason for ants in your house is, you might have a look at ways of eradicating them from the home at https://www.369bugs.com/.
Ants are known to be very ‘clean’ creatures – they normally cooperate and clean the area around their nest. If you keep any food leftovers inside your house, for example in the kitchen, it’s more than likely that ants will come and investigate. Sometimes you may not even be aware that there’s something rotting or spilt in one of your cupboards – the presence of ants may be the indication. Also, especially if you have children or pets, ants are likely to be attracted by the food spilt or left on the floors. Kids and animals can be especially messy in this way, so if you don’t want ants in your house it’s important to keep the interior as clean as possible.
Leaky windows or hydraulic installation
One of the most common reasons for the unexpected ants in your house may be the problems with windows or doors; when they’re leaky, they become an ideal entrance for ants. They’re so small that it’s no problem for them to sneak through. The same goes for pipes, for example, in the bathroom; ants love a wet and humid environment, so it’s not a problem for them to infiltrate through the plumbing. This can sometimes be problematic as the pipework is usually joined together, for example in block of flats, so if your neighbours have ants, you’re also likely to have them. To read more about the hydraulic installation problems, have a look here.
How to get rid of the ants
There are actually a few methods of fighting ants in your house. The easiest one is to conceal all the food that may be tempting to them – ensure you don’t leave anything uncovered. Close all the cabinets and cupboards securely, keep your rubbish inside sealed dustbins. Also, fix any gaps and leaks in windows and doors, so that ants don’t have any access to the building interior. If you see ants in your bathroom, consider fixing or improving the hydraulic installation. Examples of natural insect repellents include vinegar or oxygen bleach; if you want to repel the ants, put a little of these on the floor, doors and work surfaces.
If these methods aren’t enough and you still suffer from the ants’ unwanted company, use a chemical insect repellent, but contact a specialist in extreme cases. There are some repellent substances which may not repel a specific kind of insects or may even be harmful to humans and pets. If you’re not sure what to start off with, look at the guide on this website.
Ants – a continuous problem
Ants are a species that are vast and varied, they reappear in places from which they’ve previously been repelled. Even if many of the workers don’t survive, the queen is likely to send other ant-workers to the same place. As a result, you may suffer from recurring ant attacks in your house. If the problem returns systematically, it’s an idea to think about some kind of long-term disinfection solution.
Even though ants may seem innocent, they might be really problematic for our households and everyday life. In search of food or humid places, they can come indoors regularly, and once they don’t get repelled, they continue to invade on a continuous basis. First, it’s advisable to reorganise space and habits, for example, by keeping food stored properly. If this doesn’t help, using more invasive and chemical substances may be necessary. But, all in all, these are just ants – if some of them appear in your kitchen or bathroom from time to time, it’s not a reason to panic – they’re only a natural part of our ecosystem.
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