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Household Insects · Pest guide

Ants control

Trails in the kitchen, mounds in the lawn and carpenter ants in damp wood.

Start here: How to Get Rid of Ants in the House (2026 Guide) When to call a pro

Ants at a glance

Scientific name
Family Formicidae
Size
1/16 to 1/2 inch (1.5–13 mm)
Appearance
Narrow "waist", elbowed antennae; black, brown or red
Where found
Kitchens, bathrooms, wall voids, lawn mounds, damp or rotting wood
  • Health riskLow
  • Property damageModerate
  • Do it yourself?Usually DIY
When ants are active Peak: May–Aug
  1. Jan Rare
  2. Feb Rare
  3. Mar Low
  4. Apr Active
  5. May Peak
  6. Jun Peak
  7. Jul Peak
  8. Aug Peak
  9. Sep Active (this month)
  10. Oct Low
  11. Nov Rare
  12. Dec Rare

Low Active Peak This month

Signs to look for

  • Foraging trails along counters and baseboards
  • Small soil mounds in lawns or between pavers
  • Winged ants indoors in spring
  • Fine sawdust-like frass below wood (carpenter ants)

Call a professional when

  • Carpenter ants keep returning to the same wood
  • Fire ants near play areas or someone is allergic
  • Several colonies or ants inside walls
How to choose a pest control company

Quick prevention

  • Wipe up crumbs and sticky spills the same day
  • Store sugar, pet food and syrups in sealed containers
  • Fix leaks and replace water-damaged wood

Ants: removal guides

1 guide

Step-by-step plans to get rid of a pest, from DIY methods to professional treatment.

Ant close-up on a green leaf

Ants · Removal

How to Get Rid of Ants in the House (2026 Guide)

· 1 min read

Ants: prevention

1 guide

Seal it, clean it, change the habitat: how to keep pests from coming back.

Dense swarm of pavement ants where grass meets sidewalk

Ants · Prevention

How to Prevent Ants in the Kitchen (2026 Guide)

· 6 min read

Keep ants out

  1. Wipe up crumbs and sticky spills the same day
  2. Store sugar, pet food and syrups in sealed containers
  3. Fix leaks and replace water-damaged wood
  4. Trim branches that touch the house

Often confused or found together

All household insects
Termites Silent wood damage. How to spot swarmers, mud tubes and frass before the repair bill grows. Cockroaches German, American and Oriental roaches: where they hide and the baits that end an infestation. Spiders Mostly harmless and useful, but brown recluses and black widows need care.
Photo credits

Thank you to Nahushraj, Chetvorno, Discott, Oliver Ren and Ryan Hodnett for sharing these beautiful photographs and helping bring this guide to life.

Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CC0 · CC BY-SA 3.0