What Happens to Ants in the Winter?
Like many pests, ants tend to disappear during the winter. But have you ever wondered where they go? Most species of ants tend to spend their winters in a warm, safe place. This is why you might notice more ants in your home as the colder weather starts to hit. Even if you don’t notice them, there could be ants and other pests hiding in the crevices of your home to escape the outdoors.
Read on if you’re interested in learning how ants prepare for the winter.
They eat a lot
One of the first thing ants do prepare for the harsh winter weather is consume a lot of food in the fall. Lots of animals do this to prepare for winter, including bears, squirrels and a variety of insects. In the warmer months, ants mostly get their nutrients from seeds, nuts, dead animals, nectar, etc. In late summer, they eat mostly carbohydrates, which helps them gain weight for when the seasons start to change. Ants use these stored fats to survive while lying dormant in winter.
They stick together
Ants stick together, and the cold temperatures don’t change that. Sticking together allows ants to share body heat, thus combating the cold temperatures of winter. Ants usually cluster around their queen to keep her safe and warm. During the winter, ants don’t eat, drink or lay eggs.
They find the right place to hunker down
Ants slow down when it starts getting colder. For some of them, winter means returning to their nests to protect the queen and gather together for warmth. Others may seek warmth in other areas, including under rocks, deep in the soil and inside homes. Either way, ants find a place to stay during winter and don’t travel until the warm weather returns.
While some animal species spend their winters sleeping, ants just slow down and stay inside their hiding places.
Waking back up
When the weather gets warmer, ants start becoming more active. They reemerge from their hiding places to seek food. If ants have been hiding in your home over the winter, this means they could start searching your cabinets and drawers for new food sources. And once ants have discovered your home is a good source of food, they’ll be extremely difficult to get rid of.
What to do if you’ve got ants in your home
Don’t let a small ant problem turn into a full infestation. While you can usually purchase ant sprays and traps from your local supermarket, it’s always best to contact an exterminator. This is the only way to get rid of all your ants while preventing others from seeking shelter in your home. Ants can cause major damage to a commercial or residential property over time, so it’s best to get rid of them as soon as possible.
If you’re a Central Illinois resident looking for top-quality extermination services to address ants and other pests in the winter and all year long, contact the experts at Crist Termite and Pest Solutions, Inc. today to schedule a service appointment.
Categorised in: Insect Control