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.
