Reston Ant Control
Family-owned & local since 1968
Big black ants from the woods, tiny ants at the sink. Our Reston office finds the moisture feeding the colony and wipes it out at the source.
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From Your Reston Neighbors
Trusted Ant Control in Reston, VA — in Our Customers' Words
Hear what Northern Virginia and Maryland homeowners have to say about our service — in their own words. Real customers from real homes, sharing why they trust Better Termite with what matters most.
- Homes protected
- 100k+
- Google reviews
- 4.9★
- Years local
- 58+
Why Better Termite
Ant Control in Reston you can trust — from $49/mo with no binding contracts.
Lower-Impact Products
Hand-picked, EPA-approved treatments selected by our research team — without 9 of the harshest products still used by most companies.
Local Ant Control Experts
Family-owned since 1968, with 300+ years of combined experience protecting Reston homes. A licensed local tech answers the phone.
The Better Promise
Unlimited free re-services and no binding contracts — we keep coming back until your problem is gone. Cancel anytime with 30 days notice.
About Better Termite
Ant Control for a Town Built Inside the Woods
Reston Kept Its Trees. The Ants Came With Them.
Reston was planned from day one to put homes inside the trees, not in place of them. Nearly half the community is still under tree canopy. The Reston Association keeps more than 1,350 acres of open space, and most clusters back onto shared woods, walking paths, or a stream valley like Snakeden Branch or the Glade.
That is a big reason people love living here. It is also why ants are such a steady problem. Fallen limbs, old stumps, and deep leaf litter give carpenter ants a place to nest a few steps from your deck. Thick mulch beds around cluster homes give tiny odorous house ants a colony site right under the kitchen window. And patio slabs and sidewalks give pavement ants an easy way in through the cracks.
Better Termite & Pest Control has treated ants in Fairfax County homes since 1968, and we now run a local office on Roger Bacon Drive in Reston. We are family-owned, with 1800+ five-star reviews and a 4.9 rating. Our ant plans start at $49/month. They include unlimited free callbacks and never lock you into a binding contract.
Local Knowledge
Why Reston Homes Grow So Many Ant Colonies
Tree Canopy, Stream Valleys, and Shared Woods
Reston sits in the Difficult Run watershed, and its streams run right behind people's homes. Snakeden Branch runs down to Lake Audubon. The Glade winds through South Reston. Colvin Run drains the north side. Add Lakes Anne, Thoreau, Audubon, and Newport, plus the Walker Nature Center and Lake Fairfax Park, and you get damp, shaded ground on the edge of almost every neighborhood. For carpenter ants, that is ideal nesting habitat.
Big trees also stay put here. The Reston Association's design review process often has to sign off before a large tree comes down, so dead limbs and aging trunks can stand close to homes for years. Carpenter ants dig into the soft, decayed wood inside them. Then they walk across branches that touch the roof, or along wires strung to the house, and look for wet wood to move into.
1960s Clusters, Wood Decks, and Shared Walls
Lake Anne, Reston's first village, was built in the 1960s. Hickory Cluster went up in 1965, and Golf Course Island followed in 1967. Many of the clusters built through the 1970s and 1980s share the same features: wood or composite siding, wood decks, and trim that has taken 40 to 60 years of weather. Where that wood stays wet, ants move in. Townhomes also share walls and utility runs, so an odorous house ant colony in one unit can spread to its neighbors. Near Reston Town Center and the Wiehle-Reston East and Reston Town Center Metro stations, newer condos sit on slabs with landscaped courtyards, which suits pavement ants and odorous house ants just fine. For the termites that come with the same damp wood, see our Reston termite control page.
Ant Control
Carpenter Ant Control in Reston
The Big Black Ants Are Pointing at a Moisture Problem
Carpenter ants are the ant Reston homeowners worry about most, and the one most people get wrong. They do not eat wood. They do not tunnel into sound, dry lumber either. Daren, one of our technicians, puts it plainly: carpenter ants go after wood rot or a moisture problem, like a leak behind a wall or rotted trim or fascia. Until that wood gets replaced, they keep coming back, no matter how much product goes down.
In Reston, the usual suspects are deck ledgers, the bottom edge of wood siding, window trim on the shady side of the house, and fascia behind gutters full of oak and poplar leaves. Carpenter ant galleries come out smooth and clean because the ants carry the sawdust out. That sawdust, called frass, piles up below the nest. Our guide to carpenter ant frass shows what to look for.
