New York Homes Invaded By Insects, What Are Thief Ants?

Earlier this month we reported on the New York State ant invasion. Mostly this take over consisted of your run-of-the-mill black ants but now their cousins are moving in. What are Thief Ants and what are they trying to steal?

According to the pest control specialists at Orkin, one of the most common reasons that ants will enter your home is food. Ants will invade your home for food crumbs, unemptied garbage or unsealed food containers. Thief ants are not much different. They enter your home looking for greasy foods, breads, fruits and sweets.

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Over the weekend I was in my kitchen when I noticed my butter dish was dirty. On a closer look, the dish wasn't dirty from food splatter or fingerprints, it was dirty because the stick and the glass case were covered with thief ants!

Thief ants are so small I'm not sure I would have noticed them if they weren't moving around. According to Pest World, these bugs got their name, not from stealing your butter, but from stealing food for the nests of other ants. These guys are the jerks of the ant community.

Photo by VINAY GUPTA on Unsplash

If you see them in your home, check your cabinets, openings in walls, behind baseboards and underneath countertops. That's where you are likely to find their nests. The best way to get rid of thief ants might be to hire a professional but there are simple home remedies you might want to try first. Here are a few;

Eliminate all access to food
Fix any utilities that may be causing a leak
Seal up cracks and crevices

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