Ants can be fascinating creatures with many interesting behavioral characteristics. Interestingly, the origin of these bugs and the reason they are in the kitchen may surprise people because the cooking area is not precisely the most suitable habitat for ants.
Ants are not social creatures by nature. Therefore, they don’t do well living in colonies of a hundred or more ants. They would much rather loaf around the kitchen and look at the cat, dog, or other animals that they see every day.
They nest in the cookhouse in the first place because carpenter ants, which are native to the United States and Canada, are excellent climbers and burrowers. They will build a nest in the underside of a deck or the inside of a wooden structure they find suitable. They do this because wood is very moist, and if it is left outdoor, it becomes susceptible to rotting, especially in the case of untreated pieces of wood.
Once the carpenter ants find an excellent place to build their nest, they will leave a cluster of eggs that can hatch and begin the colony’s reproductive process. They also like to feast on fallen fruits and vegetables (they have no chewing mouth) and make some tasty snacks with their mandibles.
Did you know, too, that ants are allergic to many typical house chemicals, including paint and cleaning supplies, which means that if a homeowner wants to rid these insects in their home, they only need to take their allergy medications.
One last rationality why ants and other insects are within our home: The home’s structural elements encourage them to nest there because the ground is more accessible to dig than the air. For example, a wall built of concrete blocks might be better for a building contractor to construct than a brick wall, even though the contractor would only be making changes in appearance rather than the physical nature of the building.
Now that you know all the reasons why ants stay within buildings, the well-known kitchen cabinet Orange and kitchen remodeling Lake Forest, Mr. Cabinet Care, created an infographic below with all the ways to prevent ants from infesting your kitchen:
