How to Get Rid of Ants
Updated: Sep 6
Ants are one of the most common pest complaints across New York City, Yonkers, and Long Island, and they tend to spike in summer when colonies are at their largest and food sources outdoors get harder to find.
Getting rid of ants takes more than spraying the ones you can see. Understanding why they're there and where they're coming from makes the difference between a short-term fix and actually solving the problem.
Why Ants Come Inside
Ants are foragers. They send scouts out constantly looking for food and water, and when a scout finds something useful, it lays a chemical trail back to the colony so others can follow. That trail is what you're seeing when ants march in a line across your counter or along the baseboard.
In NYC, the heat and dryness of summer push ants indoors because it's cooler, there's moisture, and food is more reliable. A single crumb under the refrigerator or a sticky spot on the counter is enough to draw them. Once the trail is established, they'll keep coming until the source is gone and the trail is broken.
Pavement ants, odorous house ants, and carpenter ants are the most common species people deal with in New York. Each behaves a little differently and requires a somewhat different approach to control.
Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are the small, dark brown ants that nest in cracks in sidewalks, foundations, and under concrete slabs. They're common in NYC ground-floor apartments and homes and can enter through the tiniest gaps in the foundation or around pipes. They're after food, especially greasy and sweet items, and they'll travel surprising distances once a trail is laid.
Odorous House Ants
Odorous house ants are named for the rotten-coconut smell they release when crushed. They're small, fast-moving, and notorious for forming huge colonies that can have multiple queens.
That last point matters a lot for treatment: killing the ants you see without addressing the colony doesn't work because the colony just produces more. They often nest in wall voids, under flooring, or near moisture sources.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are large, usually black, and they don't eat wood but they do hollow it out to build their nests. Finding large ants in your home, especially near wood structures, window frames, or areas with past moisture damage, is worth taking seriously. They can cause structural damage over time, and their presence often signals existing moisture problems that make the wood attractive to them.
The most effective first step is always finding and eliminating what's drawing them in. Wipe down surfaces with soapy water to destroy the scent trail. Store food in sealed containers. Fix any dripping faucets or leaks under sinks. Take out trash regularly and make sure bins have tight lids. These steps won't fix an established infestation on their own, but they remove what's sustaining it.
Caulk gaps around pipes, windows, and baseboards where ants are entering. This is tedious but effective for pavement ants coming in from outside. Look for where pipes pass through walls and floors, as those gaps are common entry points in older NYC buildings.
Bait is generally more effective than spray for ants. Spray kills the ants you can see but does nothing to the colony. Bait works because forager ants carry it back to the colony and share it, which addresses the problem at the source.
The key with bait is patience: it takes several days to work, and it requires not spraying or cleaning in the bait area, which disrupts the process.
When It's More Than a Kitchen Nuisance
A few ants in the kitchen on a hot day is one thing. An infestation that persists despite cleaning and basic treatment, or large ants appearing near wood structures, points to a colony that's established itself inside the building. That's a different problem requiring a different approach.
In multi-unit NYC buildings, ant colonies often move between units and through shared wall spaces. Treating one unit without addressing the colony in the building's structure just moves the problem. A professional assessment can identify where the colony is located and what treatment will actually reach it.
Carpenter ant infestations, in particular, warrant a professional inspection. Their presence often reveals moisture issues in the building structure, and treating the ants without addressing the underlying moisture just means they come back.
Long-Term Prevention
Once the immediate infestation is handled, the goal is to make your space less attractive. Keep the kitchen clean and dry. Fix leaks promptly. Seal entry points. Store food properly. These aren't complicated steps, but they matter because ants are persistent. As long as conditions are favorable, scouts will keep checking.
In NYC apartments especially, it's worth being aware of what's happening in adjacent units. Ants move through shared walls, and a neighbor's infestation can become yours if conditions in your unit are also favorable.
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