Ant Elimination
Ant Control in Redwood City, CA
101 Exterminators does ant control in Redwood City with baits rather than contact sprays, because the ant you almost certainly have is Linepithema humile — the Argentine ant. We are California licensed, SPCB Lic. #9119, and have worked San Mateo County since 2005. Spraying a trail kills the workers you can see and leaves the colony that sent them. Bait moves through the whole population instead.
Warning Signs
Signs You Need Ants Service in Redwood City
Species identification, followed by bait placement for slow-acting colony elimination. For carpenter ants — which nest in moisture-damaged wood — we identify and treat the nest location directly. For fire ant mounds, we use targeted mound treatments plus a broadcast perimeter application. Exterior perimeter liquid treatments are applied to prevent re-entry, with interior gel bait placed in active foraging areas.
Foraging trails along baseboards, windowsills, counters, or appliances — especially in kitchen
Live ants in kitchen cabinets, under the sink, near pet food, or around any sugar/food source
Sawdust-like frass near wood — indicates carpenter ant activity inside wood
Visible mounds in lawn or soil beds — fire ant indicator
Large (6–12mm) black ants with bent antennae in bathrooms or attic — carpenter ants
Repeated ant activity despite over-the-counter spray treatments — indicates spray-avoidance in colonies
How It Works
Our Ants Process in Redwood City
Every job follows the same methodical approach — no shortcuts, no guesswork. Here is what to expect when you work with us in Redwood City.
Species Identification
Misidentifying ant species leads to failed treatments. We identify the species present — Argentine, carpenter, fire, pavement, odorous house — before selecting treatment methodology.
Nesting Site Assessment
Carpenter ants nest in wood. Argentine ant colonies can extend across an entire block. Fire ants create visible mounds. Each species nests differently and requires us to find the colony before treating.
Targeted Bait & Barrier Treatment
Slow-acting gel baits are placed in foraging trails — workers carry the bait back to the queen, eliminating the colony from within. Exterior perimeter liquid is applied to prevent new entry.
Follow-Up & Assessment
We return to confirm colony suppression, replenish bait if needed, and treat any secondary colonies that become active as the primary colony is eliminated.
Why 101 Exterminators
Ants You Can Count On in Redwood City
Species-Specific Treatment
Argentine ants, carpenter ants, and fire ants each require a different product and approach. Generic "ant spray" does not work equally for all species.
Bait-Based Colony Elimination
Slow-acting bait reaches the queen through worker activity. This is the only way to achieve lasting colony elimination without returning every few weeks.
Exterior Barrier Prevents Re-Entry
A liquid residual barrier on the perimeter prevents new foragers from adjacent colonies from entering — critical in Argentine ant supercolony territory.
Interior-Safe Methods
Gel bait placement in cracks and crevices does not require broadcast interior spraying. Food and dishware do not need to be removed for interior bait treatments.
Common Questions
Ant Control FAQs for Redwood City
Why do the ants come back a week after treatment in our Redwood City yard?
Because Argentine ants on the Peninsula function as one large interconnected population, so a treated lot repopulates from neighboring yards rather than from a surviving nest of its own. Killing foragers on contact does not touch that. Slow-acting bait works better because workers carry it back and share it before it takes effect, and an exterior perimeter treatment keeps the returning ants outside while it does.
Should I spray the ant trail on my kitchen counter before you come out?
No — leave the trail if you can stand it, and clean only the food surfaces. The trail shows us where they are entering and which direction the colony sits, and that changes where the bait goes. A store-bought spray also scatters workers and can push a colony to split into new sites. Wipe the counter itself and leave the wall or baseboard line alone.
Are the tiny black ants in Redwood City kitchens the same ones in the garden?
Almost always yes — Argentine ants, about an eighth of an inch, dull brown to black, moving in steady single-file lines. They nest outdoors in soil, mulch, planter strips and under pavers, then send foragers inside for water and sugar. That is why treatment that ends at the kitchen wall does not hold. The nest is in the yard or the neighbor's yard, and that is where the work has to reach.
Local Pest Pressure
Common Pests We Treat in Redwood City
Every area has its own pest profile shaped by climate, housing, and geography. These are the pests we see and treat most often in Redwood City — tap any one to learn how to identify it and what treatment involves.
Ant Control · Redwood City
Free Limited Ants Inspection in Redwood City
CA licensed and insured. Written estimate before any work begins. Same-day response available for urgent situations in Redwood City.