Ants arrive quickly and take over your kitchen, bathroom, or basement in no time. In Calgary, changing weather and easy access to food or water make homes the perfect targets.
To get rid of ants in your Calgary home, you must act quickly and follow the proper steps. With clever effort and the right approach, you can stop the infestation and keep them from returning.
Before You Start Identifying the Ant Infestation
The sooner you spot ants, the easier it is to stop them from taking over. Look for tiny trails, busy movement near your kitchen, or spots where they might sneak around your Calgary home.
Signs of Ant Presence
- Trails of ants along baseboards, countertops, and floors
- Ants gathering near pet food, pantry items, or food spills
- Small piles of dirt or soil near walls, foundations, or cracks
- Ants are crawling under appliances or around furniture legs.
- Increased activity near windows, door frames, or vents
- Ants inside kitchen cabinets, drawers, or food containers
- Ants clustered around sinks, bathtubs, or other moisture-prone areas.
- Presence of winged ants (swarmers) indoors, often near windows
- Discarded ant wings are found on windowsills, floors, or corners.
- Ants nesting inside cardboard boxes, paper bags, or storage areas
- Repeated ant sightings in the same regions despite cleaning
- Nighttime activity, especially from odorous house ants or pavement ants
Common Entry Points Of Ants
Ants can easily find their way into Calgary homes through tiny cracks and unnoticed openings that most people don’t even consider. Here’s where to check:
1. Cracks in Walls and Foundations
Ants don’t need much space to get in. All it needs are tiny cracks in your home’s foundation, siding, or around basement windows. Even hairline gaps are big enough for them to sneak through.
2. Windows and Doors
The common weak spots are loose-fitting doors, old window frames, and worn-out weather stripping. If there’s a gap, ants will find it, especially when chasing warmth or food.
3. Utility Openings
Places where pipes, wires, or vents enter your home are not a big deal. But if they’re not sealed properly, ants can use them like express lanes straight into your house.
4. Vents and Exhaust Fans
Kitchen, bathroom, and attic vents are often overlooked. Damaged or missing mesh covers easily let ants (and other pests) in without you realizing it.
5. Rooflines and Attic Spaces
Carpenter ants love damp wood. If your soffits, fascia boards, or attic edges aren’t sealed tight, you might invite them in without knowing.
6. Garage and Basement Gaps
Moisture draws ants in, and basements and garages are prime targets. They’ll crawl under poorly sealed garage doors or through cracks near basement windows and vents.
Types of Ants Found in Calgary Homes
The most common ant species in Calgary include:
- Carpenter Ants: These large, black ants don’t eat wood; they chew through it to build their nests. Over time, that tunnelling can weaken wooden structures in your home.
- Odorous House Ants: Tiny and brown, these ants might not look like trouble, but crush one and you’ll know why they’re named that; they release a nasty, rotten smell.
- Pavement Ants: Often spotted near sidewalks or driveways, these ants like to set up shop under concrete. But when they’re hungry, they won’t hesitate to head indoors.
6 Steps to Get Rid of Ants Quickly (Proven Method)
They might be tiny, but ants can create big problems in Calgary homes, especially once the weather warms up. You can spot them crawling across your kitchen counter or disappearing into the walls. Here are 6 steps to get rid of ants quickly, and it’s proven.
Don’t Kill the Ants You See Right Away
We get it, seeing ants in your home is frustrating. Your first instinct might be to squash them or spray them right away. But wait.
Those ants are doing you a favour. They’re leading you to the real problem, which is the nest.
When you kill the ants you see, you only eliminate a small part of the colony. The real issue is the ants hiding in walls, floors, or outside your home. If you leave the worker ants alone, they’ll return food or bait to the colony. That’s how you wipe out the entire nest, including the queen.
So next time you spot a trail of ants, resist the urge to spray. Let them carry bait home and do the hard work for you. This is the smart way to win the ant battle for good.
Find Out Where the Ants Are Coming From
Where there’s a trail, there’s a story.
Ants don’t wander randomly; they follow scent paths set by scouts. If you trace that line carefully, it will lead you straight to their entry point. Look near baseboards, under sinks, or where crumbs tend to collect. Outdoors? Check along foundation cracks and garden edges.
The goal isn’t just to find where they’re going, but where they started. That’s where your control plan begins.
Use the Right Ant Bait
Bait is not one-size-fits-all.
Some ants crave sugar, and others want protein. That’s why tossing any old bait down will not work. The trick is to match the bait to the ant species and let them do the rest.
Once the workers grab and carry the bait home, it spreads to the colony like wildfire. Queen included. It’s quiet, effective, and doesn’t disrupt your home’s ecosystem like sprays.
Let the ants be your delivery team. That’s how you take down the whole operation.
Treat Around the Outside of Your Home
Think of the outside of your house as your first line of defence.
If you’re only treating the inside, you’re playing catch-up. Most ant infestations begin outside, under patios, in soil beds, or behind foundation walls. That’s where you need to strike them.
Apply a barrier treatment around windows, doors, and siding to keep ants from entering your space. This step will make all the difference in Calgary, where shifting weather draws pests indoors.
Call a Pest Control Expert
Sometimes, it’s best to skip the guesswork. You’ve tried sprays. You’ve attempted to vinegar. You’ve tried sealing every crack in sight, and the ants still appear like clockwork.
That’s when you bring in the professionals.
Like the team at Major Pest Control Calgary, Pest control technicians know exactly
- What species are they dealing with?
- Where might the nest be hiding?
- Which treatment will shut it down for good?
There is no more trial and error—just real results.
Book a Follow-Up Check
Even when the ants seem gone, don’t let your guard down.
Colonies are clever. Queens can keep producing for weeks after workers vanish. That’s why intelligent pest control includes a follow-up.
A second visit ensures the bait worked, re-treats missed spots, and seals new entryways. It’s not just maintenance, it’s insurance.
You’re not just getting rid of ants. You’re keeping them gone.
Wrap It Up
While a few stray ants might not seem like a big deal initially, ignoring the issue allows colonies to grow. It can potentially lead to structural damage, food contamination, and even the attraction of other pests. That’s why early action is critical.