Ant Control in Rockford, IL

Kitchen and pavement ants

Small ants trailing across counters in spring and summer are usually foraging from a nest outside, under a slab or in a wall void. Baits that workers carry back to the colony are often more effective than sprays.

Carpenter ants

Large black ants inside in late winter or spring can mean carpenter ants nesting in damp wood. They don't eat wood but hollow it out to nest, leaving piles of fine sawdust-like material called frass.

Why moisture matters

Carpenter ants favor wood softened by leaks around windows, roofs, decks and plumbing. Fixing the moisture is part of fixing the ant problem, or a new colony will move in.

Finding the nest

Technicians follow trails at night, check wall voids, window frames and trees near the house, and look for frass. Knowing where the ants are seen most helps narrow the search.

Treatment

Treatment may combine baits, targeted dusts in voids and exterior barrier treatments. Ask how long results take; colonies often decline over days rather than hours.

Prevention

Trim branches away from the roof, keep firewood off the ground and away from the house, seal gaps and clean up crumbs and sweet spills. See carpenter ants. Send a request and a pest control company will get in touch.

Indoor clean-up

Wipe down counters, sweep floors, store sugar and sweet foods in sealed containers and rinse recyclables. Ants follow scent trails, so cleaning along a trail with soapy water helps break it.

Pavement ants

Small brown or black ants pushing soil up through cracks in driveways, patios and basement floors are often pavement ants. Treating the nests outside and sealing slab cracks keeps them from coming indoors.