Ants are a common problem for millions of homeowners, but if you don’t live in a house, you might think you’re exempt. Unfortunately, even apartment dwellers can end up battling ants sometimes, and this is true whether you live on the first floor or the fourteenth. How do these insects manage to get all the way up there? Let’s go over the most common ways they get in.
In the beginning, ants can get into an apartment building the same way they get into any other building—by taking advantage of any opportunity they are given. Ants can hitch a ride by getting into pet food, firewood, flowers, or anything else that comes into the building from outdoors, or even from another building that already has an ant infestation. It’s important to check any items you think might be carrying ants before you bring them into your apartment.
These bugs also look for any cracks, gaps, or openings that might appear in the building, especially near ground level. They are small enough that they can squeeze through nearly any opening, and if it’s even too small for them, they have been known to gnaw wider holes in some cases. Ants can also get in through doors, windows, and some ventilation systems, and they can climb fairly well, meaning that they can climb up the outside of a building until they find a spot where they can enter.
The best ways to prevent this from happening include applying caulk to any cracks or gaps and sealing any other large openings to make it as difficult as possible for ants to invade. Landlords and building managers should also make sure that vegetation is kept trimmed and doesn’t push directly up against the building to reduce the chance that ants will transfer from their natural habitat into yours. A few outdoor bait stations can also help.
Once ants get inside a building, they can easily spread by creeping through the walls, infest places under your floors, get into furniture, and follow plumbing or electrical lines. Ants may move from apartment to apartment once inside. If this happens, a building-wide effort may be necessary, although there are a number of steps you can take to make your own apartment less hospitable.
Since ants are small, they can fit through various cracks that may be in your apartment. Finding and closing these should be the first step since you’ll want to stop them from having easy access to your apartment space. You can use chaulk or weather stripping to seal openings and cut off access from the outdoors.
Ants need food and water to be available for them to thrive. To help reduce the chances of them getting comfortable in your apartment, it is always best to keep your apartment clean. This is especially important in your dining areas and in your kitchen since food and water are easily available there.
While you are cleaning your apartment and dealing with the ants, it can be helpful to also target the ones that are already inside. A few well placed Ant bait stations can discourage them from entering your space. Fighting ants in your apartment may be annoying, but products like Combat® can assist you with resolving the problem.
While keeping your apartment clean is important, you should also be sure to take out the trash as it accumulates. This can deter ants from finding any resources in your apartment. It is also a good idea to clean the trash cans themselves since they can sometimes be prone to spills or become sticky.
Ants are always looking for easily accessible foods in homes and apartments. Check foods in your cabinets and storage areas to ensure that they are sealed properly.
If you are noticing that there are a lot of ants in your apartment space, it may be beneficial to contact your apartment management. If you are dealing with it, there is a chance that your neighbors are as well.
Ants in apartments can be frustrating, but the good news is that they’re preventable with a combination of awareness, cleanliness, and proactive measures. By sealing entry points, maintaining a tidy living space, and using effective ant control products like Combat® baits and gels, you can stop these persistent pests from moving in. Remember, dealing with ants quickly is key, the sooner you take action, the easier it will be to keep your apartment less attractive for ants and other pests.