How to Get Rid of Ants When You Don't Know Where They're Coming From

The Hidden Problem: Ants With No Clear Entry Point

You wake up, walk into your kitchen, and there they are—ants. A line of them marching across your counter or trailing along a baseboard. You clean, you spray, and they vanish... until tomorrow. The worst part? You have no idea where they're coming from.

This is a common frustration. Ants are incredibly resourceful creatures. They can slip through nearly invisible cracks, travel behind walls, and forage at night. So even the cleanest homes in Brooklyn, the Bronx, or anywhere in New York City can end up with sudden ant activity and no clear origin point.

And when you can't identify how ants are getting in, it becomes nearly impossible to stop them with DIY methods.

Why the Problem Gets Worse Before It Gets Better

The longer ants go undetected or misunderstood, the more deeply rooted the infestation becomes. Here’s what tends to happen:

• You treat what you can see, spraying visible trails with store-bought insecticide. This may kill a few foragers—but not the colony.
• You miss the nest entirely. Ant colonies often live behind walls, under floorboards, or even outside your building. Kill the visible ants, and the colony simply reroutes.
• You trigger colony splitting. Some ant species, like Pharaoh ants, will actually break into multiple new colonies when threatened. That store-bought spray? It may have just doubled your problem.

This cycle causes homeowners to feel defeated. And if you live in an apartment building or multi-unit space—as many people do in NYC—it’s not just your problem. Infestations often span units, walls, and floors.

That’s when a small issue can spiral into something requiring structural-level attention—and fast.

Real Case Study: Queens Brownstone, Hidden Ants, and a Spreading Infestation

Take the case of Mrs. Castillo, who owns a two-family brownstone in Jackson Heights, Queens. She first noticed a few ants in her kitchen one spring morning. Thinking they were just seasonal invaders, she cleaned the counter, wiped everything with vinegar, and sealed food in containers.

A week later, the ants were back—and worse. She checked under the sink, behind the fridge, even near baseboards. Still no sign of where they were coming in.

Out of frustration, she called a local pest control expert.

Our team inspected the property and found that the ants were entering through a nearly invisible crack in the mortar behind a radiator pipe. From there, they traveled behind the wall, emerging in the kitchen and pantry. Even more surprising, we discovered two separate colonies: one inside the wall cavity and another in a tree stump just outside the backyard entrance.

We used baiting techniques that allowed the ants to carry treated food back to the nests, wiping out both colonies over time. We then sealed the entry point, trimmed exterior vegetation, and treated the perimeter to prevent re-entry.

Within three weeks, the home was ant-free—and stayed that way.

This kind of case isn't unusual. Many NYC homes, especially older ones, have hidden vulnerabilities that allow pests to thrive undetected. Knowing where to look—and how to treat without making it worse—is what separates success from frustration.

What to Do When You Can’t Find the Source

If you’re dealing with ants and can’t figure out where they’re coming from, here’s what you should do:

1. Look for Clues, Not Just Ants
Ants leave behind more than trails. Look for signs like:

• Tiny piles of dirt near baseboards (a sign of nesting activity)
• Greasy smudges along walls or electrical outlets
• Dead ants in specific locations (which could be near entry points)

2. Avoid Over-the-Counter Spray Fixes
Most sprays only kill foraging ants. Worse, they can cause colonies to relocate or split—making the problem harder to solve. Baits are more effective but must be properly placed and species-specific.

3. Keep Detailed Notes
Document where and when you see ants. Are they most active at night? Do they cluster around moisture or sweets? This helps narrow down the species and their nesting behavior.

4. Call a Professional When the Trail Goes Cold
If your investigation turns up no entry point or leads to multiple rooms, it’s time to call for pest control. Pros have the tools to detect entry points, identify ant species, and deliver long-term solutions.

Professional Solutions: Why You Shouldn’t Wait

A professional technician doesn’t just treat the symptom—they address the root cause. Here's what we typically do:

• Inspection: Using moisture meters, UV flashlights, and detailed knowledge of pest behavior, we trace ants to their origin.
• Identification: Different species require different treatments. Carpenter ants, for example, require very different tactics than odorous house ants.
• Strategic Treatment: Baits, dusts, or sprays are applied based on nesting location, not guesswork.
• Entry Sealing: Once nests are eliminated, we seal gaps in siding, window frames, utility lines, or plumbing that may be allowing ants in.

In certain multi-family properties, the infestation may extend to common walls or exterior zones. This is especially true in older buildings in areas like the South Bronx, where aging infrastructure makes easy access for pests.

And for homes already dealing with deeper infestations or related concerns—such as structural wood damage or moisture problems—it's not uncommon for us to pair ant solutions with termite treatment the Bronx residents can trust for overlapping pest issues.

Avoid Recurrence: Preventive Tips That Actually Work

Once ants are gone, keeping them out is the next challenge. These tips go a long way:

• Seal up potential entry points: Even hairline cracks can allow ants in.
• Control moisture: Fix leaking pipes and use dehumidifiers in damp areas.
• Keep food sealed and trash covered: Especially sweets and greasy foods.
• Trim vegetation near the building: Ants often use branches as bridges into homes.
• Schedule regular inspections: Prevention is always easier than emergency treatment.

Final Thoughts: Hidden Doesn’t Mean Hopeless

Not knowing where ants are coming from doesn’t mean you’re out of options. What matters is how you respond. Guesswork and over-the-counter solutions can drag out the problem for weeks—or even months. But a focused, professional approach can uncover the real source, eliminate the colony, and help you take back control.

If you're tired of playing detective and just want the ants gone, we’re here to help. Whether it’s a simple inspection or a full-scale ant and termite treatment the Bronx properties often require, we’ll bring clarity to the confusion—and results you can count on.

Call now to schedule your expert inspection:

???? +1 718-427-6200