Pest guide · Florida
How to Get Rid of Ants in a Florida Home
To get rid of ants in a Florida home, find the nest and deal with the colony, not just the trail. UF/IFAS says spraying a trail kills foragers but misses the queen, while slow-acting baits get carried back and shared with her. Keep sprays away from baits. Honeywell’s Pest Control treats ants around Middleburg; call (904) 415-1083.
Identify
Ants you may find in and around a Florida home
These are ants UF/IFAS describes around Florida homes, plus the quick check that tells a winged ant from a winged termite.
Red imported fire ant
Builds mounds of soil that are rarely more than about 18 inches across, and Florida’s sandy soil can keep them smaller than in clay-soil states. Disturb a mound and the ants rush out to bite and sting. A white pustule usually forms at the sting the next day.
Florida carpenter ant
Forages mostly at night and can bite, but does not sting. It nests in existing hollow spaces or in soft material such as rotten wood and Styrofoam, and it does not tunnel into sound wood.
Ghost ant
A tiny ant, 1.3 to 1.5 mm long, with a dark brown head and thorax and a milky-white abdomen and legs. UF/IFAS places it mainly from Sarasota and Orlando south, with records as far north as Gainesville and Duval County. Indoors it nests in wall voids, in spaces between cabinets and baseboards, and in potted plants.
Winged ant or winged termite?
Winged ants have a pinched waist and hind wings smaller than the front pair. Winged termites have a thick waist and four wings of equal size. Florida carpenter ant swarmers are often mistaken for termites.
Habits
How ants behave around the house
Ants are social insects, and the way a colony shares food explains why some treatments work and others don’t.
- Ants live in colonies, so killing the foragers you see without finding the nest does not solve the problem.
- Workers share food mouth to mouth, which is how a slow-acting bait reaches the queen and the young.
- When heavy rain soaks the ground, a red imported fire ant colony may move to higher ground or into a house.
- Winged fire ants usually fly to mate around midday on warm, sunny days after rain, from spring to fall. A new colony’s mound shows in the lawn after about six months.
- Florida carpenter ants get indoors along tree branches touching the house and along wires. Complaints are numerous in the spring swarm season, usually April to June, when winged ants are often found along window ledges and near sliding glass doors.
Prevention
How to get rid of ants and keep them out
UF/IFAS advice for Florida homeowners, starting with the colony rather than the trail.
- Look for the nest first. Treating the colony is what ends an infestation.
- Choose slow-acting baits over spraying trails and cracks, which gives only short-term relief.
- Don’t spray insecticide near bait. Sprays repel ants, and they won’t eat bait that spray has touched.
- Put granular bait out on a mild, dry day of about 70 to 90°F, after dew or irrigation has dried, and not just before or after heavy rain.
- Trim branches that touch the house and caulk openings where carpenter ants get in.
- Don’t pour boiling water or set flammable liquids alight on a fire ant mound. UF/IFAS says both are very dangerous.
Florida facts
Florida ant facts from UF/IFAS
- Spraying ant trails or cracks indoors gives only short-term relief, because it barely reduces the colony and doesn’t reach the queen.
- Fire ant bait is slower acting but more effective than drenching, dusting or fumigating a mound, because workers feed it to the queen and brood.
- Because of Florida’s sandy soils, fire ant mounds here may be smaller than the large mounds seen in states with clay soils.
- Winged ants often swarm out to mate about a day after a rainstorm, and early-spring swarms bring a rise in calls to pest control companies.
Sources: UF/IFAS: Ants (IG080) · UF/IFAS: Red imported fire ant (IN352) · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Fire ants · UF/IFAS: Florida carpenter ant (IN455) · UF/IFAS: Ghost ant (IN532)
Get help
Ants that keep coming back?
Honeywell’s Pest Control treats ants as part of general pest control for homes and businesses within 40 miles of Middleburg, starting with a free estimate. One recent Google reviewer reported paying $140–160 to treat a major ant infestation.
Home pest control
Ants, spiders, cockroaches, fleas and other insects, one time or on a quarterly schedule.
FAQ
Ant questions from Florida homeowners
Why do ants come back after I spray them?
Spraying a trail kills the ants you can see, but UF/IFAS says it barely dents the colony and doesn’t reach the queen. Slow-acting baits work differently: workers carry them home and share them with the queen and young. Keep sprays away from baits. For ants that keep returning, call (904) 415-1083.
How can I tell a winged ant from a winged termite?
Look at the waist and the wings. UF/IFAS says winged ants have a pinched waist and hind wings smaller than the front pair, while winged termites have a thick waist and four wings of equal size. Florida carpenter ant swarmers are often mistaken for termites. If you’re unsure, call Honeywell’s Pest Control at (904) 415-1083.
Can heavy rain drive fire ants indoors?
It can. UF/IFAS says that when heavy rain saturates the soil, a red imported fire ant colony may move to higher ground or into a home to take refuge. Winged fire ants also usually fly to mate on warm, sunny days after rain, from spring to fall. For fire ants indoors, call Honeywell’s Pest Control at (904) 415-1083.
Do Florida carpenter ants damage wood?
Not sound wood. UF/IFAS says Florida carpenter ants nest in existing hollow spaces or dig only into soft material such as rotten wood and Styrofoam. They forage mostly at night, can bite but don’t sting, and get in along branches touching the house and along wires. For a free estimate, call Honeywell’s Pest Control at (904) 415-1083.
Should I pour boiling water on a fire ant mound?
No. UF/IFAS does not recommend pouring boiling water or igniting flammable liquids on a mound, because both are very dangerous. A mound drench may not reach a queen deep in the nest. Slow-acting bait works better, because workers feed it to the queen and brood. For fire ants around your home, call Honeywell’s Pest Control at (904) 415-1083.
More guides
Other Florida pest guides
Reviews
What customers say
Highly recommend Honeywell’s Pest Control! We had a major ant infestation, and they came out the very next day to treat it. The first treatment took care of almost all the ants, but we needed one follow-up visit. …
Dean R. Google review · 2026
Ants!! Had countless ants coming from outside, endless vacuuming and wasted money on ant control. Bit the bullet and reached put to drew, and let me tell you he went above and beyond, we have 2 kids so explained i needed it taken care of somewhat sooner than later, he came out same day within 2 hours and handled the issue!! We no longer have ants and kids arnt petrified of getting bit. Very professional and affordable, i will definitely be using him for any pest needs!!
Brandon E. Google review · 2024
Did a thorough job with some ants I had in my house. I have yet to have any problems since then i highly recommend Honeywells Pest Control for anything pest related.
Trey S. Google review · 2024