Summer is over, and for some, that means an end to encroaching ants. As many a homeowner knows, during the hottest days of the year, the tiny insects will take over kitchens in search of a hydrating haven.

In response to such an infiltration, traps and poison may be used; but have you ever just let the little critters do their jobs? If they’re looking for water or food and you keep an immaculate place, they’ll likely soon move on to another possible Promised Land.

For those who take the passive approach, maybe ants even appear curiously cute.

But what if you were to discover the vermin are demonic miniatures? What if you were to find their faces are the stuff of which nightmares are made?

“If” no longer applies, thanks to a new hi-resolution picture circulating online.

Dr. Eugenijus Kavaliauskas has won a Nikon Image of Distinction award amid the camera company’s 2022 Photomicrography Competition. Eugenijus earned the accolade via his capturing of a carpenter ant, and the portrait is heinously horrifying.

Rebekah McKendry, PhD, tweeted the photo accompanied by the caption, “Image from a horror movie? Nope. That’s the very real face of an ant. An ant. Now you have to think about that all night.”

Take in the terror:

Image from a horror movie? Nope. That’s the very real face of an ant.
An ant.
Now you have to think about that all night. pic.twitter.com/HOWLTlnfJ1

— Rebekah McKendry, PhD (@RebekahMcKendry) October 17, 2022

How’d you like to have an army of those in your house? Of course, that’s exactly what you’ve had — most likely. And winter’s approaching; ants will invade to get out of the cold. Or to escape the rain or snow.

The photograph brings to mind Dracula’s wicked wolf creature. It also resembles the vampire’s blood-sucking bat:

Back to ants in your pants house, exterminator JC Ehrlich has advice on giving it your best Van Helsing:

Carpenter ants are known to cause the most damage of all the different species of ants that commonly infest structures. … [T]hese relentless insects will threaten the structural stability of homes by digging into wood to build their nests. …

The first line of defense most people turn to when it comes to ant infestations are DIY ant control solutions. This often includes borax or natural remedies like cinnamon. At first, these remedies might be effective, but will they eradicate the entire colony? Not likely. …

It’s one thing to apply treatment to a couple ants you see scurrying across your kitchen counters, but it won’t do much unless you get the source of your ant infestation.

A pest control company is the best line of defense when it comes to eliminating carpenter ants…

Or, judging by the award-winning photo, maybe you should get a crucifix.

Either way, after removal, prevention is key:

• Seal entrance points like doors, windows and building foundations
• Keep food in airtight containers
• Clean food and drink spills immediately
• Trim trees and bushes to keep away from home

For those of you who’ve already erased that evil face from your memory, as a reminder — and for your Halloween haunting — here’s what you could soon have crawling all over you:

Image from a horror movie? Nope. That’s the very real face of an ant.
An ant.
Now you have to think about that all night. pic.twitter.com/HOWLTlnfJ1

— Rebekah McKendry, PhD (@RebekahMcKendry) October 17, 2022

Good luck…to us all.

Oh, and by the way — enjoy your house’s jumping spiders, too:

Bold jumping spider (Phidippus audax), by Dr. Andrew Posselt
2022 Photomicrography Competitionhttps://t.co/oZLxKliwHk pic.twitter.com/B3LZPEgdxh

— Ludditus ex-Béranger 🤟 🇺🇦 🇹🇼 (@ludditus) October 24, 2022

-ALEX

See more content from me:

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Find all my RedState work here.

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