Ants near you

Health Canada lists the carpenter ant, the little black ant, the odorous house ant, the thief ant, the pharaoh ant and the pavement ant among the species that cause problems in homes. For treatment purposes they fall into a few practical groups, and the group decides the approach.

Carpenter ants don't eat wood the way termites do. They chew galleries through it and push the debris out, so the damage stays hidden and the clues are indirect. Health Canada notes that piles of sawdust may mean you have carpenter ants.

Left alone, an established colony keeps enlarging its galleries and can set up satellite nests elsewhere in the building. Hollowed-out framing, sills or deck members lose strength, so have a carpenter assess any damaged wood once the colony has been dealt with.

Wiping out the ants on the counter doesn't touch the queen or the brood. Health Canada suggests looking for anthills in the yard or following the trails back to the nest, and indoor nests are often in wall voids. Carpenter ants favour wood that is already wet or decaying, so the search for the nest and the search for moisture usually lead to the same place. These are the spots a technician checks.

Fixing the moisture is part of the treatment, not an extra. Dry wood is far less attractive to a new colony, while a leak left in place can simply draw the next one.

Worker ants carry food home and share it, and baits turn that habit against the colony. Health Canada explains that a bait system must work slowly enough for the poison to be fed to all members of the nest, and warns against using chemical sprays to kill ants while baiting, since the sprayed workers are the ones making the deliveries. It adds that applying a product directly on the nest may eliminate a colony, which is why finding the nest matters so much.

Health Canada calls removing access to food and water the easiest way to avoid pest problems. Ants are drawn to many types of food, especially sugary and greasy ones, so prevention starts in the kitchen and ends at the foundation.

A few trails of small ants in spring often fade with better housekeeping and well-placed baits. Other situations need a professional who can find the nest, treat it and deal with what attracted it.

Commercial pesticide application requires a provincial licence or certificate, such as Ontario's exterminator licence or Quebec's pesticide certificate, so ask for the technician's number. A good visit includes a moisture inspection, not just a treatment.