Serving Memphis, Cordova, Germantown & Collierville TN
Spring has sprung. Flowers are starting to bloom, you’ve already completed your yearly maintenance on your lawn mower, and temperatures have emerged from the deep freeze as another winter concludes. Then you see them–a trail of little black ants marching through your kitchen. You contact your pest control professional every year and every year they come and treat the ant problem, but just like clockwork, the ants return each spring. Why does this happen? We explore this phenomenon in greater detail, today on the blog.
Spring is a key season in the ant’s cycle of life
There are many species of ants but each ant colony goes dormant during winter. This dormancy, which is also known as diapause, allows the ant colony to survive the harsh cold of winter and conserve energy. Each spring, when temperatures begin to increase, ants come out of diapause and begin to search for new nesting sites and, especially, food. Ants are especially attracted to substances that are sweet or greasy. This is why seeing ants in the kitchen is such a common problem.
Spring is also the time of year when an ant colony looks to expand to new territory. The queen ant lays eggs, which eventually mature into new adult members of the colony. Meanwhile, the warmer weather and greater availability of food sources means that worker ants often venture out away from the colony looking for new nesting sites. Like any creature, ants seek out food and water, which can lead them into your kitchen.
What factors influence whether ants invade your kitchen in the spring?
Warmer weather – As mentioned earlier, ants become more active as the cold of another winter concludes. Ants naturally begin to explore their surroundings, so if there is a colony near your kitchen, it stands to reason that they will make another visit.
Precipitation – Spring is typically the rainiest season of the year. Those spring showers can flood an ant nest, sending them in search of higher ground. When this happens, ants could seek out a safe harbor inside your home as they pursue a new area of dry shelter.
Home prevention tips
There is no way to completely eliminate the chance of ants marching through your kitchen this spring, but you can employ certain measures to limit your susceptibility. Keep your home clean in general but be sure to maintain your kitchen. Wash dishes, wipe down counters, keep a clean sink and regularly take out the trash. Store food in airtight containers and remove any standing water from your kitchen. You can also caulk any cracks and gaps in your walls, doors and windows.
Ant pest treatments for Memphis and Cordova, Tennessee
The best defense against ants, or any other type of pest, is to have your home treated by an experienced and knowledgeable pest control professional like the technicians we have on staff at AAA Termite & Pest. Find out for yourself why we have been in business for more than four decades. For a complimentary estimate of our services, call our office at (901) 737-7378 or contact us online.