Ants are one of the most pervasive critters you’ll find inside or outside of your home, and are in fact the most commonly reported pest in the US, according to the National Pest Management Association.

Ants are an extremely social creature, and where you’ll find one, you’ll find a colony or colonies nearby. The odd ant you’ll see here and there would be an ant assigned to look for food, which it will likely find in your kitchen. If you see a line of ants, it may be difficult to follow it back to their colony so you can see what you’re up against, but it would be worthwhile to at least follow the trail to their food source so you can properly store it away or dispose of it.

Eliminating ants isn’t as easy as other pests, since it’s not as simple matter of keeping your house clean, though it will help. Keep your food in places they can’t reach such as a closed container, and make sure you always clean up any spills.

Using chalk will only scatter them and leave them room to reorganize, and spraying them with insecticide will kill them, but the ants you see are only about 5% of the total number they have in their colonies. Once another ant foraging for food discovers a new food source, or rediscovers their old one, you’ll see a new line of ants in no time.

Sealing off entry points in your house – cracks in your walls, netting on windows, etc. – works great for other pests, but ants can get in just about anywhere, including between your baseboard.

You can try to follow their trail that leads to their colony so you can eliminate the problem entirely, but in most cases with an ant infestation, it’s best to have a professional come and do it for you.