Advice
Ants in the Kitchen: Causes and What Helps
Ants in the kitchen are usually following food and warmth, and a few careful habits can reduce them, though a persistent trail often needs professional treatment.
Read the guide →Our job is to deal with the cause, not just the ants on show.
Ants around an older high street
In Crediton, an older high street means shared walls, rear yards, cellars and old drains, and ants can move quite freely between these. A nest in one yard may send trails into three or four buildings. Shops and cafes in particular can find that a clean kitchen still gets visitors from next door.
We check yards, doorways and the base of walls as well as inside, and ask about neighbouring properties. If the source turns out to be next door, we explain what we have found so you can have a sensible conversation with them.
Newer housing and farmland edges
Crediton sits in the Creedy valley with farmland close by, and newer housing has spread out towards the fields. Gardens on these edges have lawns, flower beds and paving, which make good nest sites. Ants will also wander into conservatories and extensions, where the join between old and new can leave small gaps.
In summer, flying ants may appear in numbers for a day or two. This is normal garden ant behaviour, but if they are emerging inside, we can check whether the nest is close to the walls.
How we work in Crediton
We begin with a conversation about what you have seen, then inspect indoors and outside. Treatment is aimed at the nest and routes, and we seal accessible gaps. We also cover Cullompton and surrounding villages, so addresses in EX17 outside the centre are fine. Afterwards we suggest easy habits that keep ants away, such as sealed food, cleaned surfaces and a tidy bin area, and we are honest about whether a return visit may be needed.
Frequently asked questions
Why do ants appear in my Crediton conservatory?
Conservatories are warm, and the joint between the old wall and the new frame often leaves small gaps. Ants can nest in the soil or paving by the base and walk straight in. Sealing the gaps and treating the nest usually helps.
Are ants in the bathroom different to ants in the kitchen?
Usually they are the same garden ants, looking for water rather than food. A bathroom trail often follows a pipe or a gap beside the bath. We trace it the same way, then treat the nest and note the gap.
What should I do before you arrive?
Try not to wipe away every trail, as seeing where they go helps us. Note where and when they appear, keep pets away from areas you have seen them, and put food in sealed containers. We will explain anything else once we have looked.