Why Am I Seeing Ants In My Home During The Winter?

Ants forage for food during the warm months, and slow down, or disappear entirely, during the cold months. This is because ants are cold-blooded creatures. The body temperature of an ant is the same as the air, soil, or liquid around it. When it gets too cold, it dies. So, in the winter, most ants seal themselves inside their nests and wait for it to warm up. If you're seeing ants in your home, the most likely reason is that you have a nest somewhere in your home.

Most ants do not establish themselves in man-made structures. They live in the ground. So, unless you have a crawl space or incomplete basement, most ants are not going to be a problem in the winter.

Of the ant species that infest homes, there are three types: those that are a nuisance, those that spread bacteria, and those that damage your home. It is important to have a professional pest control technician properly identify which ants you have and give you actionable data on how to arrest the issue.

• Nuisance ants are just that; they're a nuisance. They are the ants that will invade a common area to take advantage of an available food source. When they do, they make themselves a problem simply by their existence.
• Bacteria-spreading ants are ants that climb into your trash and then climb around on your food prep surfaces, plates, silverware and find their way into food packages. If you have these ants in your home they can be a nuisance, but the more important threat is how they can cause ongoing stomach illness for everyone in the home.
• Property-destroying ants are ants that create tunnels and galleries in the wood of a home. While they have "carpenter" in their name, they don't fix anything. If left untreated, they can do quite a bit of damage over time and knowing the signs of a carpenter ant infestation can help you identify and stop the problem before it gets worse. It is a good idea to deal with them quickly. 

If you're in our New Jersey service area, contact Arrow Pest Control for assistance with ant problems. Our experienced team knows how to arrest ant infestations and how to keep ants and other pests from getting into your home all year long. Reach out to us today for one-time ant control or to set up ongoing, year-round pest control for your New Jersey home. We'll help you figure out what is bugging you. But, more importantly, we'll help you get those bugs under control.