Have you ever been deep in sleep, only to be woken by a hard ant bite? Ouch! If this has happened to you, then you might be wondering why you have ants in your room!
It’s a common occurrence for ants to make their way into your bedroom and constitute all sorts of nuisances. These pests can make your nights unbearable, so something has to be done quickly to eradicate them.
The first question that would come to mind would be – why do I have ants in my bedroom? You may not have the slightest clue as to how these tiny creatures became your “roomies,” but we do!
In this article, we will be listing out possible reasons you have ants in your bedroom, as well as several things that you can do to get rid of them.
We all have been guilty of this act. In fact, some of us have made a full-time habit of it. As if the dining area isn’t enough!
Eating right on your bed or anywhere else in your bedroom is an open invitation for ants to invade. Before you know it, you will have ants on your bed!
The chances of crumbs, grains, or sugary liquids dropping on your mattress, carpet, or home-office desk are very high. This means after each snack; there would be something left behind for ants to feast on.
Ants, being what they are, keep a sharp eye out for leftover droppings and will sniff it out faster than you can imagine. Worker ants search for food, which they will eventually carry back to the rest of the colony.
So if your bedroom provides all that they need in terms of food, then expect them to keep visiting!
2. The Temperature/Weather Is Just Right
Like all living creatures, ants also need the right temperatures to survive, and if your bedroom temperature/weather is favorable, they can creep in and make themselves at home.
Summer droughts, as well as the winter cold, aren’t favorable to ants. To escape these conditions, they will search for more favorable environments to pass the harsh seasons. If there is an ant colony in your yard, your home will be the most favorable option.
Your question is as good as mine – If the ants can make their way into your home, what will stop them from creeping into your bedroom?
This brings us to the third reason why you may find ants in your bedroom.
3. There Are Cracks And Other Crawl-Spaces In Your Bedroom
Invading your bedroom isn’t where it ends for these pesky ants. They will also need spaces where they can stay out of sight and crawl freely.
Do you have any cracks in your walls or other crawl spaces behind the bookshelf or cupboards? If you do, then the ants will not only invade your bedroom, they will take up residence in those tiny spaces! Before you know it, you will have a full-on ant infestation!
Swarmer ants have a special job to perform in the ant kingdom. When they are mature, they fly off in search of new spaces to start another colony. Those cracks and crevices in your bedroom are an excellent option for a new ant nest, and they may have been the catalyst in your ant problem.
Also, ants use cracks in your brickwork to gain entry. Even gaps in your windows will be used by ants to get into your home.
4. Your Bedroom Is Humid
Water is a major part of life, and billions of living organisms depend on it to survive. Ants are not left out, and if by any chance they experience a drought in their outdoor colony, they will go out in search of moisture.
Your bedroom itself may not be moist, but if the bathroom en suite has leaking pipes, or is always damp, then the moisture-starved ants will come.
5. They Followed The Scent Of Other Ants Into Your Bedroom
In case you didn’t know, ants have a habit of trailing the scent of other ants, and this can lead them right into your bedroom, that’s if other ants have been there before.
It is common for an ant’s collective memory to be triggered by ascent. This means if they had previously invaded your bedroom before in search of food, their lasting scent could drive them to follow the same trail back into your bedroom in search of more food.
Where Are The Ants Coming From In My Bedroom?
There are several places where ants could originate, the most common being from an already established colony somewhere in your yard.
Members of the colony are housed by a nest (anthill), which the ants set up in the most convenient places around your yard. In the colony, you will find worker ants, and they are responsible for going out to look for food.
They can make their way into your home during their trips and can eventually creep into your bedroom.
Besides the hunt for food, swarmer ants also leave their colonies when they are mature enough to start a new one. You may not have developed these colonies in your yard, but other neighboring yards and anthills.
In the quest for a new nesting ground, they could explore the cracks and crevices in your bedroom walls.
Ants could also come from your trash bin.
If your bin is filled with disposed of leftovers (especially the sugary kinds), ants can invade the bins searching for food. Since they are hardworking crawlers, they wouldn’t mind making the extra trip through your bedroom window in search of more food.
How To Get Rid Of Ants In Your Bedroom (5 Steps)
If you find ants in your bedroom, don’t fret. There are simple steps you could take to get rid of them.
1. Keep Your Bedroom Crumb-free
One of the best ways to keep ants away from your bedroom is to remove the things that attract them. One of such things is food!
Make sure you do not eat in your bedroom to keep food droppings away from your mattress or floor.
2. Remove Moisture
Ants need moisture and will make their way towards leaking pipes in the bathroom to suit your bedroom. You can fix all leaking pipes and keep the area well ventilated to reduce moisture.
3. Seal Off Cracks In Bedroom Walls
Ants love to crawl in dark narrow spaces, and the cracks in your bedroom walls are ideal. Seal these entry points off with caulk to reduce the ant population in your bedroom and stop the entire colony from invading it!
4. Use Peppermint Oil Or Other Natural Methods
Peppermint is a natural repellant for many insects, and you can use them to get rid of ants in your bedroom. It is one of several scents that help to repel ants.
All you need to do is add some mint into some water and boil until the mint is diluted. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and apply directly to the areas where the ants are most active.
Lemon is also a good way of getting rid of ants naturally.
5. Use Commercial Insecticides
You can buy an insecticide and spray it directly on the ants in your bedroom or into spaces. This will kill the ants within minutes.
What Can I Do If I Find Ants In My Room?
You can either exterminate them yourself using the tips above or hire a professional pest control service.
Don’t forget that you can use ant baits to help get rid of ants too, so it is worth setting a number up in the dark areas of your room.
Conclusion
An ant infestation is a real nuisance around the bedroom so getting rid of them is a must. Follow the tips above to eradicate them.
DIY pest control hinges on not giving these pests a reason to come into your home and not letting them in. It is easier said than done, but you are giving yourself a significant advantage in your pest control goals if you seal up entry points.
After spending the entire night lying awake in a cockroach-infested hotel, I have driven myself to build knowledge on all things pest control. Since then, I've tested pest control techniques to see what works and what doesn't. Now, here I am giving you all the info I have learned!
1 thought on “Why Do I Have Ants In My Bedroom? Here Are 5 Reasons”
Wow, I never knew that there were so many places that ants could crawl through and follow each other in, especially in the bedroom. I had thought that the ants that recently gave me a rude awakening were there just because I brought food into the bedroom the other night, but even after stopping myself from doing that, they still remained. Since I want to be able to sleep peacefully again, I’ll look for a pest control service that can get rid of them for me and help me seal up any cracks and holes they might be swarming from.
Wow, I never knew that there were so many places that ants could crawl through and follow each other in, especially in the bedroom. I had thought that the ants that recently gave me a rude awakening were there just because I brought food into the bedroom the other night, but even after stopping myself from doing that, they still remained. Since I want to be able to sleep peacefully again, I’ll look for a pest control service that can get rid of them for me and help me seal up any cracks and holes they might be swarming from.