The Ultimate Guide to
Ants in Maryland

Looking for effective ant extermination? While various ant exterminator companies employ different approaches, ant traps and bait are the most commonly used methods to eliminate ant problems efficiently.

At Brody Brothers Pest Control, our approach involves a comprehensive treatment plan for ants. We use a variety of professional-grade products and sprays specifically designed to target ant colonies. This includes targeted interior applications to address active ant infestations, perimeter treatments for the exterior of your property, and additional focus on secondary areas located away from the house.

When it comes to getting rid of ants, ant traps and bait are widely utilized by professional ant exterminators.

At Brody Brothers, we use a variety of professional-grade products and sprays specifically designed to target ant colonies. These effective methods, available in different forms such as gels, granules, or stations, are specifically designed to target ants’ dietary preferences.

Click here to learn more about Brody Brother’s ant control services.

Our Technicians:

• Complete more than 320 hours of training to thoroughly understand pests and their habits, pest treatment options and tools, and the environmental impact of treatments.
• Treat your home with the same respect as they would their own, including always wearing shoe coverings inside and putting everything back the way they found it.
• Know to use the right product for the right ant species.
• Don’t just treat your home for the known pest problem. They’ll also treat common areas to deter future pests.
• Love animals and eliminate pests from your home as humanely as possible.

Our Process:

• Environmentally friendly, including being aware of water sources, bees, etc.
• Treat any pipes, utilities, or connection lines so pests can’t get around/circumvent the barrier.
• Use non-repellent ant bait to ensure they won’t bypass it and that they will transfer it, making it more effective at targeting the greater colony.
• Treatment of your home’s perimeter for a longer control, then treat secondary places on your property.
• Brush away cobwebs so spiders are less likely to make webs and wasps are less likely to build nests.
• Treat the colony around your entire property.
• Timed seasonal ant treatments for effective success

Our Products:

• Environmentally friendly – we carefully evaluate each product for human & environmental impact.
• Only the highest quality products – we test them all!

Ants may enter your house for several reasons:

1. Food: They are attracted to even small amounts of food, such as crumbs, sweets, or pet food.
2. Moisture: Ants seek out sources of water or damp areas in your home.
3. Nesting: Your house may provide a suitable environment for ants to establish their nests.
4. Weather conditions: Adverse weather like heavy rain, cold, or hot weather can drive ants indoors in search of shelter.

Here’s how to keep ants out of your house and maintain a pest-free environment:

• Keep your kitchen, dining room, and pantry clean. Regularly sweep the floors, wipe off countertops daily, and ensure all food items are properly sealed.
• Act quickly to clean up food spills. If you accidentally spill food or drink, make sure to promptly clean it up to avoid attracting ants.
• Eliminate food crumbs after every meal. Thoroughly wipe down counters and tables with warm soapy water to remove any food residue. Pay attention to crevices and corners where crumbs can hide. This is especially important if you have young children who tend to leave crumbs around the living room or kitchen.
• Keep surfaces dry. Ensure that counters, sinks, and floors are thoroughly dried after cleaning or any spills. Standing water or moisture can attract ants.
• Take out the trash promptly and keep garbage cans tightly sealed. Dispose of trash, particularly items with strong odors, immediately after use. Remember, ants are drawn to sugary treats!
• Store food in sealed baggies or airtight containers. Avoid leaving any food uncovered as it can easily attract ants.
• Maintain cleanliness around your pet’s food area. Keep your pet’s food bowl clean and tightly seal pet food containers. Pets may leave behind crumbs after eating, so be sure to sweep or vacuum the area regularly. Consider storing pet food in a large, airtight plastic container instead of its original packaging.
• Monitor indoor humidity levels. Certain ant species, like odorous house ants, acrobat ants, and carpenter ants, are attracted to damp wood for its moisture content. Be mindful of indoor humidity and address any potential moisture issues promptly.

For more information about how to get rid of ants in your home, check out How Do I Get Rid of an Ant Infestation.

