If just one ant finds a food source inside your home, it can alert the rest of the colony, leading thousands of ants to follow the pheromone trail to that resource.
Ants are among the most successful creatures on Earth, with an estimated 22,000 species across the globe. But if they thrive so well in nature, why do they often show up in our homes, even in high-rise apartments? And what can we do to stop them from invading?
Ants are incredibly abundant, with roughly 20 quadrillion ants alive at any given time — that’s 20 followed by 15 zeros. To put it in perspective, there are about 2.5 million ants for every human on the planet. So, it’s no wonder that ants occasionally wander into our homes; they outnumber us by an unimaginable margin.
Why Are Ants So Successful?
Ants owe much of their success to their highly social nature. In each colony, different individuals have specific roles. There’s no single leader in an ant colony — instead, they work together through collective behavior. This “swarm intelligence” allows ants to accomplish things that would be impossible for any single ant on its own.
Ant colonies can:
Some species even outperform humans in certain cooperative tasks. This collaborative nature is key to their success, and it’s one of the reasons why ants are so good at finding their way into our homes.
How Do Ants End Up in Our Homes?
Ants are constantly searching for food. If just one ant finds a food source inside your home, it can alert the rest of the colony, leading hundreds or thousands of ants to follow the pheromone trail to that resource. Pheromone trails are how ants communicate with each other. The first ant lays down a trail of pheromones as it returns to the nest, which then guides other ants straight to the food source.
Ants may also invade your home in search of water, particularly when the weather is hot. Some species prefer humid environments, so it’s not uncommon to find them in bathrooms. Additionally, heavy rainfall can flood ant nests, causing them to seek drier ground — sometimes right inside your home.
Ants are skilled climbers, thanks to specialized adhesive pads and fine hairs on their feet. This allows them to scale walls and even navigate smooth surfaces. Some canopy-dwelling ants have evolved the ability to “steer” their falls, adjusting their bodies to safely land back on the tree trunk if they fall.
How to Keep Ants Out
Though it’s almost impossible to completely prevent ants from entering your home, you can reduce their visits by addressing what attracts them. Here are a few tips:
Even small crumbs or spilled sugary drinks can attract ants. If you spot a line of ants, try disrupting their pheromone trail with vinegar or bleach. However, ants are very good at repairing these trails, so it may not be a permanent fix.
To minimize entry points, seal cracks and gaps around windows and doors. Make sure fly screens are tightly fitted to prevent ants from getting inside. If you resort to insecticides, consider whether it’s necessary, as most common ants don’t sting and are harmless. In most cases, simply removing their food source is enough to redirect them.
Here are some of the most common types of ants that may invade your home:
Pavement ants: These small, dark brown ants are typically found in cracks and crevices in pavement. They often make their way indoors while searching for food.
Odorous house ants: These tiny, dark brown ants are known for releasing a strong, unpleasant coconut-like odor when crushed. They are especially attracted to sugary foods.
Carpenter ants: Larger in size, carpenter ants are either black or reddish and are known for tunneling through wood to build their nests. If not controlled, they can cause serious structural damage to homes.
Fire ants: Small and reddish-brown, fire ants are infamous for their painful stings and can become aggressive if their nests are disturbed.