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Beware of Ant Infestations - Central Texas Rains Drive Ants from the Ground and into Your Homes

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Home Inspector with Professional Inspection Services - Georgetown, Texas

Beware of Ant Infestations - Central Texas Rains Drive Ants from the Ground and into Your Homes

This week we had record rainfall is many locations around Central Texas.  Georgetown, Texas was one of those locations.  We got well over 5 inches on Wednesday alone.  That's a lot considering how long it's been since our last big rain.

One of the things that goes along with heavy rain after a dry spell is increased levels of ant activity.  When it's hot and dry ants tend to seek a cool place to hide out.  Thats means that they will normally stay in the ground when the temperatures are cooler.  When the rains come they are often pushed out of their underground homes and forced to seek shelter in other places.

This evening we went in our daughters bedroom to help her get ready for bed we discovered their newest hiding place.....her stuffed animals.  Her room is in the back corner of our home.  The ant that were in the ground outside her window had to seek higher ground.  That higher ground was up the foundation, into the weep holes and into the wall system near her bedroom. 

Be careful and look before you sleep.  Since birth, our daughter has always slept on a pad on the floor in the corner of her room.  She has all of her "babies" in the corner with her each evening when she goes to bed.  Today, those babies became temporary housing for the aforementioned unwanted pests.

So, look closely in those dark corners of your home.  You might have visitors....especially after a heavy rain!

Thanks for checking in and have a great evening,

Andy Chaudoir - Professional Inspection Services

"Your Home Inspection Connection in Central Texas"

512-632-3232 - www.centexinspections.com

Show All Comments Sort:
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I'm sorry that it happened, but sure glad you found them before she snuggled up with them.  Great warning for others in heavy rain areas too.

Sep 10, 2010 03:51 PM
Jay Lloyd
Cape Coral Florida - Cape Coral, FL
Allpro Home Inspection

Hi Andy, The rain sure brings in the critters. We've had a time of it here too. I hope her stuffed animals could be saved. jay

Sep 10, 2010 04:54 PM
Bill Travis
Captain Bill Realty, LLC - Gilbert, AZ
Broker/Owner

Sorry to hear your daughters room got attacked by the ants. We have a lot of ants outside and I never thought about them coming in after a heavy rain. Good to know

Sep 11, 2010 01:52 AM
Sheri Salley
Century 21 HS & Associates - Georgetown, TX
Ready to Move When YOU Are !

Great information, Andy!  So glad you found these little pests before she went to bed.  So - is that why I'm seeing all the crickets around here again too!  Last time I remember them being this bad, it was in 2007, which was also a time we had some HEAVY rains and flooding.  Yuk!!

Sep 11, 2010 02:50 PM
Joshua Zargari
MJ Decorators Workshop LI staging and home decorating - Lynbrook, NY
MJ Decorators Workshop

They are looking for food...Put some food outside and they'll follow it...

Sep 11, 2010 10:37 PM
Robert Hammerstein
Christie's International Real Estate - Hillsdale, NJ
Bergen County NJ Real Estate

Andy - Sorry to hear about those ants in you daughters babies... ugh.... We have that problem up here every spring with the tiny little guys just reaking havoc in my kitchen everyday .... It's creepy and crawley little guys like these that make you keep doing double takes in your house... ugh...

Sep 12, 2010 03:26 AM
Sidney Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula
Realty Works Temecula - Temecula, CA
Realty Works Temecula

Andy:  We get them here in So Cal from the heat.  I had to call an exterminator about two weeks ago to get rid of the ants.   If I had not called right away there would have been trails an inch thick into the house!

Sep 12, 2010 04:59 PM
Dee Mayers
Covina, CA
San Gabriel Valley, CA

Gee, now I'm itching, where did I leave the itching powder!?? LOL.  Glad no harm came to the family Andy.

Sep 12, 2010 05:31 PM