You walk into your kitchen for a glass of water, half-asleep. You flick on the light, and there they are. A long, marching line of tiny invaders stretching from the window sill all the way to the dog’s food bowl. It is a sight every homeowner dreads, yet it is one of the most common pest problems in the South.

Ants are fascinating creatures in the wild. They aerate the soil and help decompose organic matter. But when they decide to move into your pantry or walls, they become a relentless nuisance. While a single ant might seem harmless, seeing one usually means there are thousands more nearby, hidden just out of sight.

Keeping these persistent insects outdoors requires a two-pronged approach: rigorous home maintenance and professional intervention. By understanding what attracts them and how they get in, you can turn your home into a fortress. And when the invasion feels overwhelming, knowing who to call for backup is half the battle.

Why do ants invade homes?

To keep ants out, you first have to understand why they want to come in. Ants are simple creatures driven by basic survival needs. They aren’t plotting to take over your house out of malice; they are simply scouting for resources.

The search for food

This is the number one driver of ant infestations. Worker ants, the ones you see marching in lines, are scouts. They leave the colony to find food sources. Once a scout finds a spilled drop of juice, a crumb of bread, or an open bag of sugar, they lay down a pheromone trail. This chemical scent acts like a highway for the rest of the colony, leading them straight to the buffet in your kitchen.

The need for water

Just like humans, ants need water to survive. In dry seasons, they may enter your home looking for moisture in bathrooms, laundry rooms, or under leaky sinks. Conversely, during heavy rain—common in Louisiana and Texas—the soil becomes saturated, flooding their underground nests. When this happens, they seek higher, drier ground, which often ends up being inside your walls.

Seeking shelter

Sometimes, it comes down to temperature. When the summer heat becomes unbearable or the winter chill sets in, ants look for a temperature-controlled environment. Your home, with its regulated HVAC system, offers the perfect climate for them to thrive year-round.

Fortify your perimeter: Exterior defense tips

The best way to handle an ant problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place. This starts with the exterior of your home. Think of your house as a castle; you need to pull up the drawbridge and patch the walls to keep the enemy at bay.

Seal the entry points

Ants are incredibly small. They can squeeze through cracks that are barely visible to the human eye. Take a walk around the foundation of your home. Look for cracks in the cement, gaps around pipes where they enter the house, and spaces around windows and doors.

• Caulk and seal: Use a high-quality silicone caulk to seal cracks in the foundation and gaps around utility pipes.
• Weather stripping: Check the weather stripping on your doors and windows. If you can see daylight coming through when the door is closed, an ant can easily walk right in.
• Screen repair: Fix any rips or tears in your window screens immediately.

Landscaping logic

Your garden might be beautiful, but it could be acting as a bridge for pests. Trees and shrubs that touch your siding or roof provide a direct roadway for ants to bypass your foundation treatments and enter through the attic or windows.

• Trim vegetation: Keep tree branches and shrubs trimmed back at least 12 to 18 inches from the house.
• Mulch management: Mulch retains moisture, which ants love. Keep mulch layers thin and, if possible, leave a “dry zone” of gravel or stone directly against the foundation rather than organic wood mulch.

Sanitation around the house

Ants have an incredible sense of smell. If you have garbage cans sitting near the back door, you are essentially inviting them over for dinner.

• Clean the bins: Wash your outdoor trash cans regularly to remove sticky residue.
• Secure the perimeter: Ensure that firewood stacks, which can house carpenter ants, are stored away from the home and elevated off the ground.

Interior habits: Starve them out

Even the best-sealed home can succumb to an invasion if the interior is full of attractants. The goal inside is to make your home as unappealing to a hungry ant as possible.

The kitchen deep clean

The kitchen is the battlefield. Keeping it spotless is your best defense. This goes beyond just doing the dishes.

• Wipe down surfaces: Use a vinegar and water solution to wipe down countertops. This cleans the surface and disrupts the pheromone trails ants use to communicate.
• Airtight storage: Transfer dry goods like sugar, flour, and cereal into airtight plastic or glass containers. The rolled-up bag inside a cardboard box is rarely enough to stop a determined ant.
• Pet food discipline: This is a major culprit. Leaving a bowl of dog or cat food out all day is an open invitation. Try to feed pets at specific times and pick up the bowl when they are finished.

Moisture control

Since ants seek water, fix those annoying drips. A leaky pipe under the sink or a dripping faucet provides a consistent water source that allows a colony to survive inside your home indefinitely. Check your bathroom grout and ensure there is no water seeping behind the tiles.

When DIY isn’t enough: The trouble with store-bought sprays

When homeowners see ants, the first instinct is often to grab a can of bug spray from the hardware store. While this might kill the ants you see on contact, it often makes the problem worse in the long run.

Most ants you see are expendable workers. The queen—the source of the population—is safely hidden deep within the nest. When you spray repellent chemicals, you might kill a few dozen workers, but the colony detects the threat.

Some species, like the Pharaoh ant, have a defense mechanism called “budding.” When they sense a threat like a strong repellent, the colony splits into multiple smaller colonies and scatters. Suddenly, you don’t have one ant problem; you have five. Effective ant control requires slow-acting baits that workers carry back to the nest to eliminate the queen, a strategy that requires patience and professional knowledge.

The Professional Solution: J&J Exterminating

Sometimes, despite your best efforts at cleaning and sealing, nature finds a way. In the humid climates of Louisiana and Texas, pest pressure is high year-round. This is where professional intervention becomes necessary.

J&J Exterminating has been a trusted name in pest control since 1959. As Louisiana’s largest independently-owned pest control company, we understand the specific local pest challenges that national chains might overlook.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

J&J utilizes a strategy known as Integrated Pest Management. This isn’t about blindly spraying chemicals everywhere. It is a thoughtful approach that combines exclusion, sanitation, and targeted treatment. The goal is effective control with the least amount of product necessary.

Gold Shield 365

For comprehensive protection, J&J offers the Gold Shield 365 service. This program makes protecting your home convenient and worry-free. It focuses on keeping pests out by establishing a defensive barrier around your home.

• Baits and Barriers: They use proven, long-lasting baits and residual barriers that stop pests before they enter.
• Guaranteed Service: One of the biggest benefits of a professional service is the guarantee. J&J offers unlimited call-backs 365 days a year. If the ants come back, so does J&J, at no extra cost to you.

Addressing specific threats

Different ants require different treatments.

• Termite Protection: Often mistaken for flying ants, termites cause massive damage. J&J offers both Termidor and Sentricon systems to eliminate colonies.
• Carpenter Ants: These ants damage wood. Professional identification is key to distinguishing them from harmless black ants.
• Fire Ants: A danger to pets and children in the yard, fire ants require specialized yard treatments that go beyond spot-treating mounds.

Reclaim your home

Your home is your sanctuary. You shouldn’t have to share it with a colony of six-legged intruders. While keeping a clean kitchen and sealing cracks are excellent first steps, true peace of mind comes from knowing you have a professional shield around your property.

If you are tired of fighting a losing battle against the march of the ants, it is time to bring in the heavy artillery. With over 65 years of experience and 15 locations, J&J Exterminating has the expertise to secure your home.

Don’t wait until the line of ants reaches the bedroom. Take action today to keep the outside world… outside.

Tags: Ant Control, Get rid of Ants, Stop The March! How To Keep Ants Outside Where They Belong