Does Ant Control Get Easier During West Chester Winters?

Ants In The Winter

Ant activity does decrease in the winter, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t see any ants around your home. Because ants are cold-blooded, they will lower their body temperature as soon as cold weather comes around, causing them to move more slowly. They will gather near their nests, under rocks, and behind tree bark. It also inspires them to find warm shelter in places like your home, where they will have access to food, moisture, and hiding spots. 

If you see ants in your home in winter, they have likely already established a colony within the structure; this is especially true of carpenter ants who prefer to make their nests in the internal wooden areas of your home. Over the winter, this can cause significant damage to your house and cost a large amount of money to repair, depending on the size of the colony.

Below are a few signs you can look out for that indicate ant infestations are a problem in your home.

• Carpenter ants will tunnel through the internal structures of your home and leave behind piles of wood shavings. You may find these shavings along windowsills, baseboards, and near doors.
• You may see ants walking around your house in the case of an infestation. They will typically be following the same path to and from food.
• Ant wings around your home can be a sign of an infestation depending on the ant species invading. You will usually see these discarded wings on floors, along baseboards, and on windowsills.
• In the case of a carpenter ant infestation, you may hear rustling in your walls caused by the ants tunneling through the wooden areas of your house while creating their colonies. This behavior is a major cause of destruction.

Preventing Ant Infestations

Proactive prevention is the best way to keep ants out of your home year-round and especially in the winter when they are looking for shelter.

• Seal up all potential entryways around your home, paying attention to gaps and cracks in window and door screens. You may also want to update door sweeps and weatherstripping and keep exterior doors closed as much as possible.
• Clean and vacuum your house regularly, ensuring there is no clutter for ants to hide under. Routine cleaning will also help you detect any ants that may have slipped inside and eliminate them before they become a bigger problem.
• Make sure to tightly seal up leftover food, waste, and trash and dispose of it properly. You should also clean up food and liquid spills as soon as possible and refrain from leaving dirty dishes out, as these are all major ant attractors.

Expert Ant Control

Ant infestations can be incredibly difficult to eliminate, especially if you are dealing with carpenter ants that tunnel deep into the internal structures of your home. The only real way to get rid of an ant infestation and save yourself the cost of repairs is to receive professional pest assistance from Masters Touch Pest Solutions.