Signs the Nest Is Already Inside
A few large ants on the deck in July usually came from the woods. Large black ants indoors in late winter are a different story. That usually means the colony is already in the house. Other signs include faint rustling in a wall, frass under a window, and winged ants coming out of a wall or ceiling in spring. Our carpenter ant library page covers how to identify them.
Kitchen & Bathroom Ants
Tiny Ants in Reston Kitchens and Bathrooms
Odorous House Ants Follow the Water
The tiny dark ants lined up at your sink are almost always odorous house ants. Crush one and it smells like rotten coconut. They nest outside in mulch beds, under landscape stones, and along the foundation. Then they come in along pipes, under doors, and through gaps at window frames, looking for water and sugar. Kitchens and bathrooms get hit first. Learn more on our odorous house ant page.
A hidden leak can keep them coming back for years. Daren tells a story about one house where he and his mentor tried everything, and the ants kept coming. The cause turned out to be cracked grout around an upstairs tub, leaking water down into the kitchen below. Now cracked caulk and grout around a tub is one of the first things he checks. If you are seeing ants near a shower or tub, our article on ants in the bathroom explains what draws them.
Why Store-Bought Sprays Backfire in Townhomes
Odorous house ant colonies have many queens. Spray a repellent on the trail and the survivors split off and start new colonies in other walls. In a townhouse, that can mean the next unit over. Our non-repellent treatment works the other way. The ants cannot sense it, so they carry it home and it spreads through the nest.
Slab & Patio Ants
Pavement Ants Under Reston Patios and Slabs
Little Dirt Piles Along the Sidewalk
Reston is full of walkways. There are paved paths between clusters, brick and concrete patios behind townhomes, and courtyards around the condos near Reston Town Center. Pavement ants love all of it. They are small, dark brown to black ants that nest under slabs and sidewalks. You usually spot them by the tiny piles of sand and soil they push up along cracks and edges.
Pavement ants come inside through cracks in slab foundations, expansion joints, and gaps where the patio meets the house. Once indoors they go for crumbs, grease, and pet food. In spring, you may see them swarm out of the slab or fight other colonies in big clumps on the sidewalk. Our pavement ant guide shows how to tell them apart from other small ants.
Treating Under the Concrete
Because the colony lives under the concrete, wiping up the ants you see does not reach it. We treat the cracks, joints, and slab edges where they travel, plus the foundation line. The ants carry the non-repellent material back under the slab, where the colony lives.
Your First Visit
What Your Reston Ant Treatment Looks Like
Outside: From the Tree Line to the Foundation
The inspection starts in the yard. Your technician looks up at the trees for dead limbs and branches touching the roof. Then they check the gutters, deck ledgers, stair stringers, siding, and trim for soft wood. At ground level we check mulch depth, wood touching soil, and firewood stacked against the house. We treat the foundation line, the mulch beds, the patio edges, and every point where a tree, deck, or wire meets the structure. In a townhouse cluster, we focus on your unit's walls, deck, and patio.
Inside: Tracing the Trail to the Source
Indoors we follow the trail back to where it starts. That means under-sink plumbing, dishwasher lines, tub surrounds, window frames, and the basement or crawl space. Treatment goes into cracks, crevices, and wall voids along the routes the ants actually use. After the visit we email you a report of what we found and what we applied, plus a short list of fixes that will make the treatment last. We come back 3 times a year, and callbacks in between are free.
Carpenter ants forage out of the wooded common land that borders most Reston clusters
Porches, decks, and door frames get checked for soft, wet wood on every visit
Pavement ants push up little soil piles along sidewalks, patios, and slab edges
Odorous house ants are the tiny ants that trail to kitchen and bathroom water
Our Reston office serves every village, from Lake Anne to South Lakes and North Point
Winged carpenter ants indoors in spring usually mean a nest inside the structure
Everything We Do
Every service we offer in Reston — one local team, one phone call.