Here’s how to keep ants out of your yard and maintain a pest-free outdoor space:

• Trim outdoor branches and shrubbery. Cutting back all of the branches and shrubbery close to your home can inhibit ants from nesting. Ants use these elements to bypass the treated perimeter of your home.
• Don’t over-mulch. It’s recommended to keep mulch depth under three inches.
• Don’t leave tree stumps or rotting wood lying around. Rotting wood attracts ants. Avoid any situations where wood is in direct contact with the ground or right next to your home. Monitor wood decay and replace damaged wood as necessary.
• Eliminate yard debris, especially close to your home. Remove piles of debris, like leaves, firewood, or bricks, and ensure your gutters aren’t clogged.
• Notice the plants in your yard. Control aphids, a.k.a. plant lice, on your favorite flowers and shrubs, such as crepe myrtles, rose bushes, American holly, peonies, any type of maple, and English ivy.
• Be mindful of your neighbors’ yards. Ant colonies like odorous house ants are very large, have multiple queens, and spread across multiple properties. This is especially true if your home is in close proximity to neighbors, such as most single-family and townhome communities. Therefore, while we can exterminate ants from your home and property, there’s a good chance the remaining ants on your neighbor’s property will make their way back to yours at a future point. For these reasons, a regular inspection plan is needed to ensure long-term ant management.

For more information about how to get rid of ants in your yard, check out How Do I Get Rid of an Ant Infestation.

Ants have a varied diet, but they are particularly fond of sweets. They are attracted to a sugary substance called “honeydew,” which is secreted by aphids. You can find ants indulging in honeydew on plants like crepe myrtles, rose bushes, American holly, peonies, various types of maple trees, and English ivy. In the absence of aphid food sources during winter, ants may venture into homes in search of human food, especially sweet treats. So, while ants primarily feed on natural sources like aphids and plant sap in nature, their diet expands to include human food when they enter our homes.

Ants can be found in various areas of a home, seeking out any available crevice. Here are some of the most common places where you may find ants in your house:

• Kitchen counter and around the sink
• Bathrooms
• Leaking sinks
• Cupboards
• Bathrooms where pipes connect
• Dishwashers
• Utility areas
• Moisture-damaged wood in the basement, attic, or garage
• Cracks and crevices around door frames and windows
• These locations provide ants with access to food, water, and shelter, making them attractive spots for ant activity in your home.

Some of the most popular places you’ll find ants in your yard are:

• Piles of debris
• Compost bin
• Shed
• Under tarps
• Mailbox
• Potted plants
• Stumps
• Log piles
• Leaves
• Under Mulch

Ants are attracted to various elements such as moisture, warmth, and sugary substances. They can be found in high moisture areas, like clogged gutters or small wet spots in the kitchen or bathroom. Ants also seek out sweet crumbs and are drawn to sources of food. During the summer, they often seek shade provided by your home, while in the winter, they may be found on the sunny side of your house or seeking warmth indoors. Additionally, ants look for shelter from rain and may seek refuge in protected areas.

Ants in Maryland tend to be more active during late fall and early spring when their food options are limited. While they can pose a problem throughout the year, these seasons are when they are more likely to be noticeable.

The cost of ant extermination can vary depending on the pest control treatment plan needed for your home and yard. Contact Brody Brothers Pest Control to speak with our experts about your specific needs so we can tailor a plan just for you.

While store-bought ant repellent sprays such as store-bought ant killer sprays can kill a small number of visible ants upon contact, they may not effectively address the entire ant problem. These sprays only target a small fraction of the ant colony In some cases, using repellent sprays can inadvertently trap ants inside your home, cutting them off from the main colony. This means you may still have to deal with the unseen ant colony and potential reinfestation. To effectively tackle ant issues, it is important to locate and treat the entire ant colony throughout your home and yard, which store-bought ant repellents may not be capable of accomplishing. Consider employing comprehensive ant control strategies that involve locating and addressing the source of the infestation.