One day, you notice that ants have suddenly invaded your home. You see them everywhere, from your bathroom to your kitchen. And then one day, the invaders suddenly disappear just as quickly. Why do ants suddenly disappear?
Ants suddenly disappear because…
1. Resources are not very accessible in your home
The main reason why you have ants at home is easy access to food and water. Ants are industrious foragers. You are sure to see them anywhere that has resources. Naturally, if your home is abundant in resources, you will see ants in there too.
The ant diet is more diverse than you think. They can eat food items with proteins and fats, such as eggs and meat. They can eat those with sugar, like fruits and nectar. And they can eat even fungi and insects. If they can’t find these around your home, the ants can suddenly disappear. They will move to a new location where resources are more accessible.
2. You keep your home clean and dry
When you think about food and water, you often think about big items, complete with packaging. Sure, ants are attracted to these. But they are also attracted to the small pieces you don’t often think about. Food crumbs that have fallen from the dining table and drink spills on the kitchen countertop are just as attractive to ants.
After all, ants can be as small as two millimeters. Even the tiniest food pieces are enough to attract and sustain them. Ants may realize that there is nothing to eat and drink in your home if you consistently clean your property and keep it dry.
3. You focus on ant hotspots
Your bathroom and kitchen are ant hotspots. Obviously, your kitchen is a hotspot for ants because it is full of food and water. This is particularly problematic for those who don’t immediately clean up after eating. The leftovers in garbage cans, stains in sinks, and random pieces of food on surfaces can attract ants.
Your bathroom is just as attractive. It has the moisture ants need to sustain themselves. There are a lot of areas where moisture can accumulate if you don’t clean your bathroom properly, such as the small area at the back of your toilet.
If you are great at cleaning your bathroom and kitchen, ants won’t be able to thrive. This is why the ants that have invaded your home may suddenly disappear.
4. Ants will suddenly disappear if it’s not ant season
Some household pests are seasonal, but not ants. They can invade your home any time of the year. However, there are certain months of the year when they thrive better. Ants thrive better during the warmer months of the year. During the colder months, they tend to hibernate, but they can still thrive. This is why there is no real ant season. You can suffer from an infestation at any time.
If you notice that the ants have suddenly disappeared, it may be because it’s getting colder outside, and they are becoming more vulnerable to the elements.
5. Environmental changes forced the ants to move
Ants suddenly disappear when they decide to move locations. They usually move when the location is no longer environmentally suitable for them. As cold-blooded animals, ants are sensitive to temperature changes. If the location becomes too cold or too hot for them, they may decide to move.
Ants also need a particular humidity level to be comfortable. For instance, Argentine ants and odorous house ants can tolerate low-humidity locations. But you can’t say the same for carpenter ants and fire ants as they need a certain amount of moisture to thrive.
6. There was a recent natural disaster in your area
Ants are resilient creatures. A colony can thrive and replenish its population even if you try to kill it. But they are not invulnerable. Ants can suddenly disappear because of a recent natural disaster in your area. Earthquakes, fires, and floods are the strongest natural disasters that can destroy ant colonies.
If your area has been a victim of a recent natural disaster, you probably won’t have ant problems any time soon. But you probably have bigger problems to worry about.
7. You have natural ant predators on your property
Ants have natural predators that help control their populations. Some of the most notorious predators of ants are birds, lizards, and spiders. If your area naturally has these animals around, they can help get rid of the ant infestation to the point where ants will just suddenly disappear.
Some people, particularly gardeners, even intentionally attract natural predators of pests to control their population in their gardens. This is called biological control, a natural pest control method.
8. You recently had pest control treatment
There are many commercial products out there that are meant to get rid of ants. They come in the form of baits, dusts, pesticide sprays, traps, and many others. Many of them have powerful ingredients such as deltamethrin, fipronil, hydramethylnon, and imidacloprid. If you notice that the ants in your area have disappeared, you may have used some of these products recently. Of course, the powerful ingredients in these products can be dangerous to humans too if handled improperly.
When using commercial products for ant control, make sure to read the instructions on the packaging. This can save you from side effects such as dizziness, headache, nausea, and skin irritation. To completely avoid complications, you can try getting help from pest control professionals.
9. Natural ant repellents will make ants disappear
Ant pesticides and repellents are not always commercially made and synthesized. Sometimes, they are completely natural. There are some natural ingredients out there that repel ants, such as citrus, eucalyptus, and peppermint. Many people use the essential oil versions of these ingredients and spray them around their homes to repel ants. If you notice that ants have suddenly disappeared on your property, maybe you have these in your garden, and they are making the ants leave the area.
Take note though that essential oils and other natural ingredients are not 100% effective in getting rid of or repelling ants. They are probably not the reason why the ants in your home have suddenly disappeared.