Many people are noticing ants coming out of their houses. And are asking why there are so many ants this year 2021. Of course, you will always see ants all year round, but the pandemic and weather have brought ants popularity to a hew height.
The ants you see are real, though. It is brought on by weather conditions and top it with the pandemic. Because humans’ living and the working situation have changed, it also affects everything around the house, including insects like ants. It is a domino effect of nature.
Overview
Weather
Ants can emerge in any weather; however, they are active during dry and rainy seasons or wet winter weather. The occurrence, of course, depends on the type of ant you are dealing with, but most of them would want to enter your house because of shelter, food, and water. Therefore, ants will seek refuge in your home if it is rainy, and ants will also seek water if it is dry.
Dry Weather
According to researchers, ants are everywhere this year because of the dry season. It is easier for ants to move and build tunnels because the soil is dry. In addition, the dry season does not allow the grass to grow, leaving bare spots that ants can use to build their colony.
Ants love dry and warm weather, and the warmer the weather, the many the ants are. And yes, it is not just your imagination. While ants build their nests in your lawn, they can move inside your house anytime, and the reason? Food and water. They may love the dry season, but they need food and water to survive. And your home has plenty of those.
Wet Weather
Ants need water to survive. Thus they enter your house to look for it there. But when the weather is wet, ants also need to shelter from the rain. Not only that, rain and damp weather will drive ants out of their home. Excessive rainfall will destroy the ant colony, forcing the insects to look for a new shelter. One that is dry and has plenty of food and water. And what better option is there than your house full of what the ants need.
And after ants make their presence known, you will see them everywhere. Ants will build new colonies in every corner of your house, from inside the kitchen sink, bathroom, your bedroom, and even on your electronic gadgets and electrical wirings inside your wall. They are small and can crawl virtually everywhere.
Winter
Ants depend on the temperature. That is why you see them everywhere during summer. During winter, they build their nests at the bottom of a rock, relying on the heat it collects from the sun during the day. Some rely on the heat of decaying leaves. During winter, they do not come from their heat-infused tunnels and choose to hibernate instead.
However, if ants find their way inside your toasty warm house, they will become active, and the infestation will eventually occur. Ants will forage food and water and will begin building their nest inside your home. So even in winter, you can have an ant infestation.
Pandemic
Covid 19 has forced thousands, if not millions, to stay and work from home. It also means there would be plenty of food and water moving around the house. So naturally, food crumbs and those empty pizza boxes will attract their attention. If you have leaks in your water supply, you might also find them near it.
It also means that there are plenty of pairs of eyes and time to check every nook and crevice of your home. Ants are tiny, so they are not easily detected. But if there are plenty of people inside the house, ants are more noticeable.
How to avoid getting an ant infestation?
Now you know why you see many ants this year; it is time to understand how to counter them and make sure your home is ant-proof. There are times you will see ants inside your house from time to time, and this is pretty normal. However, it doesn’t hurt to prepare for an ant invasion.
Patch up holes and cracks
Always prepare for an ant infestation every time. And to do this, you need to patch up holes and cracks in your wall. Small insects use small openings to invade your home. If they do not see any holes or cracks, they won’t be able to enter your house unless someone leaves your door open for them.
Always have a peppermint spray or cinnamon powder.
Peppermint and cinnamon repel ants. These two ingredients can kill ants, so it is better to have one ready anytime. Spray peppermint or dust cinnamon powder to an ant trail, and you won’t see ants anymore. The scent of peppermint and cinnamon is too strong for ants. They also contain ingredients that will kill them, so ants avoid both.
Clean the house regularly
Most members of the family are staying home this year because of the pandemic. And it also means more leftover crumbs all over your couch, your kitchen, and even your computer. So if you are thinking that leaving food particles are okay, you better think again. Ants can detect them from miles and will eventually get to them if not removed. Thus, it is better to clean the house regularly so your home will be less than attractive to ants.
Ant Baits
If you notice that ants are getting more and more visible, you likely have an infestation. In this case, killing those visible ants will not do anything. Instead, it may lead to more ants. Ants release a pheromone when they are in danger so other ants can track them. So instead of crushing the worker ants, why not use an ant bait instead.
Ant baits are appealing to worker ants, and they will eat them as well. Once consumed, the worker ant will take some back to their nest, distributing it to other worker ants and the queen. After a while, the ingredient from the ant bait will work and kill all the population, including the queen.
