Alexandria Ant Control
Eliminate carpenter ants, kitchen ants, and every colony in between. Our non-repellent treatments don't just scatter ants. They wipe out the whole nest.
Family Owned
57 years of experience serving local homes with pets and kids.
Lower Risk Products
Our research team picked materials better for the planet & your home
No Contracts
We don't lock you in with paperwork. Stay because it works.
Why Alexandria Homeowners Keep Calling About Ants
It's Not You. It's Your ZIP Code.
Alexandria sits at the intersection of everything ants love: humidity, water, mature trees, and older homes with plenty of entry points. The Potomac River, Holmes Run, and Cameron Run pump moisture into neighborhoods from Old Town to the West End. Annual rainfall exceeds 45 inches. Summer temperatures regularly hit the 90s. For ant colonies, this is prime real estate.
Then there's the housing stock. Brick rowhouses in Old Town date back to the 1700s. Del Ray and Rosemont have Craftsman bungalows from the early 1900s. North Ridge and Beverley Hills have mid-century homes. All of them have older foundations, aging pipes, and crawlspaces that ants get into without much effort.
Better Termite & Pest Control has been eliminating ant infestations across Alexandria since 1968. We use non-repellent insecticides that ants carry back to their colonies, wiping out the entire population instead of just the ones marching across your counter. Our plans start at $39/month, include unlimited free callbacks, and don't lock you into a contract.
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How Alexandria's Environment Fuels Ant Problems
Moisture, Mature Trees, and Aging Infrastructure
Three waterways run through or border Alexandria: the Potomac River along the east, Four Mile Run to the north near Arlandria and Potomac Yard, and the Holmes Run / Cameron Run system through the West End. These create areas with standing water, thick vegetation, and damp soil where ant colonies thrive. Neighborhoods near Dora Kelley Nature Park, Jones Point, and the Cameron Run Regional Park corridor see especially high ant activity.
The tree cover makes things worse. Streets in North Ridge, Beverley Hills, and Rosemont are lined with mature oaks and hardwoods. Leaf litter and mulch beds around foundations give carpenter ants and odorous house ants ideal shelter. These ants nest in the yard, then sneak inside through tiny cracks you might not even notice: gaps around pipes, HVAC lines, window frames, and crumbling mortar joints.
Shared Walls and Townhome Communities
Alexandria has a lot of townhomes and rowhouses, from the historic connected homes of Old Town and Parker-Gray to planned communities like Cameron Station and Potomac Yard. Shared walls and common utility lines make it easy for ant colonies to move between units. One neighbor's problem quickly becomes yours if the colony isn't wiped out at the source.
Carpenter Ant Control in Alexandria
The Real Threat to Your Home's Wood
Carpenter ants are Alexandria's most destructive ant species. These large black ants don't eat wood. Instead, they hollow it out to build their nests. In homes throughout Old Town, Del Ray, and Rosemont, that means damage to original wood framing, porch posts, window sills, and deck structures. Homes near the Potomac waterfront and Holmes Run are especially at risk because carpenter ants prefer wood that's been softened by moisture.
Watch for these warning signs: small piles of sawdust near wood surfaces, faint rustling sounds inside walls, or large black ants appearing in your home, especially winged ones in spring. Winged carpenter ants are often confused with termites. Not sure what you're seeing? Call us at 703-683-2000 and describe it to a licensed technician. We'll tell you what it is over the phone.
How We Eliminate Carpenter Ant Colonies
We start with a thorough inspection to locate the colony, checking areas with moisture damage where carpenter ants prefer to nest. Then we apply non-repellent insecticides to cracks, crevices, and entry points. The ants walk through the treated zone without detecting it and carry the material back to the colony. It spreads through contact with other ants, and the entire colony collapses within 2-4 weeks. Learn more about signs of carpenter ant damage or read our guide to common ants in Alexandria.
Kitchen Ant Infestations in Alexandria
Odorous House Ants: The Trails That Won't Stop
Those tiny black ants trailing across your kitchen counter? Odorous house ants. Crush one and you'll notice a rotten-coconut smell. That's how they got their name. They're drawn to moisture and food, which is why they show up around sinks, dishwashers, and pantries. In Alexandria's older homes with aging plumbing and the occasional leak, these ants have plenty of water sources to work with.
Neighborhoods with heavy tree cover and mature landscaping see the worst infestations. Areas around Monticello Park, Beverley Park, and the Del Ray corridor have dense mulch beds and leaf litter where odorous house ants nest. From there, they forage inside through the smallest gaps: under doors, around window frames, and along pipes.
Why DIY Ant Sprays Make It Worse
Odorous house ants have multiple queens per colony. When you spray a repellent product, surviving ants scatter and set up new colonies elsewhere in your home. One colony becomes three. Our non-repellent approach does the opposite. Ants can't detect the treatment, so they keep walking through it and spreading it to the rest of the colony. We pair interior crack-and-crevice treatment with an exterior perimeter barrier, then return 3 times per year to keep the protection going. Having trouble with tiny ants in your kitchen? That article explains why they keep coming back.
