March Of The Ants: It's The Season Of The Ants Spring Tradition

Whoever said the ants come marching one by one hadn't visited Connecticut in the springtime.

That's when the ants seem to travel by battalion, especially into kitchens and bathrooms, or anyplace where there might be a few crumbs to eat or a little damp or rotting wood.

Frustrated with this vernal invasion, we went to the experts to ask: Why this spring ritual? And what can we do to control it?

Leslie Alexander, master gardener coordinator with the University of Connecticut's Home & Garden Education Center, said there are several factors.



During the cold winter months, ants move very slowly and eat little, but like all forms of life, whether humans, animals, plants or ants, they become more active in the spring. In the case of ants, there are babies to feed, and the ants hit the trail looking for new sources of food.

The rains of spring also may wash away outdoor sources of food or displace ants, prompting them to head indoors. As they do so, they lay down a scent that their cohorts follow to lead them directly to a food source.

How to deal with them?

First, keep the kitchen and others areas as clean as possible of any crumbs or other food. Be sure to wash counter tops with a detergent or others areas where ants have walked, possibly leaving their scent behind.

Next, get rid of rotting, damp wood. Carpenter ants find such wood easy to hollow out and use as a comfortable nest. If you find little piles of sawdust, that's a sign you have carpenter ants.

Finally, Alexander recommends using some kind of slow-acting toxin — a substance that ants will carry back to their nests and that will kill the queen and the rest of the colony. Alexander said she recommends using less toxic substances such as traps containing boric acid. How long it takes for the ants to disappear depends on the degree of infestation.

If you are able to find a nest, sprays can be used on the nest. Often, particularly with carpenter ants, it is helpful to find the nest and get rid of any wet wood that has attracted them.

So, hang in there. By the end of June, usually, the critters become a little less active, and a little less interested in marching across your counters.