What Attracts Ants?

Homeowners and gardeners alike have a lot of questions about what attracts ants. 

Ants are attracted to many different things, but what they’re looking for changes depending on where they live and where they’re going. 

In your home and garden, ants can be drawn to:

• Food crumbs in your kitchen.
• Moisture from leaks or spills under sinks.
• Warmth from appliances like hot water heaters or furnaces.
• Plants because they produce sugar through photosynthesis which is one of ant’s favorite foods.

In your garden, ants may also be trying to find a habitat with moist soil where there is enough space for them to nest.

In this article, we’ll go more into detail about these different things that attract ants.

Some ants are attracted to other things as well. Carpenter ants are attracted to wood they can nest in, as an example. Learn more here.

What Attracts Ants in Your Home?

Sugar/Sweets

Sugar and sweets are one of the ants’ favorite foods, and will most definitely lure them into your home. Most of the time, they like these goodies because it is a sweet treat to eat.

This includes foods like:

• Granulated sugar
• Syrup
• Honey

And others similar to these. This also includes fruit, as these are full of natural sugars. Make sure any fruit you have isn’t infected by ants.

Also read: Why are ants attracted to sugar?

Proteins

Ants also feed off proteins, whether it’s from what we’ve dropped on the floor or what’s left in our garbage disposal. The only way to get rid of ants is to make sure they don’t have anything good to feed off of, and that means cleaning up any food particles you come across immediately.

Ants also get protein from other dead insects, so make sure you clean these up, if you find any in your home.

Also read: What do ants eat?

Grease

Grease is one of the most important things to watch out for. Ants will eat anything, but grease is one of the things they’re looking for above all else. 

If you have food lying around that might attract ants (and bugs in general), make sure it’s sealed up or put away correctly.

Moisture

One of the most common things that attract ants (that you might not think of) is moisture. 

If you find ants in your bathroom, make sure to check for any plumbing issues as well.

Pet Food

Pet food is very attractive to ants. Pet food is full of nutrition for animals, which makes it perfect for ants as well. Don’t let your pet food sit out for too long, as the little bugs will quickly pick up its scent.

Trash Cans

While most people don’t like eating out of the trash, ants have no problem doing this. It’s one of the places where people frequently experience ant infestations.

Trash cans should be cleaned weekly. If you use a trash can liner, then the container should also be emptied regularly and the bag replaced if it is ripped or torn.

Warmth

As with most insects, warmth is what ants are looking for. They try to find areas that have a higher temperature if it’s cold outside. When winter comes around in colder areas of the world, ants will try to seek shelter inside.

If ants can find a warm and wet area in your home, they’ve found the perfect place for a nest, so watch out for this.

Other Insects/Animals

Ants won’t hesitate to feast on dead animals, which is why dead insects attract ants. This can be animals such as:

• Bees and Wasps
• Spiders
• Termites
• Cockroaches
• Other ants

Also read: Do ants eat dead ants?

What Attracts Ants in Your Garden?

Some of the other most common things that attract ants in a garden are:

• Moist soil
• Sweet-scented nectar or sap
• Protein-rich aphids or other insects on a plant
• Honeydew excreted by sucking insects like mealybugs
• Soft-bodied prey such as slugs

If ants find something they like in your garden, they will quickly swarm around it. Ants have what is called a “trail pheromone” that they lay down to mark where other ants have been, what food sources are nearby, and what trails lead back to the nest.

Looking to get rid of ants in your garden? Read this article on the topic.

Plants and Flowers

Ants are primarily attracted to nectar from plants and flowers [1] in your garden. 

If you want to stop ants from invading your garden, it is best if you can find what plants attract them and what food source is drawing them in so that you can take care of it.

Rich Soil

Ants love moist, dark soil that is rich in organic material. 

Ants that are attracted usually don’t invade homes but instead, live outside and can do a lot of damage to your garden by digging up plants and scavenging on the roots. 

You can prevent these types of ants from entering your garden by making sure they don’t have what they need to survive and thrive in the soil.

Especially potted plants will contain rich soil – watch out for ants invading your pots.

Read more: How to get rid of ants in potted plants