How to get rid of ants

How to get rid of ants.

Top tips on how to get rid of ants permanently from your property

Ants are social insects which means they live in groups or colonies. Colonies live inside nests that can be built in trees or underground. According to research, they are found on almost every continent except in Antarctica. As Aesop’s Fable ‘The Ants and the Grasshopper’ puts it, Ants are reproductive and hardworking creatures. The worker ant sterile females and have many other functions. First, they construct, repair and protect the nest and nurture the colony’s young and adult ants’. We’ll look at some top tips on how to get rid of ants and keep they away from your property.

Getting rid of ants can be a bit daunting. One needs to know or have some background knowledge about their behavioral pattern and abilities in dealing with these tiny creatures. With over 12,000 species of ants worldwide, proper identification is crucial to eliminating them.

In this article, we’ll explore the following topics

best ways on how to get rid of ants, types of ants typically found in US homes, getting rid of ants by oneself, dangers or damages that can caused by ants in your property, places in homes where you can find ants and how to prevent ant infestation

Types of ants.

  • Carpenter ants
  • Fire ants
  • Black ants
  • Sugar ants
  • Flying ants
  • Odorous ants
  • Pavement ants

How to get rid of Carpenter Ants.

When dealing with ants, you need to understand that ants live in very large colonies and usually build their nests deep inside the ground, in walls, and under cabinets, making them difficult to access sometimes. Due to their dynamic nature, ants quickly rebuild whenever their territory is attacked or destroyed. Here are the best ways of getting rid of carpenter ants.

1. Identification

Carpenter ants build their nests in woods and are often found around homes. Unlike termites, they don’t usually eat the woods; they just nest there. They are large brown or dark insects with three body segments and six legs. The worker ants are wingless, while the reproductive ants have wings. To determine that you are dealing with ants, Look for frass. Frass is a sawdust-like material left behind when ants bore into wood to make their nests. It will contain body parts and debris but will look like a pile of light wood shaving. If you come across this in your house, it’s a sign that you have an infestation.

2. Inspect Property

You might want to check muddy areas that hold moisture around windows and door frames, bathroom sinks, and kitchen to see if any damaged wood or dead wood would have small holes or ant trails or activity.

3. Set Bait Traps:

By figuring out where to set your bait, set out some small honeydew or sugary fruits where you believe they nest.

The best type of ant baits are.

  • Syrup
  • Honey
  • Peanut butter
  • Jelly
  • Honeydew

4. Destroy their Nets with Direct Dusting

Choose any carpenter ant dust spray and apply it to the colony. You can dust it directly on the entire colony. This process is effective when you can access their nest easily.

5. Applying Chemical

Apply chemicals such as FICAM. FICAM is a solid professional insecticide. Due to its active ingredient, Bendiocarb, which causes failure in the normal functioning of the insect’s nervous system and kills it by either contact or ingestion. FICAM offers long-lasting results without toxic environmental impact if used accordingly using a duster for easy application. Apply FICAM near sinks walls, bathroom sinks, or areas they frequent. If you have a large area that’s spread out that you need to apply chemicals to, it might make sense to contact an ant exterminator in your area for help.

How to get rid of fire ants.

Fire ants. These ants originally hail from South America but made their way to North America and notably liked to hang out in the South and Southwest parts of the U.S. While they are red, their name comes from their fiery sting that can result in a painful allergic reaction.

Fire ants burrow outside in underground tunnels, but don’t hope for a good rainstorm to flood them out because they might end up on your property. When fire ants are around, they are known to band together in a raft-like form.

A good preventive measure is ensuring leftovers are sealed and stored correctly. Fire ants are drawn to sweet and fatty foods. If they’re already in your home, try spraying them with a solution that’s half water, half white vinegar. But if you see an ant raft floating anywhere near your home, call an exterminator immediately.

How to get rid of black ants.

Black ants are black in color, range in size, and can grow up to 1/6 inch. They’re native to almost all U.S. cities. Though, they can be prominent on the East Coast. They typically reside outdoors and infest rotten wood or cracks in between pavements. They also infest homes for food and water, usually found in kitchens or bathrooms.