Carpenter ants forage for food outdoors before nesting inside wood structures
Our technicians create a protective barrier around your home's foundation
Carpenter ants hollow out wood for nesting, a real concern for Alexandria's older homes
Odorous house ants are the small kitchen invaders Alexandria homeowners deal with most
We inspect and treat every potential entry point during each visit
Our licensed technicians serve Alexandria and the surrounding area with over 55 years of experience
What to Expect During Your First Visit
Interior: Finding Where They're Getting In
Our licensed technician starts inside your home, following ant trails back to where they're getting in. In Alexandria homes, that often means checking around pipes in kitchens and bathrooms, gaps in older window frames, and where the floor meets the walls. In homes with crawlspaces (common in Rosemont, Del Ray, and parts of the West End) we also inspect below for moisture issues and active nesting.
Interior treatment focuses on cracks, crevices, and voids where ants travel. The non-repellent material is applied precisely to these pathways, so it works quietly while you go about your day.
Exterior: Sealing Off the Perimeter
Outside, we inspect your foundation, mulch beds, downspouts, and any areas where soil meets the structure. Many Alexandria homes have brick foundations with aging mortar that ants slip through. We create a continuous barrier around the perimeter and point out conditions that attract ants, like wood touching soil, clogged gutters, or bushes growing right up against the house. Fixing these helps keep ants from coming back.
What Alexandria Neighbors Say
1,100+ 5 Star Reviews on Google "I have been a client of Better Termite & Pest Control for decades. Their service is always A+. Cindy has always been helpful with clear explanations and quick to follow up. Being my main contact Cindy gives me great confidence in the company."
"We've had a subscription service with this company for yrs, since moving into our current house, and realizing it was rather...spidery. But NO MORE! Over the years, they've tackled ants, bees, and HORRIBLE paper wasps! Further, Cindy and Darren are awesome to work with, and really know their stuff! I can't recommend this company enough."
"Daren did an outstanding job conducting my termite inspection today. He was right on time and extremely professional thorough throughout the entire process... He was very good with some solid advice about how to continue to guard against not only termites but other rodents as well. Cindy also expertly took care of me throughout the process. Outstanding job!!"
"Better Termite has been keeping our house bug free for years with regular perimeter treatments. As a small, family owned business, they are able to personalize their approach based on your needs. It's clear that they prioritize customer service and communication. We recently had a swarm of a stinging insect take shelter under our ground-level deck, and they researched, bought necessary equipment, and came up with the best way to treat it. Highly recommend!"
"I highly recommend this company for your home pest control. Their technicians are thorough and have prevented any unwanted problems from happening on our property. During our last treatment, Jasmine took care of our outdoor spider webs without us even asking. Last summer they removed a mud dauber's nest under our deck and above our patio door. That attention to detail speaks volumes."
"I have been a client of Better Termite & Pest Control for decades. Their service is always A+. Cindy has always been helpful with clear explanations and quick to follow up. Being my main contact Cindy gives me great confidence in the company."
"We've had a subscription service with this company for yrs, since moving into our current house, and realizing it was rather...spidery. But NO MORE! Over the years, they've tackled ants, bees, and HORRIBLE paper wasps! Further, Cindy and Darren are awesome to work with, and really know their stuff! I can't recommend this company enough."
"Daren did an outstanding job conducting my termite inspection today. He was right on time and extremely professional thorough throughout the entire process... He was very good with some solid advice about how to continue to guard against not only termites but other rodents as well. Cindy also expertly took care of me throughout the process. Outstanding job!!"
"Better Termite has been keeping our house bug free for years with regular perimeter treatments. As a small, family owned business, they are able to personalize their approach based on your needs. It's clear that they prioritize customer service and communication. We recently had a swarm of a stinging insect take shelter under our ground-level deck, and they researched, bought necessary equipment, and came up with the best way to treat it. Highly recommend!"
"I highly recommend this company for your home pest control. Their technicians are thorough and have prevented any unwanted problems from happening on our property. During our last treatment, Jasmine took care of our outdoor spider webs without us even asking. Last summer they removed a mud dauber's nest under our deck and above our patio door. That attention to detail speaks volumes."
How Our Ant Control Works
78-Point Home Inspection
A licensed technician inspects your Alexandria home top to bottom, including crawlspaces, foundation cracks, gaps around pipes, and anywhere ants could enter or nest.
Non-Repellent Colony Elimination
We apply non-repellent insecticides that ants unknowingly carry back to their colonies. Instead of scattering them, we wipe out the entire population at the source.
Exterior Perimeter Barrier
A protective barrier around your foundation stops new colonies from getting inside. We pay extra attention to mulch beds, downspouts, and the older masonry common in Alexandria homes.
Triannual Maintenance Visits
Ant treatments typically last 90-120 days. Our 3 scheduled visits per year maintain continuous protection so you never have a gap in coverage.
Unlimited Free Callbacks
Spot ants between visits? Call us and we'll come back at no extra charge. It's built into your plan, not an add-on.
Serving Every Alexandria Neighborhood
From Old Town to the West End, Del Ray to Kingstowne. ZIP codes 22301 through 22315.