Bizzare ant issue

My guest has just informed me that there are ants in the fridge. After quickly clarifying whether they meant inside the fridge or on the fridge, they told me that there are none outside or around the fridge, but “hundreds” in it. They apparently found “quite a few” inside it this morning, emptied the fridge and “washed” the interior, only to find “hundreds” upon their return.

I directed them to use the ant spray we keep in our listing, and they said they would let me know if the problem is solved tomorrow. However, I’m totally perplexed as to how ants could be getting inside the fridge. This is the second day of their booking, this wasn’t the case before their arrival, and it has never happened before.

Beyond using ant spray and cleaning the fridge, I don’t know what to do. Has anyone ever encountered this situation before?

Very bizarre indeed.

Do make sure you keep all communications regarding this on Airbnb messaging.

What was in the fridge before they arrived? Anything?? If not, I would say that the ants came in with something have have bought/brought since they arrived. Ants normally would avoid the sub-40F temperature inside a fridge, that’s for sure.

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It’s terribly strange! I’m trying to give my guest the benefit of the doubt, but the situation is just so odd. They’re being friendly, and so I’m sincerely hoping I don’t receive a message asking for a partial refund for the inconvenience.

The fridge was empty, and so that does seem to be the only possible explanation. Even so, how do a few ants turn into hundreds? Surely they would have noticed putting something in the fridge that had hundreds of ants on it. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

Well, I was just outside and picked up a mango that was on the ground (we like them ‘falling down ripe’). Looked good until I turned it over --and there was a bird peck hole with “about a million” ants coming out of it! All it would take is one or two pieces of “fresh” fruit that hadn’t been washed properly!

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If they are the tiny sugar ants then I would guess they can get through even the smallest gap in the fridge seal. And although I also thought it wouldn’t be possible for ants to survive at those low temps, according this website I’m wrong!

Reading it has now made me paranoid and I have to go and clean the already clean kitchen … again!

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The trouble is that my guests say there are no ants on or around the fridge, just inside it. If hundreds of ants are squeezing through the fridge seal, it should be evident. I think @KenH’s suggestion of ants in fruit may be more likely.

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