Friday FAQ: Why Do I Get Ants Every Spring, No Matter What I Do?

You clean your counters, seal the pantry, and spray the trails — and yet, every spring, the ants return like clockwork. If you feel like you’re stuck in an endless loop of ant invasions, you’re not imagining it.

Spring ant activity is one of the most common complaints we hear at Paragon Pest Control — and there’s a good reason for it.

The Real Reason Ants Keep Coming Back

Ants don’t just show up randomly. They’re following food sources, moisture trails, and deeply ingrained colony behavior — and spring is when everything ramps up.

Here’s what’s going on:

🐜 1. Spring = Ant Wake-Up Call

As temperatures rise, ant colonies that have been dormant or slow-moving in winter become active again. Spring rains and warmth signal the colony to expand, search for food, and start foraging.

🐜 2. Pharaoh Ants & Sugar Ants Thrive Indoors

Some of the most common indoor invaders — like Pharaoh ants and sugar ants — are uniquely good at living in walls, under floors, or in plumbing voids. You can’t see their nests, but they’re right under your nose.

🐜 3. Spraying Alone Won’t Stop a Colony

Killing the ants you see is a temporary fix. Colonies can contain thousands of ants and multiple queens — and if you spray too much, you might actually cause them to split into more colonies (a behavior called budding).

Baiting > Spraying: Why Strategy Matters

When it comes to spring ant control, baiting is the name of the game.

• Ant bait is carried back to the colony and shared

• This method targets the source, not just the symptom

• It takes longer than spraying, but it eliminates the queen(s) and future workers

Pro tip: Seeing more ants right after baiting is actually a good sign — it means they’ve found it and are taking it home.

What You Can Do (And When to Call Us)

✅ Clean up food spills fast

Especially sugary or greasy items — ants are excellent scouts.

✅ Check for moisture

Leaky pipes, sink edges, and condensation under appliances attract ants fast.

✅ Avoid DIY over-spraying

You might kill a few ants… and scatter the colony into multiple nests.

✅ Call in a professional if:

• You’ve had ants in the same place every year

• The trail goes into walls, under tile, or behind appliances

• You’re seeing winged ants (they may not be ants at all — they could be termites)
   

Stop the Cycle This Spring

At Paragon Pest Control, we don’t just spray and pray. We identify the ant species, find the true colony source, and use baiting strategies that work — especially for Pharaoh ants, which are known to make themselves at home indoors.

Ready to stop the spring ant saga once and for all? Give us a call at 972-435-9797 or visit paragonpestdfw.com to schedule your service.