Why Do I Have Ants in my Car?
If you have ants in your car, it may be because the ants are searching for food or have already identified your car as a food source.
Written by Abbey Orzech
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
Ants find their way into your car in search of food or because they have already found a food source and have signaled the other worker ants to come harvest. The best way to get rid of ants in your car is to remove all food sources, including food containers, crumbs, and stains.
Ants in your car, ants in your home, ants in your pants—these resilient insects can make their way almost anywhere. When you see a bunch of ants crawling around inside your vehicle, your instinct may be to panic and fumigate your entire garage, but that may not be necessary. They could do damage to your car, but likely they’re just checking the place out for food.
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Why do I have ants in my car?
Ants, it seems, are everywhere. With estimated population numbers reaching between 10 and 100 quadrillions, it’s not the most implausible occurrence that they sometimes make it into people’s cars.
If you see these exoskeletoned insects crawling around your car, don’t panic! Most likely, your vehicle is not the newly selected nesting place for the entire colony. Instead, worker ants have been sent in on a quest to find a meal or two—and if they have located even a crumb, they’ll send a signal to their fellows that there is a buffet.
Does the kind of ant I have in my car matter?
While not totally necessary, knowing the exact species of ant that is hitching a ride in your ride may be helpful. Little black ants, for example, are so small that their pincers and stingers would be inconsequential to most things in your car. On the other hand, crazy ants have a thing for electrical equipment and could create damage to your vehicle’s wiring.
You’ll likely be able to identify the species through your own internet research, however, you may wish to call in a pest professional for their expertise.
How do I get rid of ants in my car?
The best thing you can do to get the ants to move on is to remove all possible food sources. These can be crumbs, wrappers, food containers, spill stains, or sticky residue on the side of that Diet Coke that’s been sitting in your cupholder for a week.
After ensuring your vehicle is morsel-free, the next step to take is vacuuming. Grab the hose attachment that can reach the small cracks and crevices and go to town. You don’t want to leave even one stray pistachio shell—they will find it.
Then, take your car to a full-service or DIY car wash to give the exterior of your car a thorough clean, being sure to hit the undercarriage and wheel wells where the ants may be hanging out. To really bring it home, ask for a chemical tire treatment—ants will be deterred by the smell.
You also may wish to examine your usual parking spot to see if there are any ant hills under your car or potentially ant-infested trees above it.
If none of these methods are working and you’re still driving around with these tiny invaders, you can try ant bait and sticky traps.
Key Takeaway Remove ants from your car by cleaning the car thoroughly, getting rid of any possible food sources in or around the car.
Should I get help when getting rid of ants in my car?
Ants have one of the longest lifespans in the insect world, so we can assume that they are pretty resilient creatures. They will search for food anywhere and everywhere their little legs can carry them—including our vehicles.
If the ant-ridding avenues above are not effective for you, it may be time to call in the big guns and hire a local pest control professional. They will be able to identify where the invasion is (sometimes they’re hiding in the upholstery) and offer you their expertise in getting rid of the ants in your car.
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Why are ants in my car?
Ants make their way into cars in search of food. They may just be scoping the place out, or they may have found a crumb or two and have signaled the other worker ants to come to collect the bounty.
Do I need to fumigate my car for ants?
It is probably not necessary to fumigate your car. If thoroughly cleaning your vehicle doesn’t work to get rid of the ants in your car, you can use ant baits or sticky traps.
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