Silver Bullet Pest ControlAnt trails on the counter, big black ants in the basement, or little piles of sawdust under the trim? Silver Bullet Pest Control finds out which ant you have, tracks it back to the colony and treats the nest itself — not just the ants you can see. Homes, apartments and businesses across North Jersey.
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Text us a close-up photo of one ant — size and color tell us a lot.
You get rid of ants for good by finding the colony and treating it, usually with slow-acting baits the workers carry back to the nest, instead of spraying the trail you can see. Which bait and where depends on the ant: odorous house ants and pavement ants nest under slabs, in walls and in the yard, while carpenter ants nest in damp or damaged wood and need the nest located and treated directly. Store-bought sprays mostly kill the foragers and can split a colony into several new ones. Silver Bullet Pest Control is a licensed ant exterminator serving Bergen, Passaic and Essex counties. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Three groups cause almost all of the ant calls we get in Bergen, Passaic and Essex County:
Carpenter ants don't eat wood — they chew it out to make room for the nest, usually in wood that's already damp from a leak. Seeing them inside in late winter or early spring often means a nest is in the house, not just outside.
These are the tiny black ants most people find on the counter. Colonies can be large, with many queens, and they move nests quickly — which is why spraying them tends to make the problem spread.
Pavement ants nest under concrete and push soil up through the cracks. They wander inside looking for food, especially greasy and sweet crumbs, and are common in older North Jersey homes with slab additions and basements.
The right treatment depends on the ant, so identification comes first. Here's what we look for:
| Carpenter ant | Odorous house ant | Pavement ant | Pharaoh ant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size & color | Large, usually black (some reddish-black) | Small, dark brown to black | Small, dark brown to black, grooved head | Tiny, pale yellow to light brown |
| Where they nest | Damp or damaged wood, wall voids, porch posts, trees | Wall voids, under floors, mulch, under stones | Under slabs, sidewalks and patio pavers | Warm hidden spots inside — walls, behind appliances |
| What you notice | Ants at night, sawdust piles, rustling in walls | Long trails to sweets, coconut smell | Sand piles along slab cracks | Trails in apartments, bathrooms and kitchens |
| Damage | Can hollow out wood over time | Contaminate food, no structural damage | Contaminate food, no structural damage | Contaminate food; hard to control in multi-unit buildings |
| Spraying? | Doesn't reach the nest | Can split the colony | Kills foragers only | Can cause the colony to split and spread |
We also see acrobat ants (they hold up a heart-shaped abdomen when disturbed) and, in apartment buildings, Pharaoh ants. Not sure which one you have? Text a clear photo to 973-510-2585 — put a coin next to the ant for size.
An ant trail is a delivery route. The workers you see on the counter are a small share of the colony, and the queens never leave the nest. If the nest isn't treated, new workers just keep coming. So most of an ant visit is detective work:
When you call us, tell us where you see the ants, what time of day, and whether you've noticed sawdust, a recent leak or ants with wings. That narrows it down before we even arrive.
Most failed ant jobs we're called to after a DIY attempt come down to this:
| Slow-acting bait | Repellent spray (most store sprays) | Targeted nest treatment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Workers carry it back and share it with the queens and young | Kills the ants it touches; others avoid the area | Product placed right into the nest, wall void or damaged wood |
| Reaches the colony? | Yes — that's the point | Rarely | Yes, once the nest is found |
| Best for | Odorous house, pavement and Pharaoh ants | Not recommended for trails inside | Carpenter ants and nests we can locate |
| Speed | Days to a couple of weeks; activity may rise briefly first | Instant, but ants come back | Fast once applied where they live |
| Risk | Low when placed out of reach of kids and pets | Can split colonies into several new nests | Low — applied by a licensed technician |
Tip: once baits are out, don't spray or wipe the trail with cleaner for a few days. The ants need to find the bait and carry it home. We usually combine baiting inside with a treatment around the outside of the house so new ants don't walk right back in.
Both insects ruin wood and both swarm in spring, so homeowners mix them up all the time. The difference matters, because the treatment is different.
Found winged insects inside in spring? Save a few in a bag or take a sharp photo. If it turns out to be termites, see our termite inspection and treatment page — termite treatment comes with a 90-day warranty.
More on spotting a nest: signs of carpenter ants in the house.
Tell us where you see ants and send a photo if you can. Same-day appointments are often available.
We identify the species, follow the trails and find the nest or the moisture problem feeding it.
Baits, targeted nest treatment or both inside, plus a perimeter treatment outside where it makes sense.
We point out the leaks, gaps and wood-to-soil contact that invite ants, so they don't move back in.
Regular service from Silver Bullet comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. For homes that get ants every spring, ask about a residential pest control plan.
Carpenter ants seen indoors in February or March often mean an indoor nest. Spring is also swarm season for carpenter ants and pavement ants.
Odorous house ants get flooded out of soil and mulch and move inside — trails suddenly appear on counters and in bathrooms.
Peak foraging. Ants come in for water and sugar, and outdoor colonies are at full size around patios, pools and decks.
Activity drops outside, but ants nesting in warm walls or near heating pipes can stay active all winter. Ants coming out of vents?
Ants keep coming back to the same house when the reason they came — water, food or an easy path in — is still there. We'll show you what we see so you can fix it once.
Tell us where you're seeing ants, how big they are and how long it's been going on — we'll get back to you quickly.
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Find and treat the colony. For most small house ants that means slow-acting baits the workers carry back to the nest; for carpenter ants it means locating the nest in the wood and treating it directly.
Most sprays kill only the ants they touch, and some ants respond by splitting into new colonies. The nest and the queens are untouched, so new workers keep showing up.
They can be. Carpenter ants hollow out wood for their nests, usually in wood that's already damp, and over time that can weaken trim, sills and framing.
Carpenter ant tunnels are smooth and clean and come with sawdust-like frass. Termite galleries are rough and packed with mud, and termites leave mud tubes instead of sawdust.
In North Jersey they're usually odorous house ants or pavement ants. Odorous house ants smell like rotten coconut when crushed; pavement ants leave little sand piles near slab cracks.
Baits usually take several days to a couple of weeks, and you may see more ants for a day or two as they find the bait. Direct nest treatments work faster once the nest is found.
Yes, when it's done right. Baits are placed in protected spots out of reach, and we tell you what was applied and where before we leave.
Heavy rain floods nests in the soil and mulch, so odorous house ants move indoors looking for dry ground and food.
Same-day appointments are often available depending on the schedule and your location. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Yes. Silver Bullet Pest Control holds NJ Pesticide License 90568B and has over 15 years of experience.
Sí. Hablamos español. Llame o mande texto al 973-510-2585 para eliminar hormigas en su casa o negocio.
Based in Garfield, we treat ants in these towns and across Bergen, Passaic and Essex counties.
Updated October 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
