Ant Infestation Signs

Ant colonies can be quite a nuisance. An ant colony consists of one queen, several scout ants and a lot of worker ants. If you only notice one or two ants, then it might not be that bad. However, if you see a swarm of ants attacking your fruit plate, that probably means you're dealing with an ant infestation.

Worker ants

Worker ants usually stay inside the nest and take care of it, distribute food and feed larvae. A small army of ant workers follows the scout trails to retrieve food. Once they reach their destination, workers start breaking food into smaller pieces and carry them back to the nest. Ant workers can carry more than 20 times their weight, and they can travel up to 100m away from their nest to retrieve food. Any leftover food covered in ants in the morning is a dead giveaway to an ant infestation.

Scent trails

Scout ants will scour your home for leftover food or crumbs. After they find it, they will secrete a chemical that will lead the colony’s workers back and forth until they retrieve every piece of food you left in the open. Scout ants can also secrete chemicals to make workers aggressively defend their nest or attack a threat in their environment.

Ant nest

Ants usually build their nests in dark, undisturbed places. Look around your house and yard for an ant nest. It can look like a pile of dirt, dust or soil, with a small hole in the middle. If you find an ant nest, then the situation might already be out of hand - you should consider consulting a professional.

Wood Shavings

Wood shavings around corners and less busy areas of your home are another sign of an ant infestation. Ants don’t eat wood, but they break it into small pieces and save them to help build their nest bigger. If you frequently notice wood shavings on the floor for no apparent reason, then chances are you have an ant problem.