Ants

What ants look like

Ants are small social insects, ranging from about 1 mm to 9.5 mm depending on the species, and coloured black, brown, yellow or reddish. The body has three clear parts with a pinched waist, elbowed antennae and six legs. Ants are close relatives of wasps, hornets and bees, and at certain times of year a colony produces winged reproductives that swarm to start new nests. Those winged ants are often mistaken for termites. An ant has a narrow waist, bent antennae and front wings longer than the back pair. Ontario buildings see a number of species, from tiny pavement and little black ants to the much larger carpenter ants, which are the ones that excavate wood.

Signs you have ants

• A steady trail. Ants follow scent trails, so a line of insects moving along a counter edge, baseboard, pipe or exterior wall points to a nest at one end of it.
• Small soil piles. Fine heaps of earth or sand pushed up between paving slabs, along driveway edges and at the base of foundation walls mark a nest below.
• Sawdust-like shavings. Coarse wood shavings mixed with insect parts under window frames, joists or door trim suggest carpenter ants working inside damp wood.
• Winged ants indoors. A group of winged insects at a window in spring usually means a mature colony is already inside the structure rather than outside.
• Activity around water. Ants gathering under sinks, around dishwashers and in bathrooms are often after moisture as much as food.
• A faint rustling in wood. A large carpenter ant colony working in a wall or joist can be heard as a dry crackle on a quiet evening.

Following a trail back to where it disappears is the fastest way to find the nest.

Why ants come into Ottawa and Toronto homes

Ants come indoors for food, water and shelter, and they are very good at finding all three. Sugar, grease, crumbs, pet food and spilled drinks pull foragers inside, and once a worker finds something it lays a scent trail that brings the rest. Water matters just as much, which is why activity rises during dry spells and around leaking plumbing. Buildings also offer nest sites. Some species nest in soil against the foundation and forage indoors, while others move in completely and nest in wall voids, under floors or behind baseboards. Carpenter ants are drawn to wood softened by moisture, so leaking roofs, damp sills, rotted deck ledgers and wet basements are their usual starting point.

Are ants dangerous?

Most ants in Ontario are a nuisance rather than a health threat. They do not transmit disease the way cockroaches or rodents do, and the species common here do not sting in any serious way, though some will bite if handled. The main problem indoors is food contamination, since ants walk through drains, soil and garbage before reaching a pantry, and food they have been into should be discarded. Carpenter ants are the exception on the property side. They do not eat wood, but they hollow out galleries in damp or damaged timber to nest, and a long established colony can weaken framing, sills and trim. For most households the honest answer is that ants are annoying and persistent rather than dangerous.

How to keep ants out

• Clean up quickly. Wipe spills, keep counters free of crumbs and grease, and do not leave pet food down between meals.
• Store sugar, cereal, honey and baking supplies in sealed containers, and rinse bottles and recycling before they go in the bin.
• Fix moisture. Repair leaking taps and roof flashing, direct downspouts away from the foundation and replace wood that has gone soft.
• Seal the outside. Caulk cracks in the foundation, close gaps around pipes and wiring, and fit tight weatherstripping on doors.
• Keep mulch, soil, firewood and leaf litter back from the walls, and trim branches and shrubs so they do not touch the building.
• Wash away trails with soapy water once the nest is dealt with, so the scent does not keep leading foragers back to the same route.

Killing the ants you can see does nothing unless the nest is reached.

How GO! Pest Control treats ants

• Inspection. We identify the species, follow the trails and check the foundation, wall voids, damp wood and landscaping to locate the nest and work out whether it is inside or outside the building.
• Treatment. We use professional baits that foraging workers carry back to the colony, supported by targeted residual applications at entry points and along travel routes where they are needed.
• Removal. Where a nest is accessible, such as carpenter ant galleries in a wall void or damp framing, we treat it directly and clear the debris from the area.
• Follow-up. We return to check the bait placements and the trails, and treat any satellite nests that show themselves once the main colony is under pressure.
• Advice. We point out the moisture problems, wood repairs and storage habits that are feeding the colony, since ants come back to the same conditions.

We are licensed, insured and bonded, and we work in homes, apartments, condos and businesses across the Toronto GTA, Ottawa and Hamilton.

Common questions about ants