New York's Ant Invasion, Why Are They In Your Home?

Homes around New York State are being invaded by ants this summer. It starts with a couple then all of a sudden it's a parade of bugs! Where are these creatures coming from and why are they suddenly coming into our homes?

Ants are one of those insects that we tend to peacefully coexist with. Sure, some ants bite but most don't and when we do see one or two in the house, one quick stomp of the foot and the encounter is over. What do you do if it's more than one or two? What if they just keep coming?

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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. This summer it appears they might be moving in for a different reason, the rain.

In the last few weeks New York State has been soaked with heavy rain. Several professional exterminators, such as Thompson Brothers, confirm that heavy rain can cause ants to seek a safe, dry place to live and your home is perfect! You can expect to see ants coming in through any crack or gap that acts as a tunnel for them.

Photo by Jenny Chambers on Unsplash

The best way to get rid of ants might be to hire a professional but there are simple home remedies you might want to try first. Here are a few;

Coffee Grounds - Sprinkle them around their entrance to your home. Ants hate the smell.
White Vinegar - Spray around high traffic areas. Ants hate this smell as well.
Peppermint Oil - This is a natural ant repellant and masks their scent trail.

Quiz: Do you know your state insect?

Stacker has used a variety of sources to compile a list of the official state insect(s) of each U.S. state, as well as their unique characteristics. Read on to see if you can guess which insect(s) represent your state.