Ant Control in Hampton Roads, VA

If you live in Hampton Roads, you know ants aren’t just a once-a-year nuisance. They start showing up early in the spring, stick around, and keep finding their way inside.

That’s something we’ve been helping homeowners deal with since 1922.

We’ve seen how ant problems usually start with a few ants and turn into a larger problem if they’re not addressed.

Getem Services is a local, family-owned pest control company that’s been handling ants and other pests in homes throughout the area for over 100 years.

Ant Problems Homeowners Often Run Into in Hampton Roads

If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—we hear about it all the time from homeowners across Hampton Roads:

• Ants showing up in the kitchen even after cleaning

• Small ants gathering around bathroom sinks, tubs, or toilets

• Trails forming along baseboards, windows, or door frames

• Activity picking up after rain or humid stretches

• Ants showing up in multiple rooms at the same time

• Carpenter ants around damp wood, crawl spaces, or window frames

If you’re seeing activity like this in your home, it’s a good idea to have it looked at more closely.

Why Ants Are So Prevalent in Hampton Roads

Ant problems here aren’t random—it’s part of living in Hampton Roads.

With the humidity, mild winters, and how a lot of homes are built—especially with crawl spaces—ants don’t really disappear. Activity slows down in colder months, but it often continues out of sight and picks back up when conditions improve.

Here’s what that usually looks like:

• They start showing up in early spring

• After a stretch of rain or humidity, you suddenly notice more of them

• They pop up around the kitchen… then the bathroom… then somewhere else

• You clean them up, and a few days later, they’re back again

A lot of the time, they’re nesting right outside near the foundation—or underneath the house—and just working their way inside.

Homes in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake all deal with this. It just depends on things like moisture, soil, and how close you are to the water.

What’s Actually Going On When You See Ants

What you’re seeing inside is usually just a small part of the problem.

Most ants are coming from a colony somewhere nearby—often outside along the foundation, under the home, or inside a wall void.

That’s why:

• they keep showing up in the same spots

• you might see them in more than one room

• cleaning them up doesn’t make the problem go away

In this area, colonies are often close to the house and keep sending ants inside.

Types of Ants We See in Hampton Roads Homes

In Hampton Roads, most ant problems come from a few specific types—and knowing which one you’re dealing with makes a difference in how the problem gets handled.

Odorous House Ants

Odorous house ants are one of the ants we deal with most inside homes. They’re tiny—often called “sugar ants” because of how often they show up around sweets in kitchens and pantries. If you crush one, you may notice a strong, almost rotten smell, which is how they got their name.

Carpenter Ants

They’re usually tied to moisture-damaged wood and are often found around crawl spaces, windows, or exterior walls. While other species are mostly nuisance pests, carpenter ants can damage wood—ranging from minor issues to more serious structural concerns over time.

Little Black Ants

Little black ants are small, but they rarely show up alone. They form long, noticeable trails along baseboards, counters, and walls as they move between their nest and a food source.

They can be tough to eliminate because the problem doesn’t stop where you see them.

Argentine Ants

Argentine ants usually show up in large numbers and can spread quickly around the home. They often have multiple nesting areas, which is why you might see them in more than one place at once.

Warm, humid weather in Hampton Roads makes it easier for them to build up quickly.

Why DIY Ant Control Doesn’t Really Work

A lot of homeowners try to handle ants themselves first—and that makes sense.

But in Hampton Roads, it usually doesn’t hold up for long.

Between the humidity and how close colonies tend to be to the home, ants rebound quickly. You might get rid of what you see, but more keep coming from the same place.

In some cases, store-bought sprays and other DIY products can even push ants into new areas—so instead of fixing the problem, it just shows up somewhere else.

How Getem Services Eliminates Ants in Hampton Roads

Our local technicians don’t just treat where ants show up—we look at how they’re moving through your home and where they’re coming from.

When we’re dealing with an ant problem, we focus on a few key things:

• Identifying the type of ants and how they behave locally

• Finding where they’re coming from—not just where you see them

• Treating nesting areas and entry points

• Planning for where activity is likely to shift next

After decades of working in Hampton Roads homes, we know what works here—and what doesn’t.

Ant Control Is Included in Our Residential Plan

Ant problems aren’t a one-time fix—they’re ongoing.

That’s why ant control is included in our residential pest control plan. Instead of reacting every time ants show up, we stay ahead of the problem with quarterly pest treatments designed around how pests behave in Hampton Roads and the Tidewater region.

That means fewer surprises, less recurring activity, and more consistent protection—not just from ants, but from other household pests as well.

It’s a more reliable way to keep your home protected throughout the year.

Ant FAQs for Hampton Roads Homeowners

Why do ants show up more after it rains in Hampton Roads?

Heavy rain can flood or disturb outdoor nests, pushing ants to higher, drier areas—which often means they end up inside your home. It’s one of the most common triggers for sudden indoor activity in this area.

Are ants worse in homes with crawl spaces?

They can be. Crawl spaces tend to retain moisture, especially in Hampton Roads’ humid climate, creating ideal conditions for ants and other pests.

Why do ants keep showing up in the same spot?

Ants follow scent trails left by other ants. Once a path is established—like along a baseboard or counter edge—they’ll keep using it until the colony is fully addressed.

Do ants slow down in the winter here?

Activity usually drops, but it doesn’t fully stop. Because winters are mild, ants can remain active inside walls or crawl spaces and reappear when conditions are right.

Is it normal to see ants in more than one area of the house?

Yes. In Hampton Roads, many ant species form multiple nesting sites. That’s why you might see activity in the kitchen, bathroom, and another area at the same time.

Local Experience You Can Count On

Getem Services has been serving homeowners in Hampton Roads since 1922.

We know these homes and the kinds of ant problems that come with them.

When we’re out on a job, we’re not guessing—we’re looking at where the activity is coming from, what’s driving it, and what it’s going to take to eliminate it.

That’s the difference between something that gets treated and something that actually gets solved.

With Getem Services, you get:

• A local team with long-standing experience

• A solution that targets the source of the problem

• Ongoing protection built for this area

If you’re dealing with ants in your home, our ongoing pest control plan is designed to help you stay ahead of the problem. Request a free quote today.