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Why Are There Ants in My Kitchen?

Written by PestMan Editorial TeamTechnical review pendingPublished Updated

Quick answer

Ants come into kitchens for food and water: sugary spills, crumbs, grease, pet food, fruit bowls, bins and dripping taps. Once one ant finds a source, it leaves a scent trail and more follow. Kitchen ants are usually foraging from a nest outside or in a wall void rather than living in the kitchen itself.

Why this happens

Kitchens concentrate the food types ants want. Black house ants favour sugar and water; coastal brown ants prefer protein and fats such as meat scraps and pet food.

Pipes and cables under the sink pass through walls and floors, creating hidden entry routes from wall cavities and sub-floors.

What you may be seeing

  • Ants on benches, around the sink, in the pantry or around the bin.
  • Ants emerging from behind splashbacks, power points or kickboards.

What you can do

  • Store food in sealed containers, including sugar, honey and pet food.
  • Wipe benches and clean spills promptly; rinse recycling.
  • Fix leaks and dry the sink at night.
  • Seal gaps around pipes under the sink and along splashbacks.
  • Use baits away from food-preparation surfaces, following label directions.

What not to do

  • Do not spray insecticide on benches or food surfaces unless the label allows it.
Using pest products safely

If you use an insecticide or bait, read the label first and follow it exactly, including directions for children, pets and food areas. Australian law requires products to be used only as the label directs.

When professional help may be needed

If ants nest in kitchen walls or cabinetry, or baiting has not worked after a couple of weeks, a professional can identify the species and treat the colony.

Ants

Social insects that live in colonies and follow scent trails to food and water. Most ant problems in homes are nuisance foraging trails from colonies outside the house.

Species mentioned

Black House Ant

Ochetellus glaber

A small, shiny black native ant that forms long trails into kitchens and bathrooms searching for sweet food and water.

Coastal Brown Ant

Pheidole megacephala

An introduced, light-brown ant that forms huge multi-queen colonies and leaves piles of loose soil between pavers and along slab edges. One of the most common nuisance ants in Queensland.

Guide

Pest Prevention Checklist

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How to Pest-Proof Your Home

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A Brisbane-specific overview of the pests residents meet most often, when they are active, and what the subtropical climate, storms, creeks and Queenslander homes mean for pest pressure.

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Sources & further reading

PestMan provides general information only and does not replace licensed pest-management, medical, veterinary or structural advice. Always read and follow product labels. Read our disclaimer.