ANTS IN THE WINTER
There are certain things people expect in the winter - snow, ice, wind, and freezing cold weather.
Ants in the winter...not so much.
But ants can be an issue inside homes any time of the year, including in the winter. Here in Ontario, the most common types of ants in the house in the winter are:
Carpenter ants are the most common and problematic of the bunch. Carpenter ants nest inside wood and can cause severe and costly damage to a home’s structure. Learn more about ants in our Pest Library, including some interesting facts about ants, and more tips for how to get rid of ants.
Why Do I Have Ants in the House in the Winter?
- A colony living somewhere within the structure of your home or business (inside a wall, window or door frame, ceiling, or sill plate etc.) who have woken up, or partly woken up due to temperature changes. When this happens, the ants think it's springtime and come out of a state of hibernation (not true hibernation) and begin to forage or simply walk around in a confused state.
- An ant colony living below a slab foundation, who never went into a state of hibernation because the colony is somewhere below heated tile floors or other heated floor systems. With habitable living conditions, the colony has remained active and grown to a noticeable size.
Upon discovering an ant infestation in their home, people are often caught off guard, especially if they directly disturb a large nest and witness thousands of ants starting to pour out of a wall void (which is very common with carpenter ant infestations). It’s really hard to believe that so many ants are in their space, and they had no idea...but it happens often.
The most common question we get from customers who discover ants in their home in the winter is how did these ants get inside my home? Ant colonies are predominantly outdoors, but ants do migrate inside structures, like homes and businesses, in the spring, summer and fall, as they forage for food and water sources. If the ant colony was in your yard, or in your driveway adjacent to your home, while seeking out food they could find their way inside through exterior cracks and crevices. Inside homes, ants most commonly nest in wall voids, door frames, window frames, ceilings, insulation, under floors, behind cabinets or baseboards.
Carpenter ants, who are attracted to moisture, favour nesting where condensation collects or leaks are likely, such as pipes, drains, kitchens, and bathrooms, and around windows and door frames.
Pavement ants are a very common issue in homes in the winter, especially for those with heated floors or geothermal heating and a slab on grade foundation is present. They can make their way in under the slabs and find themselves in a warm and cozy environment (they like heated flooring too). Pavement ant colonies can stay active without the homeowner knowing all year long until they get too large or are disturbed.
Here’s a common and real-life example of how ants get into a home, and how an infestation is discovered: A home had an exterior crack under the siding near a window, which slowly let water drip into the wooden window frame without any signs that there was an issue. Over years, the wood under the siding began to decay from the continual dampness, making it the perfect habitat for carpenter ants. Because there was already a crack in the exterior, carpenter ants did get inside the home in search of food, and they found the perfect habitat to build a colony. During a new window installation, upon pulling out the frame, it was discovered that the wood was fully rotted and infested with thousands of carpenter ants.
We do want to stress that ants typically don’t intend to build their colony inside a home or business. This does happen when ants have found a way inside a structure and the conditions are habitable - it’s warm and provides a sustainable source of food and water.
Are Ants Dormant or Active in the Winter?
In the winter, an ant colony in your home could be partially dormant, or still active. If their nesting area is too cold, they can enter a dormant like state until they are disturbed. If an ant colony is in a warm spot with ample food and water, like in the kitchen near an active appliance, the colony could remain active all winter long and grow in size.
What’s the Best Way to Get Rid of Ants in the House?
Step 1: Identify the Ant Species
If you discover ants inside your home in the winter, call a licensed ant pest control professional, like Environmental Pest Control. Why? Because the most important thing that an ant exterminator will do is help you properly identify the ant species infesting your home and once that is done, they can administer the proper indoor treatment. Why does this matter? Different types of ants require different types of treatments.
Step 2: Track the Ants & Locate the Nest
Once our ant exterminator knows the type of ant they are dealing with, they will next track it to try to locate where the nest is. Depending on the type of ant, and how long an infestation has gone on unnoticed, there could be multiple nests. Locating the nest can be challenging, but it is very important in getting rid of ants in the house.
Step 3: Interior Ant Treatment
Once they identify where the nest is, they will be able to administer the right interior treatment to help get rid of ants. Here at Environmental Pest control our products are eco-friendly and safe for people and pets.
Step 4: Exterior Treatment for Prevention Between Spring & Fall
When you have ants in the winter, the interior ant treatment only helps get rid of the ants that are already in your house. The ants got into your house somehow, and if that issue is not resolved or addressed then it is possible that ants will get into your home again, a re-infestation is possible. Exterior ant treatments are an effective way to prevent ants from getting back into your home and are an effective means of prevention. In the winter it’s impossible to do an exterior treatment because of the snow and ice build-up around homes. We recommend an exterior ant treatment between mid spring to late fall. The timing of the exterior ant treatment depends on the type of ant.
Get Professional Ant Pest Control Help
If you discover ants in the house in the winter, give the team here at Environmental Pest Control a call. We’ve been your local trusted ant pest control experts since 1988! If you have ant issues, we have effective solutions.
