Why You’re Seeing More Ants in Your Home This Spring – And How to Stop Them

As temperatures rise and daylight hours extend, you may have noticed an unwelcome increase in ants around your home.

Spring is prime time for ant activity, and for many households across the UK, this can become more than a mere nuisance. While ants are fascinating creatures in the wild, an infestation indoors can pose both health and safety risks that should not be ignored.

Why Ants Are More Active in Spring

Ants become more visible in spring due to the warmer weather and increased availability of food sources. Over winter, ant colonies remain largely dormant, but as conditions improve, worker ants begin foraging for food to support the colony’s expansion. Homes provide ideal shelter and a steady supply of nourishment - particularly sweet, greasy, or protein-rich foodstuffs.

Entry points are usually tiny cracks around doors, windows, plumbing, and foundations. Once a scout ant discovers a food source, it lays down a pheromone trail that leads the rest of the colony directly to it. This is why infestations can appear to escalate so rapidly—what begins as a few ants can quickly turn into hundreds or even thousands.

The Health and Safety Risks of Ant Infestations

While ants are not typically associated with the same level of danger as rodents or cockroaches, their presence indoors still carries certain risks:

• Contamination: Ants travel through unsanitary environments such as drains, bins, and outdoor soil. When they access your kitchen or food storage areas, they can spread bacteria and pathogens onto surfaces and into food, potentially causing foodborne illnesses.

• Allergic Reactions: Some individuals may experience mild to severe allergic reactions from ant bites or from contact with ant body parts and droppings.

• Structural Damage: Though not as destructive as some pests, certain ant species—such as carpenter ants—can burrow into wood to create nests. Over time, this can weaken timber and cause damage to structural components of your home.

• Electrical Hazards: Ants have been known to infiltrate electrical outlets and equipment. If they nest inside appliances or wiring, they can cause short circuits or equipment failure, which may pose a fire risk in extreme cases.

A recent image of damage caused by ants in a house showing the frass left behind an electrical socket

A recent customer was experiencing issues with ants in an outside garden room. Ants were going behind an electrical socket. An inspection revealed significant amounts of frass (pest waste) at the rear. The frass had caused a buildup of moisture and resulted in the electrical contacts rusting and causing the connected heater to trip the main fuse when used.

How to Stop Ants from Invading Your Home

The good news is that with a few proactive steps, you can prevent or quickly resolve most ant problems:

1. Eliminate Food Sources Keep all food stored in sealed containers and wipe down kitchen surfaces regularly to remove crumbs and sticky residues. Avoid leaving pet food out for long periods and ensure bins are tightly sealed.
   

2. Seal Entry Points Inspect your property for possible access points. Seal cracks in walls, around windows and doors, and entry points for utility lines. Installing weather stripping and repairing damaged screens can also help.
   

3. Keep Things Dry Ants are attracted to moisture, so fix any leaking taps, pipes, or gutters. Ensure good ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms and empty out stagnant water from sinks and mop buckets.
   

4. Use Ant Deterrents There are a range of ant deterrents available, from natural remedies like vinegar or lemon juice to commercially available ant baits and insecticidal sprays. Use these with care, especially around children and pets.
   

5. Call in the Professionals If your ant problem persists or worsens, it’s wise to consult a professional pest control service. Experts can identify the species involved, locate the nest, and provide safe, targeted treatments to eradicate the infestation entirely.

While a few ants here and there may not seem like a major issue, ignoring the problem can lead to larger infestations and increased health and safety concerns. By acting promptly and maintaining good hygiene and home maintenance practices, you can significantly reduce your chances of a springtime ant invasion.

If you’re struggling with ants in your home and need expert advice or treatment, don’t hesitate to contact Stratton Pest Control, the pest control professionals in

• Hertfordshire

• Bedfordshire

• Buckinghamshire

• Essex

• Cambridgeshire

• North London

• Oxfordshire

• Northamptonshire

• Norfolk

• Suffolk

A safe, ant-free home is well within reach.

call us on 01582 800302 for an immediate quote for pest control services in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex and Oxfordshire.