By Wayne, Owner, Wayne’s Pest Extermination

What I Walked Into

May is when ant calls really start picking up in the Greater Ottawa area. By this point, the ground is warmer, people are opening windows more often, and ants are fully active.

A couple weeks ago, I got a call from a homeowner who said they were seeing ants every morning along the kitchen counter and near the sink. At first, it was just a few. Then it turned into a steady line coming from the same spot near the wall.

It was a single-family home in the Greater Ottawa area, clean and well maintained. They had already tried cleaning the area, using store spray, and wiping everything down daily, but nothing seemed to stop them from coming back.

That’s usually when I get involved — when it keeps repeating no matter what they try.

The Problem

With ants, what you see is rarely the full picture. The ones on the counter are just workers. The actual colony is usually hidden somewhere nearby.

During the inspection, I followed the trail from the kitchen down toward the baseboard and then into a small gap near where the wall meets the floor. From there, I checked the basement and exterior.

Outside, along the foundation, there was a small crack where the concrete had shifted slightly. That was enough space for ants to move in and out without being noticed.

Inside, I found more activity behind the dishwasher and under the sink. There were small openings around the plumbing lines, which gave them easy access.

The homeowner’s main concern was how quickly it kept coming back. They would clean everything, and within hours or the next day, the ants were back in the same place.

In the Greater Ottawa area, May ant problems are common because colonies are fully active and looking for food sources inside homes.

The Process

The first step was confirming what type of ant I was dealing with. That helps determine the right approach.

After that, I traced the full trail inside and outside. I don’t just treat where ants are visible. I follow their path to understand where they’re coming from and where the colony is likely located.

Inside, I placed targeted bait in the areas with the most activity. Bait works better than spraying in most cases because the ants carry it back to the colony.

Outside, I treated the foundation where they were entering and pointed out the crack that needed sealing. I also checked nearby areas to make sure there weren’t multiple entry points.

The key is being controlled with the treatment. Too much product or random spraying can actually push ants into new areas instead of solving the problem.

Everything was done without disrupting the home. No mess, no strong smell, just focused work.

The Outcome

Within a couple of days, the homeowner started noticing a clear change. The usual line of ants across the counter stopped forming, and the sink area stayed clean without new activity showing up overnight.

Before the work, they were wiping things down multiple times a day and still seeing ants come back within hours. After treatment, that cycle broke. No repeat trails, no buildup in the same spots.

By the end of the week, there were no new sightings at all. I checked the main problem areas — under the sink, along the baseboards, and near the original entry point — and everything stayed quiet.

I followed up to go through both the interior and exterior again. The entry point along the foundation had been sealed properly, and there were no signs of ants trying to find another way in.

That’s usually what people are looking for — not just getting rid of the ants, but getting back to a normal routine without thinking about it.

DIY Advice

I always try to keep things simple when I’m giving homeowners advice after a job. In this case, I told them to stay consistent with a few basic habits that really make a difference over time. Wiping down counters and the sink area each day, especially at night, helps remove anything that might attract ants. Keeping the sink dry and not leaving dishes soaking overnight is another big one, since moisture is something ants are always looking for.

I also mentioned storing things like sugar, flour, and cereal in sealed containers instead of leaving them in open packaging, and taking the garbage out regularly with the lid fully closed. Small details like that go a long way. On top of that, I suggested keeping an eye out for small cracks around doors, windows, and baseboards and sealing them when they show up, along with sweeping or vacuuming along edges where crumbs tend to collect. Even cleaning behind small appliances can help, since food can build up there without being noticed.

One thing I always point out is that if you’re seeing a few ants, it usually means there are more nearby, so it’s worth paying attention early.

They stayed on top of those steps, especially keeping the sink area dry and being careful with food storage, and it made a noticeable difference in keeping the ants from coming back after the treatment.

Professional Insight

Ant problems usually start small, but they don’t stay that way if the source isn’t addressed.

A lot of people try sprays first. That can remove the ants you see, but it doesn’t deal with the colony. In some cases, it can make the problem harder to control if ants start spreading to other areas.

In the Greater Ottawa area, May is when colonies are fully active. That’s why problems seem to show up quickly and repeatedly.

When I look at an ant issue, I focus on where they’re coming from, what’s attracting them, and how they’re getting in. Once those are handled, the activity usually stops and stays that way.

Closing

May is a busy time for ant calls around the Greater Ottawa area. It usually starts with a few sightings and turns into something people notice every day.

If you’re seeing ants showing up in the same spots, it’s worth looking into early before it gets worse.

If you’re dealing with something similar, feel free to reach out.

– Wayne

[https://waynespestexterminationottawa.com/commonants]