Ant Control & Extermination Services

Ant Infestations

An ant infestation can ruin many things if you find them crawling all over your home. Ants can easily make it into your home through cracks in the walls or small exposed holes or wires. Once they enter your home or office, they tend to search for food. These ants can and will quickly contaminate your food as well as sneak around to reach other potential areas of your home or office.

Here are the top ant species to look out for in your home or office:

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are dark brown and reddish in color. They tend to nest within damaged wood, cracks, and holes in your home. They are extremely invasive and tend to hunt for sweets such as honey and jelly-like substances. These ants are known to cause extreme structural damage to your home if not treated.

Ghost Ants

Ghost ants appear black and white. They tend to stay outside and nest within mulch, rock, and tree bark. They also tend to feed around potted plants and cabinets. Ghost ants take it step by step in eating away and digging at sweet and sugary goods.

Odorous House Ants

These ants are dark brown and can infiltrate your home through damaged walls, exposed soil under the floor, or cracks in your home or office. These ants are dangerous because they are known for contaminating food. They are named odorous because if they happen to be smashed, they let off a harsh and potent smell similar to sink bugs.

Pharaoh Ants

These are small brown ants that are known for invading indoors. They follow trails and are often in hiding in hard-to-reach spaces like wall voids, under floors, and behind your baseboards. They also tend to be near areas of water sources such as the kitchen or bathroom.

How these Ants Are Making it Into Your Home

Ants will nest indoors and outdoors. They enter through small cracks in walls, your home’s foundation, your roof, or anywhere you might have wires entering your home. It’s also common for ants to be attracted to sweet foods, crumbs, and general food left unattended.

The Warning Signs

If you are experiencing any of the following signs, you need to call our team right away:

Ants wandering around outside your home in visible areas. These ants are on the search for a food supply you may have left behind.
Food Spoiling and ants in your sink, near your trash bin, or even your pet bowls are a major sign that you have an ant issue in your home.
Multiple nests outside your home. If you are noticing ant nests outside the perimeter of your home, it’s time you call an exterminator to make sure there are no structural damages done to your home.

Our Ant Treatment & Preventative Advice

To make sure that you are ridding ants from your home or office of ants, you need to seal any areas of risk and fully understand the types of ants that your home is attracting, as they all have different forms of treatment. At IMEL, we offer the best nest location and removal services in the Metro-East area!

We will also help you prevent future infestations through a variety of services and tips from our seasoned professionals. Here are some of the top preventative tips on how to prevent future ant infestations:

Fix any roof openings or leaks, dripping pipes, and other plumbing issues that may provide moisture for ants to survive.
Keep your areas clean! Keeping your space clean from food and residue found in the kitchen or eating areas is a great way to keep ants away.
When storing food, make sure it is sealed in airtight containers and in the refrigerator.
Call our team when you need assistance! Although there are ways you can prevent ants from swarming, you still might need professional help.

FAQ

Q: Why do I suddenly have ants in my kitchen?

A: Scout ants found food or water and laid a pheromone trail for the colony. Spring rains and summer drought both push colonies indoors. Wiping counters removes the trail temporarily, but the colony outside (or in a wall void) keeps sending scouts until it’s treated at the source.

Q: What's the difference between carpenter ants and termites?

A: Both damage wood, but carpenter ants excavate (pushing out sawdust-like frass) while termites eat it (leaving muddy galleries). Carpenter ants are large and black; termite workers are pale and rarely seen in the open. Treatments are completely different, so identification comes first — inspections are free.

Q: Why do ants come back after I spray?

A: Consumer sprays are repellents — they kill visible foragers and cause colonies to split into multiple nests (budding), which multiplies the problem. Professional baiting works opposite: foragers carry slow-acting bait to the queen, eliminating the colony rather than scattering it.

Q: What are the tiny ants in my bathroom?

A: Usually odorous house ants (they smell like rotten coconut when crushed) or pavement ants following moisture to pipes and drains. Bathrooms offer water year-round, which is why these trails persist even in winter. Baiting plus sealing entry gaps around plumbing solves it.

Q: When should I call a professional for ants?

A: When trails reappear after cleaning and store baits, when you see large black ants or sawdust piles (possible carpenter ants — structural risk), or when ants show up in multiple rooms. Multiple trails mean an established colony nearby, and the earlier it’s treated, the smaller the job.