Ants are common household pests. They don’t carry disease, but can be annoying.
Argentine ants are the most common cause of ant invasions indoors, but other species may cause problems in this area. Knowing which ant is causing your issue is important, since different ant species have different food preferences and will take different types of bait. For ant identification and control information, contact the District laboratory at (650) 344-8592.
If you see ants indoors, your first impulse will probably be to kill the ants that are inside, but don’t reach for the bug spray! Insecticide sprays aren’t usually needed for ant infestations. Instead, you can wipe up the ants with a damp soapy sponge, or even vacuum them up.
Next, you’ll want to stop additional ants from coming in. Clean up or remove whatever the ants are feeding on, then wipe away ant trails with soapy water. Entry points can be sealed with caulk to keep ants out.
In many cases, this is enough to stop the problem. If ants continue to invade, you may need to use an ant bait to kill the colony. Place bait stations near where you see ants entering.
Website Accesibilty Policy San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District
San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District is fully committed to providing accessible facilities, elements and
channels of communication to all members of the public. As part of this commitment, San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District
has a policy of providing an accessible website compatible with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) and
commercial screen reading software. All features of the website are coded to allow individuals with vision and
other impairments to understand and use the website to the same degree as someone without disabilities. We welcome
feedback and can often resolve issues in a timely manner if they arise.
If you need any special assistance or accommodations
San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District has designated a compliance officer for website disability-related accommodations.
The compliance officer has received training in website accessibility and updates the site in accordance with those best
practices. Contact our accessibility officer to report an issue.
Compliance Procedures and Reports
In addition to testing with users with a wide range of disabilities and coding our website to WCAG standards,
San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District regularly scans its website to ensure ongoing compliance, and makes timely
changes to any inaccessible changes, if any are found. In our ongoing commitment to transparency, we make the
last three months' reports available to the public.
August 2021 Website Accessibility Compliance Report
July 2021 Website Accessibility Compliance Report
June 2021 Website Accessibility Compliance Report
Linked Documents and Third Parties
Please note that this site may link out to third-party websites, such as state or federal agencies, that do
not have accessible content. This site may also include documents provided by third parties included in our
agenda packets, for example. While we cannot control the accessibility of content provided by third parties,
we are happy to assist any member of the public with reading and accessing content on our site.