Are you noticing a lot of ants in your home these days? They may look like they come from nowhere, but that could mean they treat your home as a nest.
You can find ants almost anywhere you go. While it seems commonplace to see them, an overlooked infestation starts there. If it stays unchecked, it could damage your home’s structure.
How exactly do you know if you have an ant infestation? We gathered six signs to help you figure it out. Here’s what we found.
1. Increase in Numbers
It’s already a given that ants are everywhere and come out without warning. So, you should pay close attention to their number and how often they appear.
If they increase in numbers and make longer trails, that’s a sign of a colony growing. The same applies when they appear more, even without food left out.
2. Wood Shavings or Trails
Carpenter ants hang around beams, ledges, and boards made of wood. They also like to burrow into them, like other pests.
If you find trails of wood around your home, it’s a clear sign of pest infestation. If you aren’t sure, observe the suspected paths before dusting them off.
3. Hollow Noises on Wood
Since some ants burrow into wood, you will likely notice some of your woodwork sound hollow. You can check this by knocking on wood.
Note that ants usually don’t dig wood from the outside. So if you want to know if you have an ant problem, you’ll have to make keen observations.
4. Dirt or Soil Piles
Nests are an easy indication that your pest problem is ants. But note that you can overlook them since they look like piles of dirt.
One way to tell if the mound is an ant nest is by checking if they’re coming to and from it. Try not to touch it since that could anger them.
5. Faint Rustling or Scratching In Walls
Sometimes, ants will build their nest and colony inside your walls. When that happens, you might hear faint rustling within them.
While it could be a different pest problem, it could also mean an ant infestation if all other signs are present.
If you want to be sure, call in a pest exterminator. You can also opt for custom pest solutions.
6. Ant Droppings or Discarded Wings
You might find a discarded wing or ant droppings, which look like clumped wood and fecal matter. Their wings tend to come from flying ants that swarm their queen.
When you find these, it confirms that there are more ants in your home than you think.
Find Out if You Have an Ant Infestation
Learning the signs of an ant infestation can save you time. That way, you can call in pest control before the problem worsens and protect your home from damage.
If you’re interested in more guides like this, check out our blog!