Takoma Park Ant Control
Family-owned & local since 1968
Ants on the counter, in the upstairs bath, or on the porch trim of an older Takoma Park house. We find the nest and treat the house, not your garden.
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From Your Takoma Park Neighbors
Trusted Ant Control in Takoma Park, MD — 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 Takoma Park 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 Takoma Park 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 That Loves Its Gardens
Old Houses, Big Trees, and Neighbors Who Read Labels
Takoma Park does things its own way. In 2013 the city council passed the Safe Grow Act, which limits many lawn pesticides on private yards. Front lawns have given way to native plants, vegetable beds and leaf mulch. People here want ants gone, but they also want to know exactly what goes on and around their home.
That is how we like to work too. Ants are a house problem, so we treat the house. We go after the nest with non-repellent material placed in cracks, voids and entry points, then treat the foundation and porch footings. Your lawn and garden beds are left alone. Our research team dropped 9 of the harshest products used in the industry, and after every visit you get a report listing what we used.
Better Termite & Pest Control is a family business that has served Montgomery County since 1968. Ant plans start at $49/month with 3 visits a year, free return visits if the ants come back, and no binding contract. Call 703-683-2000 and a licensed technician picks up.
Local Ant Pressure
What Makes Takoma Park Ants Hard to Shake
Branches That Reach the Roof
Takoma Park is a Tree City USA, and many of its oaks, maples and tulip poplars stand taller than the houses they shade. Plenty of limbs hang over the roof or rest on it. For acrobat ants and carpenter ants, a branch touching the gutter is a bridge. They nest in a dead limb or a hollow trunk, then walk across to the house and set up a second nest in the cornice or a soft window frame. A trail you see on the second floor may start in the tree, not the ground.
Free Leaf Mulch, Piled High
Every fall the city vacuums up leaves at the curb and grinds them into mulch. Residents can haul it home free from the Public Works yard on Oswego Avenue, and a lot of people do. Leaf mulch is great for gardens. But a deep layer pressed against a foundation stays damp for weeks and gives odorous house ants and field ants a soft, warm place to nest. Keep mulch a few inches below the siding and a hand's width away from it.
Streets That Slope to Sligo Creek and Long Branch
Much of town tilts downhill toward the Sligo Creek and Long Branch stream valleys. On those blocks, rain runs toward the back of the house, the basement wall stays wet, and old areaway steps crack and settle. Moisture ants and pavement ants like that ground, so a basement in Sligo Park Hills or Between the Creeks can have ants even when the kitchen above is spotless.
Kitchens & Baths
Ants in the Kitchen of a 100-Year-Old House
Why Old Kitchens Leak Ants
A kitchen in a Takoma Park bungalow or Foursquare has usually been redone two or three times. Each remodel leaves behind something: a gap behind the new cabinets, an old pipe hole under the sink that was never filled, a plaster wall with cracks that run into the wall cavity. Odorous house ants use all of them. They are tiny, dark, and smell sour, a bit like coconut, when you crush one. They want sugar and water, and they nest wherever both are close.
Water is often the real draw. Our technician Daren once worked a house where nothing seemed to stop the kitchen ants. The answer was upstairs. The grout around the tub had cracked, water was leaking into the floor, and the damp kept the ants coming to the kitchen next door. Now a check of the upstairs bathroom is one of the first things he does. Our post on ants in the bathroom covers what to look for.
Why Sprays Make It Worse
Odorous house ant colonies have many queens. When a spray kills the trail and stresses the nest, the colony splits and moves to new spots in the walls. On that same job, dust puffed behind the outlet covers just pushed the ants to another room. That is why we use a non-repellent the ants carry home on their own. Learn more on our odorous house ant page.
Porches & Rooflines
Carpenter and Acrobat Ants on Takoma Park Porches
The Wet Wood Old Houses Have
Deep front porches are a big part of what makes Old Takoma and North Takoma look the way they do. They are also where we find the most wood ants. Porch floors sit low and stay shaded. Column bases soak up water from below. Many Victorians and Foursquares have built-in box gutters hidden in the cornice, and when the lining wears out, water runs into the wood behind it. Sleeping porches that were closed in decades ago often have old framing with no gap at the bottom to let it dry.
Carpenter ants and acrobat ants both move into that wood once it softens. Carpenter ants are big and black and leave coarse sawdust mixed with bits of insects. Acrobat ants are much smaller and raise their heart-shaped abdomen when disturbed. Neither one eats wood. They dig out wood that water already ruined. So treating the ants without fixing the leak only buys time. See our acrobat ant guide and our photos of carpenter ant frass.
What We Do About It
We treat the nest in the wood and the trails that lead to it, including the branches that bridge to the roof. Then we show you where the water gets in: a failing gutter liner, a column base sitting in a puddle, a porch board with no slope. In the Historic District, keeping the original trim sound is easier than replacing it, so catching these spots early pays off.
Gardens & Yards
Ants, Aphids and Takoma Park Vegetable Beds
Ants Farm the Garden, Then Move Indoors
Walk down almost any street between Takoma Junction and Sligo Creek in July and you will see tomatoes, beans, fig trees and pollinator beds. Ants love those yards. Many kinds herd aphids on stems and leaves and drink the sweet liquid the aphids give off. A strong colony fed all summer in the garden is a big colony looking for a warm spot when the nights cool off in the fall. If that spot is the gap between your back steps and the foundation, the next stop is the kitchen.
Treat the House, Leave the Garden Alone
You do not have to give up your garden to keep ants out of the house. We draw the line at the foundation. Inside, we treat cracks and voids. Outside, we treat the base of the walls, the porch footings, the steps and the spots where pipes and wires go in. We skip the vegetable beds and the lawn. You can help by keeping mulch and plants a short distance off the siding and trimming shrubs so they do not touch the house. Our guide on how to keep ants away has more simple steps.
Ants or Termites?
Winged Ants or Termites in Your Takoma Park Home?
Both Swarm in Spring
Old wood houses on damp soil under shade trees draw termites as well as ants. So when winged insects show up by a basement window or radiator in March, April or May, it pays to know which one you have. Ants have a pinched waist, bent antennae, and front wings that are longer than the back pair. Termites have a thick waist, straight antennae, and four wings that are all the same length. Our side-by-side of winged ants vs termites walks through it with photos.
Sometimes You Have Both
Daren once went to a house for ants and a termite inspection at the same visit. He found a fresh termite mud tube on the foundation, and while tracing it, he saw a black mass of ants moving into it. The ants had found the termite nest and were raiding it, pulling out larvae. It is a good reminder that one pest can lead you to another. If our inspection turns up termites, our Takoma Park termite control team takes it from there.
Acrobat ants raise their heart-shaped rear end when you bother them. Look for them on porch trim under heavy shade
Every ant visit starts with an inspection from the porch floor to the roofline before anything is treated
Odorous house ants are the small dark ants behind most kitchen and bathroom calls in 20912
Webs under the eaves full of dead ants tell us a trail runs along the roofline
Carpenter ants only move into wood that water has already softened, so we always look for the leak
Pavement ants push up sand where old basement floors and areaway steps have cracked
Everything We Do
Every service we offer in Takoma Park — one local team, one phone call.
