Ants are one of the most common pests found in homes and businesses across Colorado. While ants play an important role in nature, they become a nuisance when they invade kitchens, offices, restaurants, or living spaces in search of food and water.
Ants are social insects that live in colonies ranging from hundreds to thousands of workers. Because of this highly organized structure, ants are extremely effective at locating food sources and communicating with other ants using chemical trails. A few ants on the counter can quickly turn into a trail of hundreds.
Most ants are nuisance pests, but certain species, particularly carpenter ants, can cause structural damage by nesting inside wood.
Seeing a trail of ants suddenly appear? A worker ant has found a food source and left a chemical trail for the colony to follow. Act quickly, that trail grows fast.
Types of Ants Found in Colorado
Colorado is home to more than 200 ant species, but only a handful commonly invade homes and businesses. Here are the most frequent offenders:
Most Common
Pavement Ants
Small (1/10–1/6 inch), dark brown or black. One of the most frequently seen ants in Colorado. Nest beneath sidewalks, driveways, patios, and foundations, creating small soil piles near cracks. Opportunistic feeders that commonly enter homes through foundation cracks or gaps around doors.
Kitchen Invader
Odorous House Ants (Sugar Ants)
Very small and dark colored. When crushed, they produce a distinctive rotten coconut smell. Strongly attracted to sweet foods like syrup, fruit, and sugary drinks. Frequently nest inside walls, under floors, or outdoors in soil and mulch.
Structural Risk
Carpenter Ants
The largest ants commonly found in Colorado, can be up to 3/8 inch long. Unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat wood, but they tunnel through it to create nesting galleries. Common in moist or damaged wood. Can cause structural damage over time if left untreated.
Rural & Open Areas
Harvester Ants
More commonly found in rural or open areas across Colorado. Build visible mounds in soil and collect seeds as their primary food source. Some species can deliver painful stings, although they rarely infest homes.
Seasonal note! Ant activity in Colorado increases in spring and summer when temperatures rise. During hot or dry periods, ants may move indoors in search of water. In late summer and early fall, many colonies produce winged ants (swarmers) that leave the nest to start new colonies. Indoor infestations, however, can remain active year-round inside heated structures.
FAQ: Ant Questions
Most ants found in Colorado are nuisance pests and do not pose serious health risks. However, they can contaminate food and create sanitation issues in kitchens, restaurants, and commercial spaces. Carpenter ants can cause structural damage over time.
Most species do not damage structures. However, carpenter ants can tunnel through wood to create nests. Over time, this can weaken wooden structures if the infestation is large.
Ants often appear suddenly when a worker ant finds food and leaves a chemical trail for other ants to follow. This can quickly create a line of ants traveling between a nest and the food source.
Many ants become less active in winter, but colonies can survive indoors inside walls, crawl spaces, or heated structures.
Winged ants are reproductive ants that leave the colony to start new nests. Seeing them indoors may indicate a colony nearby or inside the structure.
Why Do I Have Ants?
Ants enter homes and businesses primarily in search of food, water, and shelter. Even small crumbs or spills can attract ants, especially species that prefer sugary or greasy foods. Common attractants include:
🍞 Food crumbs or spills
🐾 Open food containers or pet food
🗑️ Trash bins or recycling containers
💧 Moisture or leaking pipes
Because ants leave scent trails for other ants to follow, a small food source can quickly attract dozens or even hundreds of ants from the colony.
Where Are Ants Found?
Most infestations start outdoors and ants enter buildings through tiny cracks or gaps. Because nests are often hidden underground or inside walls, simply killing the ants you see rarely solves the problem. Common nesting areas:
🚶
Under sidewalks & driveways
🌱
Under rocks & mulch
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Inside wall voids
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Under floors & baseboards
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Crawl spaces & attics
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Damp or damaged wood
How Do I Get Rid of Ants?
While DIY solutions may reduce visible ants, eliminating the colony is the key to long-term control. Here are steps you can take while you wait for professional help:
Steps you can take to get rid of ants
01
ELIMINATE FOOD SOURCES
Wipe up crumbs and spills quickly. Store food , including dry goods and pet food, in sealed, hard-sided containers. Take out trash regularly.
02
FIX MOISTURE ISSUES
Repair leaking pipes and reduce standing moisture. Many ant species are drawn to water sources, especially in dry Colorado summers.
03
SEAL ENTRY POINTS
Caulk cracks and gaps around foundations, doors, windows, and where pipes enter the structure to cut off ant entry routes.
Complete Pest Control – Our Process
At Complete Pest Control, our ant control process starts with identifying the species and locating the nesting areas. Because each ant species behaves differently, professional identification is critical. From there, we use targeted treatments designed to eliminate the colony and stop ants from returning. This includes perimeter treatments, targeted baiting strategies, and identifying entry points. We serve homes, apartments, restaurants, offices, and commercial properties throughout Colorado.
How to Prevent Ants
- Regular pest control inspections and preventative treatments can stop ants before they become a larger problem. In the meantime, these habits make a significant difference:
- Keep kitchens clean and free of crumbs
- Store food in sealed containers
- Seal cracks and gaps around foundations and doors
- Trim vegetation away from the house
- Repair leaking pipes or moisture issues
- Keep outdoor trash containers sealed
Colorado Springs · Licensed & Insured · 10+ Years Experience
Ready to Get Rid of Ants? Call Complete Pest Control.
If you’re seeing ants in your home, apartment complex, or business, it may be time to bring in professional help. Ant infestations often originate from hidden nests, which makes them difficult to eliminate without the right treatment strategy. Contact Complete Pest Control today to schedule an inspection.