The ants are coming! The ants are coming! Actually, they’re already here. Their large numbers are apparent with every stone I overturn in the yard. Never have I seen so many so early in the season.
Ants tending their young
During mild winters such as the one we just experienced (the third mildest on record according to Environment Canada) fewer ants succumb to the cold. Consequently, their numbers are higher than usual in the spring and throughout the following summer.
Ants are excellent communicators that are super quick to relay information of new sources of food to one another. If in doubt, see Ant Labour. If you don’t clear the crumbs on your kitchen counter, one ant will tell two friends and they’ll tell two friends and before you can sing ‘Happy Birthday’, they’re walking away with the cake.
The ants shown in these photos are all female. Male ants are the ones with wings. If you like to admire them at a distance, you might wish to take action to make sure they don’t make their way into your home. Some people use cucumber or citrus peelings around their foundations. Others sprinkle strong spices such as cinnamon or pepper across thresholds.
Ants sharing information as they cross paths near the pantry
Many animals, such as birds and amphibians, enjoy incorporating ants into their diets. Making your yard friendly to these creatures goes a long way to controlling some of the ant population. See Why Every Princess Needs a Toad in her Garden and The Flying Anteater.
Of course simply keeping things neat, especially in the kitchen, helps to control the number of ants dropping in uninvited for lunch. Spraying counters with a solution of vinegar and water may smell wonderfully fresh and clean to us, but not to ants.
Good luck with the invasion and please feel free to share any tips you might have.
Text and images copyright Amy-Lynn Bell 2012
Flandrum Hill 
Very interesting post =)
Thanks 🙂
We got ’em … marching across the living room to welcome me when I come home …
Sybil, are they really marching? Two by two?
We’ve got ’em too. Ants, ants, ants. We get rid of them in the house for a little while, and then they march their way back in. I feel like we’re living with the wildlife lately. You’ll have to stop by tomorrow’s post and read what we’re living with NOW. You wouldn’t believe it.
Kathy, I went out looking for some under rocks yesterday with my grandsons. They absolutely marvelled at their activity. Ants in the house are a pain, but in the wild, they’re a wonder to observe.
I’ll be sure to check out your houseguest(s). I can just imagine. I hope it’s not a snake.
Uuuuh, Amy…. you must’ve been psychic…. 😉
Oh yes, the ants have been on the move here in the miserable midwest of the states too. They’re particularily fond of the kitchen trash bin when anything organic is tossed into it. Tossing ‘that’ outside helps considerably with decreasing their indoor visitations. In some ways they’re better than ‘scrubbing bubbles’ when it comes to cleaning.
Eva, I think sweet residue on recyclable bottles and fruit peelings in the compost bin are a big draw for the ants. Taking these outside certainly is a good idea.
I’ve got a trail of ants that keeps marching down from the window and behind my desk at various times of the day – and then they disappear, from one minute to the next. It’s weird.
I’ve looked and looked to see what they’re doing, but I can’t figure it out… and it’s tricky to get behind the desk, because of all the computer cables.
So cinnamon or pepper would work to deter them?? Would cinnamon not attract them with its sweet fragrance? Either way, I need to try this! I don’t want to *kill* them, but I just want them to stop climbing in through the window.
At least you have ANTS in your house, Reggie. Yep, Ms. Amy-Lynn is so psychic!
Yeh, I know! (on both scores) – i am *exceedingly* relieved it’s *only* ants, and not… er…. the other thing.
Reggie, let me know if the cinnamon or pepper works for you. (I don’t think the sweetness of cinnamon is a factor). If not, another natural but deadly solution is diatomaceous earth which is apparently good for all sorts of insect pests.
One reason I would not want to kill the ants unless they are a really big problem is that I’ve heard that having black ants in your yard is the best deterrent to red fire ants moving in.
Sorry to read that your problem isn’t ants Kathy. I don’t think cinnamon and pepper will deter your visitor.