Do you have a pesky ant problem and are wondering why they are invading your home? How do the ants continue to find their way back to the same food source? You may be surprised to know that ants are one of the most successful creatures on earth in terms of adaptability and survival. They are equipped with keen senses that help them find food and they leave chemical trails for other ants to follow, which is why ant control is so difficult.
The Main Reasons Ants Enter Homes
Although ants are usually outdoor insects, they can enter your home through cracks, crevices, and other small openings in your exterior. You may also notice them more in the summer, spring, and fall, during which time they will enter your home in search of food and moisture. However, in some states, they may be present year-round.
They like to eat many of the same foods as humans, which is why they are commonly found inside our dwellings.
Some ant species build their nests outdoors, but they will then travel inside your home to find food. If, while inside your home, they find a food source that they like, they will gather the food and then transport it back outside to their nests. They will also continue to make subsequent trips back to the food source as long as it is still available.
Meanwhile, some ant species, such as carpenter ants, pavement ants, odorous house ants, acrobat ants, thief ants, and pharaoh ants, will build their nests indoors where they will remain until they are eliminated.
Once inside your home, ants will usually be found near food sources, as well as in damp areas, such as near sinks, bathtubs, and dishwashers. They can also be found in various hidden areas, such as under appliances, under floors, behind window frames, and in empty spaces behind the wall.
How Ants Forage Food and Water?
Ants have a great sense of smell, which they use to lead them to sources of food.
Once they have picked up on a food's scent, the worker ants will set out in search of it. As the ants make their way toward the food, they release pheromones behind them, creating a scented trail to find their way back to the food.
When the ants finally reach the food, they will make their way back to their nests, during which time they will release more pheromones on the trail. As the other worker ants set out to forage, they will also use the trail to make their way to the food source.
Carpenter ants, on the other hand, follow the chemical scent left by other ants to the food source, but then they use visual markers surrounding the path to help them remember their way back later.
Worker ants often forage between sunset and midnight, and they can travel up to 100 yards from their nests to locate food.
How Do Ants Always Find Sugar?
Ants have small bristles on their body, also called olfactory receptors, that enable them to detect certain chemical compounds in food, such as the chemical compounds in, sugar, sweets, and starches, which then attracts them to the food.
Their olfactory senses are so sensitive, they can still pick up on the chemical compounds in foods, even when they are present in the smallest amounts.
What Happens Once They Find Food They Like?
Ants will eat a variety of different foods. They seek out sugary foods such as jelly, syrup, and honey. Also, they like fatty foods like meats, and even pet food depending on the species
Once their senses pick up on food, they will then make their way to it, leaving a pheromone trail behind for other worker ants to also find their way to the food. If they come across a food they like, they will either continue to make trips back to the food, which they will take back to their outdoor nests, or they will build indoor nests and take the food back there.
How Often Will Ants Return to Their Pheromone Trials?
Each time an ant emits a pheromone trail on their way to a food source, they also leave another chemically scented trail on the way back, producing an even stronger path for other worker ants to find.
Once other worker ants pick up on the trail, they will also make their way to the food source, during which time they, too, will leave a pheromone scent on the trail, further strengthening the path.
Therefore, a pheromone trail can remain strong for as long as ants continue to use it, and they will continue to use the trail for as long as the chemical scent is present or until it becomes masked by a stronger scent.
What Do They Prefer to Eat During Different Seasons?
During the warmer months, ants will feed on live insects, dead insects, and honey produced by scale insects and aphids while outdoors. However, once they enter your home, they will usually eat pretty much anything you eat.
In the autumn, just before winter, most ant species eat more food than usual to put on extra fat, which allows them to go without much food over the winter. They will also feed off the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats they stored the previous fall.
However, provided their indoor nests are in a warm area, then you may continue to witness ant activity even throughout the winter when ants are usually dormant.
Tips to Deter Ant Activity in and Around Your Home
Ants can be a persistent problem, especially pharaoh ants, which can leave you frustrated and at your wits end about how to get of rid them.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help eliminate your ant problem, but they should be used in conjunction for complete and effective ant control.
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