Will Ants Eat Bed Bugs?

It’s not uncommon for certain animal or insect species to drive pests out of the home. For example, a home that has cats in it will be at a lower risk of rodent infestation. But what about bed bugs? Do they have a predator in the home? As it turns out, they do.

Ant species that feed on bed bugs

There are multiple ant species that will eat bed bugs, including argentine ants, red imported fire ants and pharaoh ants. The bad news is that you do not want any of these ant species in your home, especially not red imported fire ants and pharaoh ants. The first of these two species has a very painful sting, and it is very aggressive, and the second, can spread a wide variety of diseases such as salmonella and E. coli.

Other insect species that hunt bed bugs

Besides ants, there are a number of insects that will eat bed bugs. These insects include the American cockroach, some species of spiders, house centipedes and an insect that specializes in eating bed bugs known as the masked bed bug hunter.

Will the presence of these insects in the home deter bed bug infestations?

While these insects can be prolific predators, they will not actually be able to exterminate an entire bed bug population, and besides, it’s not like most of them are beneficial. In fact, most of the insects on the list are quite detrimental and some are even considered pests. So at the end of the day, it’s better if you implement proper prevention methods, such as cleaning your linens and textiles regularly using the highest heat settings manageable by the materials.

What to do if you have a bed bug infestation

Bed bug infestations are very hard to remove once they get going, because the bugs spread out through the home. To make matters worse, the products found on the market are not strong enough to completely remove an infestation, so the only option to truly control bed bugs is with the help of a pro, who will have access to better products and professional tools. A pro will also know the common bed bug hiding spots and will be able to quickly and effectively control the infestation. So if you have a bed bug infestation, give us a call today and we will help you get rid of it as soon as possible.