With thousands of species of ants living across the country, every homeowner is going to encounter them in their yards or homes at one time or another. Ants are social insects, with each member of the colony tasked with a specific job. Their ability to work together, maintain multiple nests, and communicate by laying down pheromone trails ensures the colony's success. Ants create their nest in various places like fallen trees, in the ground, and within pavement cracks or soil next to foundations. Food odors and moisture often attract them to our homes where once inside, they may decide to stay and create a satellite nest, usually within a wall void, under the floor, or in a crawl space.

Ants like to live in our homes not because they are well decorated but because they provide safe shelter and easy access to their necessities. Having ants decide to call our Maryland properties home is not only annoying but potentially very problematic. Take, for instance, the large carpenter ant; when they invade our homes searching for food, they often decide to stay and nest within structural wood, over time causing costly damage.

Pharaoh ants have adapted to primarily living indoors and are particularly problematic in healthcare facilities. Pharaoh ants spread dangerous pathogens and contaminate patient wounds and eyes as they search for moisture. The pavement ant is an example of a nuisance ant, and while they don't cause damage to our homes or spread serious disease, they do invade structures in large numbers, contaminate food, and spread bacteria.