How to Deal With Ants in Apartments

Serving Sun Prairie, WI

When the warm weather (finally) shows up, so do ants. Black ants, sometimes called pavement ants, are extremely common during spring and summer in Wisconsin apartments. This is typical for most plants and animals that hibernate or remain dormant during the winter. It’s just that some species are, well, more of a nuisance than others.

Ants in particular are notorious for getting into everything, from kitchen cupboards to bathroom sinks. They’ll scavenge for food and water in every corner of your apartment.

And in apartment complexes, they’re a special nuisance since they can easily spread from unit to unit. So read on to learn more about dealing with ants in apartments and how expert exterminators can help!

Main Causes of Ants

Once ants find their way inside your apartment complex, there are a few common things that will make them want to stay besides escaping the heat outside. 

Food residue is a big reason ants will infest homes, and why they are often found in the kitchens as opposed to other places in the units. Foods that ants enjoy are starches, sugary foods, and greasy foods. Even pet food can attract them. They will then bring the food remnants they find back to their colony.

An inadequate or infrequent garbage disposal can also be a major draw for ants. Garbage bags are easy for ants to break through, and keeping garbage inside a bin won’t necessarily stop them – they’ll find a way in. You should replace garbage bags often and avoid leaving garbage bags on the floor for extended periods of time.

Nests built inside your apartment building may also explain why you are finding ants. It doesn’t happen often, but ants can nest inside if a problem goes untreated for a long period or isn’t handled by a professional. Certain materials inside your apartment structure, like wet or rotten wood, can be ideal conditions for ants to build nests.

DIY Apartment Ant Control

Some will tell you that things like over-the-counter products, coffee grounds, vinegar, dish soap, and plenty of other household items can rid you of ants. This is not going to solve the ant problem and may not even remedy a symptom. The unfortunate truth is that you can’t do a ton to stop ants from using control methods indoors. The main issue is how and where they are coming from in the first place – outside.

This involves taking control measures outside of the apartment complex and identifying where ants are coming from. Typically, this means a pest professional needs to take a look around the outside of your building and treat the perimeter, preventing ants at the beginning.

Your Prevention Checklist

Here are some tips to keep ant infestations away:

• Keep food sealed
• Clean up spills on floors and tables right away
• Regularly vacuum and sweep
• Take out your trash daily
• Empty and clean pet’s food dishes often

What to Do About Your Infestation

Make sure that the details of pest management on your property are laid out in your leasing information. Even if it says the responsibility falls on the tenant, getting professional treatment is strongly recommended. When you speak to your apartment’s maintenance department, they will most likely take care of reaching out to an exterminator. The team at Terminix Wil-Kil Pest Control is happy to help tenants, property managers, and everyone in between!

At Terminix Wil-Kil Pest Control, we get client requests for pests like ants all year long. We are ready to help you resolve your ant problem, so contact us today! Just give us a call or fill out a contact form here.

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