--- title: "Ant Control in Gilbert, AZ | Platinum Pest Management" description: "Ant control for Gilbert and East Valley homes. We identify the species and use baits and non-repellent treatments that reach the nest. Get a free inspection." url: https://platinumpestaz.com/services/ants/ publisher: Platinum Pest Management LLC --- # Ant Control for Gilbert and East Valley Homes Platinum Pest Management provides ant control for homes in Gilbert and across the East Valley. We identify the species first, because the right bait and treatment depend on it, and then use products the ants carry back to the colony. ## At a glance - Common ants around Phoenix-area homes include pavement ants, odorous house ants, Argentine ants, southern fire ants and harvester ants. - Argentine ants in Arizona form large, interconnected colonies that follow irrigation lines and damp soil toward houses. - Repellent ant sprays can cause pharaoh ants and other multi-queen species to split into several new colonies, a process called budding. - Non-repellent treatments and ant baits reach the whole colony because worker ants carry them back to the nest and share them. - Platinum Pest Management identifies the ant species before choosing a bait or treatment for homes in Gilbert and the East Valley. ## Common ants in Arizona homes and yards Several kinds of ants are common around East Valley homes, and each one nests and feeds a little differently. Knowing the species tells our technicians where to look for the nest and which bait or product the ants will accept. ### Pavement ants Pavement ants are small, dark brown to black ants that nest under slabs and driveways. Little piles of sand along an expansion joint are a common sign, and the workers come inside for crumbs and grease. ### Odorous house ants Odorous house ants give off a smell like rotten coconut when crushed. These small brown or black ants trail along counters and baseboards to sweets and can nest in wall voids as well as outdoors under rocks. ### Argentine ants Argentine ants form huge colonies with many queens, and neighboring nests cooperate instead of fighting. In the desert they need steady moisture, so they follow drip irrigation and damp soil toward the house. ### Fire ants Southern fire ants are native to Arizona and common in yards across the Valley, and a few related fire ants live here too. They nest in turf and along irrigated beds, and a disturbed nest sends out many workers with painful stings. ### Harvester ants Harvester ants clear wide circles of bare ground in desert landscaping, with the nest opening in the middle. Their sting is painful and can stay sore for hours. Several species live in the Valley, including the Maricopa harvester ant. ### Carpenter ants Carpenter ants are less common in the Valley than in wetter parts of the country. These large ants hollow out damp or damaged wood to nest, so finding them indoors usually points to a roof or plumbing leak. ### Pharaoh ants Pharaoh ants are tiny, yellowish ants that live indoors, often in warm wall voids near kitchens and bathrooms. Colonies have many queens and split when disturbed, so spraying them tends to spread them through the house. ![Ant with a reddish head and thorax and a dark abdomen on a white background](https://platinumpestaz.com/assets/img/ant.jpg) *Many ants look alike at a glance, so we confirm the species before choosing a bait or treatment.* ## Why store-bought ant sprays can make the problem worse Most store-bought ant sprays are repellent contact products. They kill the ants they touch, but the workers on a trail are only a small share of the colony, and the queens and young stay in the nest untouched. Survivors avoid the treated strip and find another way in, often through a different wall or window. Pharaoh ants, Argentine ants and odorous house ants have many queens in each colony, and a repellent spray can make them split up. Groups of workers leave the disturbed nest with one or more queens and start new nests nearby, a process called budding. Budding can turn one colony into several, spread through different walls of the house, which is why we use baits and non-repellent products on these species instead. ## How our ant control works Platinum Pest Management relies on two kinds of treatment that ants carry back to the nest rather than avoid. We identify the ants at a [free inspection](https://platinumpestaz.com/free-inspection/) and decide how to combine the two based on the species and where the colony is nesting. ### Non-repellent treatments Ants cannot detect a non-repellent product, so they walk through the treated area without changing course. Each ant that crosses it picks up a small amount and passes it to others through contact and shared food back in the nest. We apply non-repellents around the foundation and at the points where ants are coming in, using EPA-registered products