Ant control in the GTA and Peel

The ants we deal with here

• Pavement ants. A common household ant across Peel and the GTA. Small, dark, nesting under driveways, patio slabs and foundation slabs, then trailing indoors. Those little soil piles between paving stones are theirs.
• Pharaoh ants. Tiny and pale yellow-brown, and they come with a warning. Never spray these. Spraying makes the colony bud, meaning it splits into several satellite colonies through the building. They have to be baited.
• Carpenter ants. The big ones that damage structural wood. They get their own page: carpenter ant control.
• Odorous house ants. Small and dark, faintly coconut-smelling when crushed. They bud when sprayed too.

Why the spray on the counter does not work

Killing visible foragers may leave the queen and brood untouched. With pharaoh ants and some other species, repellent sprays can trigger colony budding and spread the activity. Wiping trails with soapy water may remove pheromone cues, but it does not eliminate the nest.

How we treat them

1. Identify the species. This shapes the plan because some ants respond best to baiting and should not be treated with repellent sprays.
2. Follow the trail to the nest. Interior voids, under slabs, in wall cavities, out in the landscaping against the foundation.
3. Slow-acting bait where appropriate, allowing foragers to carry it back through the colony rather than killing only the ants in view.
4. Non-repellent perimeter treatment where it suits, so foragers crossing it carry the product back instead of avoiding the zone.
5. Exclusion and conditions. Sealing gaps at windows, doors and utility entries, and sorting out the moisture and the mulch piled against the siding.

Keeping them out

Store sugar, honey and pet food in sealed containers. Wipe counters and sweep crumbs at night. Fix dripping taps and damp under sinks. Keep mulch, soil and firewood back from the foundation. Trim any branch touching the roof or siding, because that is an ant highway.