Ant activity in winter is common in Arlington. Although pest activity decreases during this season, overwintering ant colonies can remain active. When ants end up inside your house during the colder months, this means they do not have the right climate to find sources of food and water. Having these pests in your house can be a nuisance, but carpenter ants can also cause property damage. Regardless of the species of ants you are dealing with you need professional intervention to ensure complete elimination. Visit greenpestservices.net to find a team of experts who can eliminate an existing infestation from your home and prevent future infestations. 

Reasons Ants Are in Your House in Winter

Your house offers an ideal haven for ant survival in winter. Food access, heating systems, and damp areas can attract to your home. These pests are in your house for the following:

• Warmth and shelter. As ants look for warmth, they can enter your house. Cracks, doors, walls, and windows offer easy points of entry.
• Food access. As opportunistic eaters, ants will exploit all food sources they can find in your pantry or kitchen. 
• Moisture. High-moisture areas such as basements and bathrooms draw ants inside, particularly carpenter ants. These ants thrive in damp conditions. Finding ants in these areas should prompt you to check for excess humidity and leaks and address them immediately. 

Problems that Ants Can Create

If ants have entered your Arlington home in winter, this means they have established a colony somewhere. Therefore, hundreds of ants may have infested your house. While ants don’t hibernate. They require warmer climates for their survival. Even those species that stay outdoors in winter will dig underground tunnels to remain toasty. But ants that enter your house stay active during the winter. Therefore, they will look for food for their colony. Ants in the kitchen can contaminate open food packages, eating surfaces, and utensils. Depending on the ant species, some of them can release an unpleasant odor in your house when they get crushed or feel threatened. However, regardless of the season, a reputable pest control company can keep your home free of pest issues.  

How to Prevent Ants from Infesting Your Home in Winter

To ensure ants do not invade your home, get rid of all attractants. First, find the area where ants tend to frequent. Then, seal up all food items. In winter, these pests will be desperately looking for food, so any open food items will appeal to them. Check if crumbs or spills are drawing ants inside. If carpenter ants are in your house, they may be drawn to water inside. So, eliminate standing water and keep rooms dry. 

Securing Your Home

Once you have eliminated all attractants for ants, it’s time to ensure your home has no breaches where ants can get in. Check around the house for gaps and cracks as ants can use them as entry points. Once they can get into the walls, this could be a possible nesting area for them. In winter, warm insulated walls are perfect environments for these pests to create nests.

How to Best Eliminate an Ant Infestation in Winter

Consistency is key to effective ant control. Ants can infest your house all year round, so you should work with a pest control services provider to set up routine visits every season. Technicians can detect issues early and resolve them before they escalate. As a result, you can keep your environment free of pests throughout the year. A lot of reliable pest control companies provide advanced ant control solutions. They have technicians who utilize industry best practices and their skills to inspect your home thoroughly and create a treatment plan based on your unique needs.