Core Programs
- Home Pest Control in Reston
- Termite Control in Reston
- Rodent Control in Reston
- Mosquito & Tick Control in Reston
- Extermination Services in Reston
- Eco-Friendly Pest Control in Reston
- Sentricon® Termite Baiting in Reston
- IN2CARE® Mosquito System in Reston
- Commercial Pest Control in Reston
- Pre-Construction Termite Control in Reston
Insects & Spiders
- Ant Control in Reston
- Carpenter Ant Control in Reston
- Sugar Ant Control in Reston
- Spider Control in Reston
- Roach Control in Reston
- German Cockroach Control in Reston
- Oriental Cockroach Control in Reston
- American Cockroach Control in Reston
- Flea Control in Reston
- Silverfish Control in Reston
- Carpet Beetle Control in Reston
- Pantry Pest Control in Reston
- Stink Bug Control in Reston
- Lady Bug Control in Reston
- Boxelder Bug Control in Reston
- Cricket Control in Reston
- Tick Control in Reston
- Earwig Control in Reston
- Millipede Control in Reston
- Centipede Control in Reston
- Pill Bug Control in Reston
- Springtail Control in Reston
- Clover Mite Control in Reston
Stinging & Flying
Rodents & Wildlife
What Reston-Area Homeowners Say
1800+ 5 Star Reviews on Google "We've been a customer of Better Termite and Pest Control since moving into our Reston townhouse over 40 years ago. They have always provided great service. They treated a problem that we had many years ago, inspect for it regularly, and it has never recurred."
"I've used Better Termite since moving into my home in Burke. We work with Rob who's great at communicating and treating around our home."
"We have been customers for years. Thanks to Rob D for taking care of our home. Since the early days of COVID, Rob has been our go to guy. This weeks service was excellent as always like all the technicians at Better Termite. Trust worthy and dedication to his craft are his trademarks."
"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. Thank you for taking care of us!"
"The team at Better Termite & Pest control are phenomenal! I feel like my family and my home are in good hands. Everyone I have come into contact with has been responsive, pleasant and professional. The price is right and the service is superb!"
"We've been a customer of Better Termite and Pest Control since moving into our Reston townhouse over 40 years ago. They have always provided great service. They treated a problem that we had many years ago, inspect for it regularly, and it has never recurred."
"I've used Better Termite since moving into my home in Burke. We work with Rob who's great at communicating and treating around our home."
"We have been customers for years. Thanks to Rob D for taking care of our home. Since the early days of COVID, Rob has been our go to guy. This weeks service was excellent as always like all the technicians at Better Termite. Trust worthy and dedication to his craft are his trademarks."
"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. Thank you for taking care of us!"
"The team at Better Termite & Pest control are phenomenal! I feel like my family and my home are in good hands. Everyone I have come into contact with has been responsive, pleasant and professional. The price is right and the service is superb!"
How It Works
How Our Reston Ant Control Works
Talk to a Licensed Technician
Call our Reston office and a licensed technician picks up. Tell us what you are seeing: big black ants on the deck, tiny ants at the kitchen sink, or winged ants in spring. You get a quote and a plan on that first call.
78-Point Home Inspection
Your technician walks the property from the tree line to the foundation. We check decks, siding, trim, gutters, mulch beds, and the tubs, sinks, and dishwasher lines inside. The goal is to find the moisture that is feeding the colony.
Non-Repellent Colony Treatment
We apply non-repellent products the ants cannot detect. They walk through them and carry the material back to the nest, so the colony goes down instead of splitting and moving to the next wall.
Exterior Perimeter Barrier
We treat the foundation line, mulch beds, patio edges, and the spots where trees, decks, and utility lines touch the house. In a Reston cluster, that barrier covers the routes ants use to reach your unit.
Triannual Visits
Ant treatments hold for roughly 90 to 120 days. We come back 3 times a year so protection does not lapse between the spring swarms and fall.
Unlimited Free Callbacks
Ants back between visits? Call us and we come back at no extra charge. No binding contract either. Cancel any time with 30 days notice.
Your Local Office
Ant Control Across Reston: 20190, 20191 & 20194
From Lake Anne, Tall Oaks, and North Point to Hunters Woods, South Lakes, and the condos around Reston Town Center, served from our office on Roger Bacon Drive.
Get in Touch
Call Us
703-659-1118Email Us
info@bettertermite.comVisit Our Reston Office
11250 Roger Bacon DrUnit 3 Suite A
Reston, VA 20190
Office Hours
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri9 AM – 5 PM
Good to Know
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? A licensed local tech picks up at (703) 659-1118.
Our Free Callback Promise
See pests between scheduled visits? We come back and retreat at no extra cost — as many times as it takes. No binding contracts, cancel anytime with 30 days notice.