Why do they come back after I spray?

Because you are killing foragers, not the nest. The queen keeps producing more, and with some species the spray makes the colony split.

Should I wipe the trail?

Cleaning the trail removes the pheromone and interrupts the traffic, which helps. It does not address the nest, and it can make bait harder to place correctly.

Are carpenter ants different?

Yes, and it matters. Carpenter ants excavate wood to nest, so they signal a moisture or rot problem rather than a food one.

Ants. One call, someone's on the way.

A trail along the counter that comes back every morning

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A home inspector kneeling at an open crawl space vent along the foundation of a house, checking for pest entry points.

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Is this what you are looking at?

A steady line of ants is a foraging trail between a nest and a food source, and the trail itself is the useful clue: follow it to where they enter and you usually find the nest is outside, under a slab or in a wall void. Odorous house ants give off a faint coconut smell when crushed, which is a quick way to narrow down the species.

Also called: sugar ants, pavement ants, odorous house ants, pismires

Where they actually are

Most house invading ants nest outdoors and come in to forage, following plumbing lines and expansion joints. Some species split their colony when stressed, which is why the wrong spray can turn one trail into several.

under slabs and walkways
inside wall voids
behind dishwashers and under sinks
in potted plants
under mulch against the foundation
in wall insulation

Why the can from the hardware store does not work

Spraying the trail kills the visible workers and leaves the queen producing replacements. With species that bud, a repellent spray actively triggers the colony to split into satellite nests, so a single trail becomes three in different rooms.

What a contractor actually does

A contractor will identify the species, because bait choice depends on whether the colony currently wants sugar or protein, then place slow acting bait that workers carry back to the queen. They will also look at the exterior conditions, such as mulch and branches touching the roofline, that keep the colony close to the house.

Ants are rarely dangerous, but a trail that reappears every morning means the colony is established and growing. It is easier to deal with before the nest expands.

Questions people ask on the call

Why do they come back after I spray?: Because you are killing foragers, not the nest. The queen keeps producing more, and with some species the spray makes the colony split.
Should I wipe the trail?: Cleaning the trail removes the pheromone and interrupts the traffic, which helps. It does not address the nest, and it can make bait harder to place correctly.
Are carpenter ants different?: Yes, and it matters. Carpenter ants excavate wood to nest, so they signal a moisture or rot problem rather than a food one.

Where ants come up most

Climate decides a great deal of this. These are cities in the regions where this one is among the most common calls.

Also common: Termites , Fleas , Carpenter Ants , Ticks

Ants in the house?

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