The most common way to identify an ant infestation is by seeing them. If you spot large numbers of ants trailing to or from food sources in your home, you may have an infestation in or outside of your home. You might also notice mounds of dirt, sand or clay somewhere on your property, which could mark a larger ant nest. However, depending on the ant species, they may be inside walls or other hard-to-see places, making nests much more difficult to spot.
Infestations by some species, such as carpenter ants, can be identified in other ways. As with other ants, you may see carpenter ants crawling out of vents or other areas in your home. Additionally, you may hear soft rustling inside your walls as the carpenter ants move around to make their nest. Finally, keep an eye out for piles of wood shavings around your home – this could be caused by their excavation as they build.