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A: During winter and early spring, ants enter a dormant state, feeding off carbohydrates and proteins collected during late summer and fall. These resources will provide enough food for the colony to survive until spring. However, if the warming effects of the sun prematurely awaken ants from their dormant state, the scouts will instinctively begin foraging for food, despite the cold climates in early spring.
When it’s too cold to forage outside, the scouts will investigate inside. Once a scout locates a food source, they will leave a pheromone trail for more scouts to follow, which is what you are most likely witnessing in your home.
In order to prevent an ant infestation, caulking the smallest cracks and crevices as well as removing any potential food sources will help to keep these unwanted pests outside where they belong.
For help with ant control, contact us online or call 888 984 0186 to speak to one of our pest control experts.
Godfrey Nalyanya, Ph.D. is a Regional Technical Services Manager and Entomologist for Rentokil Terminix, overseeing several states in the Northeast U.S. As an expert in urban integrated pest management, Godfrey is primarily responsible for maintaining and enhancing service quality through training. He also troubleshoots and resolves unique pest challenges in accounts, conducts quality assurance reviews, and performs new product evaluations and testing. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences from Egerton University (Njoro, Kenya), and his Masters of Science and Ph.D. in Entomology from North Carolina State University. He is an active member of the Entomological Society of America and Maryland Pest Control Association.
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