Core Programs
- Home Pest Control in Takoma Park
- Termite Control in Takoma Park
- Rodent Control in Takoma Park
- Mosquito & Tick Control in Takoma Park
- Extermination Services in Takoma Park
- Eco-Friendly Pest Control in Takoma Park
- Sentricon® Termite Baiting in Takoma Park
- IN2CARE® Mosquito System in Takoma Park
- Commercial Pest Control in Takoma Park
- Pre-Construction Termite Control in Takoma Park
Insects & Spiders
- Ant Control in Takoma Park
- Carpenter Ant Control in Takoma Park
- Sugar Ant Control in Takoma Park
- Spider Control in Takoma Park
- Roach Control in Takoma Park
- German Cockroach Control in Takoma Park
- Oriental Cockroach Control in Takoma Park
- American Cockroach Control in Takoma Park
- Flea Control in Takoma Park
- Silverfish Control in Takoma Park
- Carpet Beetle Control in Takoma Park
- Pantry Pest Control in Takoma Park
- Stink Bug Control in Takoma Park
- Lady Bug Control in Takoma Park
- Boxelder Bug Control in Takoma Park
- Cricket Control in Takoma Park
- Tick Control in Takoma Park
- Earwig Control in Takoma Park
- Millipede Control in Takoma Park
- Centipede Control in Takoma Park
- Pill Bug Control in Takoma Park
- Springtail Control in Takoma Park
- Clover Mite Control in Takoma Park
Stinging & Flying
Rodents & Wildlife
What Our Customers Say
1800+ Reviews on Google "We had a bad cockroach problem - we knew it was bad because of all the baby cockroaches we spotted. It took a while but Better Termite ultimately solved it and our house is cockroach free. Cindy in particular, was quick to help out and made it pain free."
"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!"
"Joann is amazing! She always takes time to talk with me and check inside boxes. I so appreciate her!! I have been using Better Termite and Pest Management for over 20 years."
"I love Darren over at Better Termite. He is always so attentive and kind, and really goes, IMO, out of his way to do a fantastic job. And I am so happy that I had NO MOSQUITOES this summer in my backyard in spite of the fact that there is a drainage area right behind my house, and that is 100% because of Better Termites services."
"We had a bad cockroach problem - we knew it was bad because of all the baby cockroaches we spotted. It took a while but Better Termite ultimately solved it and our house is cockroach free. Cindy in particular, was quick to help out and made it pain free."
"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!"
"Joann is amazing! She always takes time to talk with me and check inside boxes. I so appreciate her!! I have been using Better Termite and Pest Management for over 20 years."
"I love Darren over at Better Termite. He is always so attentive and kind, and really goes, IMO, out of his way to do a fantastic job. And I am so happy that I had NO MOSQUITOES this summer in my backyard in spite of the fact that there is a drainage area right behind my house, and that is 100% because of Better Termites services."
How It Works
How Ant Control Works in Takoma Park
Call and Describe the Ants
Call 703-683-2000 and a licensed technician answers. Tell us the room, the size and color of the ants, and whether you have seen wings. Most callers get a price and a plan before they hang up.
78-Point Inspection, Porch to Basement
In an older Takoma Park house we check the porch floor and columns, the cornice and built-in gutters, branches touching the roof, upstairs bathrooms over the kitchen, and the old basement walls.
Targeted Treatment Inside
We place non-repellent material in the cracks, voids and gaps the ants use. They cannot sense it, so they carry it home and share it with the queens. No fogging and no spraying open rooms.
Foundation and Entry Points Outside
Outside, we treat the foundation, porch footings, and the spots where pipes, wires and branches give ants a way in. We do not blanket the lawn or your vegetable beds.
3 Visits a Year
Your plan includes triannual visits timed for spring swarms, summer trails, and the fall push indoors, plus a written report of what we did and the products we used.
Free Return Visits
If ants come back between visits, we come back too, at no charge, as many times as it takes. No binding contract. Cancel with 30 days notice.
Your Local Office
Ant Control Across Takoma Park, ZIP 20912
From Old Takoma, North Takoma and the Historic District to Pinecrest, Sligo Park Hills, Between the Creeks, Hillwood Manor and New Hampshire Gardens.
Get in Touch
Call Us
703-683-2000Email Us
info@bettertermite.comVisit Our Alexandria (Headquarters) Office
2647 Duke StreetAlexandria, VA 22314
Office Hours
- Mon, Tue, Thu7:30 AM – 7 PM
- Wed, Fri7:30 AM – 8 PM
- Sat, Sun9 AM – 6 PM
Good to Know
Takoma Park Ant Control Questions
Still have questions? A licensed local tech picks up at (703) 683-2000.
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.
Other Services in Takoma Park
Ant Control in Nearby Communities
Your Local Office
Takoma Park is served by our Alexandria, VA team.
Alexandria (Headquarters) Office →