WASHINGTON — One聽sure sign spring is here:聽ants聽are starting to move.
“ are one of the most common home invaders at this time of the year,” says聽University of Maryland College Park Professor of Entomology Mike Raupp.
While聽some people find the idea of ants in their kitchen repulsive, Raupp says they’re more of a nuisance than anything else. They don’t bite,聽sting or spread diseases.
“Ants are clean.聽Ants are not important distributors of microbes or disease-causing agents,” Raupp says.
The critters go into homes in search of food and if they find some, more are sure to follow.
“They will set up a trail — they lay down a pheromone, this invites the other workers into your home and the trail becomes very, very active,” Raupp says.
Raupp suggests disrupting the ant trail using a household cleanser on countertops. Then go after ants聽at their source.
“Put some ant baits where they enter the home both inside and out and that will help disrupt the trail and eliminate the problem.”
