Texas Ant Curator Lloyd Davis says, “Many early descriptions of ants from North America were of species from Texas.” Most people, however, do not find ants so fascinating when they see them crawling across the kitchen countertop or in their food. When ants invade your home, you naturally want to quickly get rid of them. Learn why you likely have ants and how to get rid of them.

Where did these ants come from?

Ants follow food sources. Although you may not even realize a food source exists in your home, ants can find it and quickly invade your home. That little sprinkle of sugar you spilled on your counter when making your coffee or open box of cereal results in a feast for ants.

Once ants gain access to your home, you may have a huge infestation problem. You may prefer to just leave the problem to the professionals.

What kind of ants do I have?

There are many ant species in the United States. While the sugar or pavement ant frequently invades homes, carpenter ants build their nests around wood. They do not eat wood, but burrow into it to expand their nest. They may have a nice home of their own under your floorboards or around your door frames.

Perhaps you have Argentine or even fire ants in your home. Whatever species you have, getting rid of them once and for all is a priority.

How do I get rid of ants?

Some species of ants do bite. Do not try to handle them at all. Immediately seek out their food source and try to eliminate it to start taking control. Look for sweet or protein food sources. You could have ants crawling in your cereal box or sugar bowl and not even know. Ants may enjoy the lunch meat you forgot to put away as much as you enjoyed your lunchtime sandwich.

Throw away food left out to avoid re-contaminating the kitchen area

Clean countertops, floors and appliances with a lemon or vinegar-based cleaner.

While Care2 suggests sprinkling spices such as cayenne pepper, cloves or coffee grounds around your home, this is probably not a good idea if you have children or pets.

To get rid of ants once and for all, calling a professional pest control company is an ideal solution. Pest control professionals know how to find nests and eradicate your ant problem at its source.