  1. Apply spray on your yard.
  2. Use an Ant insecticide dust around your home and inside wall voids, under appliances, behind electrical fixtures, and into possible entry points like weep holes or spigots.
  3. Use an Ant insecticide gel bait in locations where ant activity is common, such as kitchens, near appliances, baseboards, and entry points. When applying bait, remove competing food sources by storing food in airtight containers or picking up pet food. Prevent little black ants from returning by continuing to eliminate food sources in your home.
  4. Clean your countertops, sweep, and vacuum regularly. Remove water sources by fixing any leaky plumbing. Remove yard debris, and trim vegetation back from the house. And be sure to spray follow-up applications of ant insecticide every three months for continued protection.

How to get rid of flying ant.

Otherwise known as alates, flying ants are simply ants that are sexually mature. Carpenter ants are a common flying ant.

  1. Apply or inject ant dust into their nest and areas they frequent
  2. By applying bait and
  3. By spraying. This will weaken them, and eventually, once the spray starts to work on them, they will perish.

How to get rid of sugar ants.

Sugar ants, also called banded sugar ants, are native to Australia and, as their name implies, are attracted to sugary things like sweets and all other types of sugary foods.

  1. Set out used coffee grounds. These ants can’t stand the smell of coffee. Therefore, apply used coffee grounds at their hiding places.
  2. Regularly and immediately clean after using your kitchen or breakfast table.
  3. Apply homemade insecticide repellent. You can do this by yourself by mixing water with some essential peppermint oil and spraying it all over your kitchen, counter, shelves, etc.
  4. Hang garlic in your pantry to take them off. Garlic has a strong odor which will help to make the ants not get a strong scent of sugary food.

Dangers of ants.

Ants can pose some significant problems if they get into food supplies, especially when they start to breed and multiply. They can damage structures, home equipment, and appliances, depending on where they build their nests. Research suggests that in the United States, ants aren’t directly harmful to people. If left to run around, however, ants can destroy structures, spread bacteria, and, in extreme cases, cause serious allergic reactions. That’s why it’s best to nip an ant infestation in the bud. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), allergies from insect bites or stings are responsible for about 100 deaths a year. Along with bees, wasps, and hornets, fire ants are a top cause of insect stings in the U.S. Fire ants bite and sting simultaneously!

Ants are a risk to humans.

Ant bites can cause skin irritation

Ants can also spread bacterial diseases like salmonella. They can also spread diseases such as smallpox and dysentery.

Places to find ants in homes.

Ants can be seen almost everywhere, but there are places where these tiny creatures are mostly found in our homes.

A recent survey of pest professionals across the U.S. by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) found that the kitchen is the most vulnerable place for ants.

This is simply because the kitchen is considered a favorite ant hangout. In addition to food access, the sink provides a water source that ants need to survive.

The NPMA survey revealed that ants are also found in the following areas:

  • Inside walls (73%)
  • Bedrooms (61%)
  • Living rooms (60%)
  • Basements (54%)
  • Air conditioning and heating units (37%)
  • Kitchen (96%) and bathroom (89%)

How to prevent ants from entering and infesting your home.

Identification.

Many people tend to confuse ants with termites. Therefore, proper identification will lead you to know what you are dealing with and how to get rid of them.

Use ant spray or bug spray.

Sprays and traps are easy to use and prove effective against ants and can wipe out an entire colony of ants. Place these traps near drains, in cabinets, under appliances, and around ant trails. You can also use ants or bug spray on base spots, doors, and windows. For Outdoors, use liquid baits and granules around the perimeter of your yard.

Prevention.

Clean up old wood, gutters and trim grass. Keep your trash bins some distance away from your house so that you’ll not give ants a place to breed. Keep out trash from your kitchen.

Clean up dirty dishes.

After a meal, do not leave dirty dishes lying around because Leftover food and dirty dishes left around the house can instantly attract ants if not cleaned up in a timely manner.

Wipe Down Common Surfaces:

While ants are attracted to food, they are also attracted to sweet sticky substances resulting from spills in and around our home. Wipe down counters, workbenches, and other surfaces with cleaning products or vinegar/water to ensure that spills don’t attract ants.

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