applied according to the label. ### Baits matched to what the colony is eating Baits carry the product inside food that workers take back to the nest and share. Ant colonies change what they want through the year. When a colony is raising a lot of young, which is mostly in spring, workers tend to go for protein and grease baits. At other times of year the same ants may feed mostly on sugar. Our technicians set out small amounts of more than one bait to see which the ants take, and they switch baits when feeding slows. More ants may show up at a bait for a day or two while they feed. Leave them alone and skip store-bought sprays during that time, because killing the workers keeps the bait from reaching the nest. Bait usually takes several days to two weeks to work through a colony, and large Argentine ant or pharaoh ant problems can take more than one visit. ### Fire ant and harvester ant mounds Fire ant and harvester ant nests in the yard get bait spread around the mound or a treatment applied directly to the nest, depending on the species and the location. Children and pets should stay away from active mounds until the ants are gone. ## Where ants get into Arizona homes Most houses in the East Valley sit on a concrete slab with stucco walls, and ants follow the seams in that construction. These are the entry points our technicians treat most often: - Slab expansion joints, including the joint where a patio or garage slab meets the house - Cracks in stucco, especially at the corners of windows and doors - The weep screed, the metal strip along the bottom of the stucco, where a gap often runs between the screed and the slab - Plumbing penetrations, where pipes pass through the wall under sinks and at hose bibs - Gaps under exterior doors and around window frames Homeowners can help by sealing stucco cracks and gaps around pipes with exterior caulk and by fixing irrigation leaks near the foundation, since moisture draws Argentine ants toward the house. Ants are covered by our [general pest control](https://platinumpestaz.com/services/general-pest/) service. Regular visits on one of our [pest control plans](https://platinumpestaz.com/pest-control-plans/) renew the exterior treatment before heat and sunlight break it down. ## Frequently asked questions ### Why do ants keep coming back after I spray? Most store-bought sprays kill only the ants they touch, and the workers on a trail are a small part of the colony. The queens stay in the nest and keep producing more workers. Repellent sprays can also make pharaoh ants, Argentine ants and odorous house ants split into new colonies. Baits and non-repellent treatments work better because the ants carry them back to the nest. ### How long does ant treatment take to work? Baits and non-repellent treatments usually take several days to two weeks to work through a colony, since the ants have to carry the product back and share it. More ants may gather at a bait for a day or two while they feed. Large Argentine ant or pharaoh ant problems can take more than one visit. ### What should I do about fire ant or harvester ant mounds in the yard? Keep children and pets away from the mound and avoid disturbing it, since both fire ants and harvester ants sting to defend the nest. Our technicians treat outdoor mounds with bait or a direct nest treatment, depending on the species. Anyone who has trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat after a sting needs emergency medical care. ### How can I tell flying ants from termites? Flying ants have a pinched waist, bent antennae and front wings that are longer than the back wings. Termite swarmers have a thick waist, straight antennae and four wings of about equal length. Both tend to swarm after monsoon rains in the Phoenix area. Save a few in a sealed bag for our technician, and see our [termite control](https://platinumpestaz.com/services/termites/) page if they turn out to be termites. ### Is ant control included in general pest control? Ants are one of the pests covered by our [general pest control](https://platinumpestaz.com/services/general-pest/) plans. Each scheduled visit renews the exterior treatment, and if covered ants come back between visits, we return and re-treat at no extra charge. ### Should I clean up the ant trail before the technician arrives? Wipe up food and spills, but leave the trail itself alone and skip store-bought sprays for a few days before the visit. The trail shows our technician which species it is and where the ants are getting in, and ants that have not been sprayed take bait more readily. ## Contact Platinum Pest Management - Phone or text: (480) 518-1942 - Office: 3944 E Ellis St., Mesa, AZ 85205 - Hours: Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to noon, closed Sunday - Arizona pest control business license #9562 - Free inspection: https://platinumpestaz.com/free-inspection/