Ask homeowners to name the pests that give them the most headaches, and at the top will likely be one pesky little bug that invades and colonizes your garden by the thousands, ants.
The thing about ants is they never go away completely. And you don’t necessarily want it. The ants help control other pest populations and enrich the soil.
But you still shouldn’t have to deal with ants in your home. or the parts of your yard you spend time in.
We’ll go through different methods to control your ant population, including natural remedies and commercial pesticides. Soon you will know how to get rid of ants in your garden and your house.
Tips to Get Rid of Ants in Your Home and Yard
To take action if you have an ant infestation, here’s how to get rid of ants in your home and garden.
Ant Nest
Ants are social animals that live in nests, often referred to as colonies. A colony begins when a newly mated queen creates a place to care for her young. After weeks or months underground, the queen lays her first eggs.
The first offspring develop into sterile adult workers. The first workers emerge from the nest to collect food for themselves and the queen, as well as for their later larvae.
The queen continues to lay eggs. A queen can live 15 years and produce thousands of eggs. As the colony grows, workers add new cameras. After a few years, the colony will start producing male and female winged ants. These winged ants will go out to form new colonies.
- Read Also: 8 Types of Cockroaches Found In The Home
Insecticides
Liquids, granules, and powders are common forms. The granules generally require irrigation for activation and often need to be incorporated into the soil where they are applied.
Liquids should only be used outdoors. Powders are available for indoor use. Insecticides are available over-the-counter with the pyrethroids cypermethrin, bifenthrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin being the most common.
Follow the instructions carefully. Professionals have access to stronger insecticides and know how to use them. most are in the colony.
Pest control companies often offer regular programs to put up an insecticide-based barrier around the home. A common schedule is every two months.
Boiling water
Pour it on the ants, along their tracks, and in the holes of their colonies. It is effective on small colonies that don’t spread too deep. Reapply if necessary.
Ant Bait
Baits are a key tool in ant management and perhaps the best way to use an ant killer. But only use ant bait if you know ants are present.
The baits contain insecticides mixed with materials that attract worker ants searching for food. The workers carry it back to the ant colony, where it spreads to the queen.
It needs to work slowly for the ants to spread it. The ants can live for about a week after applying the ant bait. More effective and safer than DIY sprays.
Only use indoor baits when there are a lot of ants and you can’t find where to get into the building or you could lure ants into the house. Bait stations are readily available, easy to use, and fairly safe when kept away from children and pets.
They can dry out quickly and may need to be replaced regularly. Some bait products contain the liquid in containers that require refilling. Where ants are a recurring problem, bait stations can be permanently installed and refilled as needed.
- Read Also: What Eats Mosquitoes On Your Lawn?
Soak the earth
Do not disturb the mound before or after application. Mix the product in a watering can or bucket according to the label directions. Apply in the morning when the ants are closest to the surface.
Use a product with spinosad or permethrin. Spinosad is a naturally occurring substance derived from a soil bacterium that is toxic to certain insects.
Permethrin is a synthetic chemical that is safe to use around people or in the food they eat. Chase the queen by applying at least two gallons per application.
Pour 10 percent of the solution around the perimeter of the mound, about 12 inches from the mound. Pour the rest of the solution directly onto the mound.
Check back a few hours later. When it works, it works so fast. Reapply every 3 to 4 weeks or as often as directed on the label.
Spread Diatomaceous Earth
This is a powder that can be sprinkled around foundations, door frames, window frames, anthills, or on visible ant trails.
Seal cracks and keep a clear path around the foundation
Seal cracks or holes in windows, doors, and foundations. Apply silica aerogel to wall cavities before sealing with joint compound.
Pest control professionals have been known to combine them with pyrethrins. Keep plants and trees from touching buildings; Ants use them to climb in.
Removing debris, including wood, from a building foundation. Mulch carefully, and keep it within inches of the house. Repair wood paneling. Ants are known to use the damaged parts to build nests.
The wooden parts of a house should not be in contact with the ground. Create a barrier for the house by spraying an insecticide on the ground near the foundation. the ants will not cross it while it lasts. For a DIY project, sprinkle diatomaceous earth before you even see ant trails.
Take cleanliness seriously
Clean where you prepare food. Keep the floor clean; sweep or vacuum regularly. Cleanliness is important.
Rinse food containers before throwing them away, especially beverage containers. Empty the trash (including recycling) at least once a day.
Replace garbage bags and bins every time as part of the cleaning process. Store food in containers that you can seal; Plastic wrap and cardboard boxes are not enough.
Store pet food in containers that you can also seal.
Check cabinets for spills and clean them up. Fix pipe leaks as soon as you see them.
Use a Soapy Solution
Can be mixed with water and applied with a spray bottle or pressure washer. It is not toxic to humans or pets but will kill ants. You can stop an ant infestation.
Use a soapy cloth or sponge to get rid of any ants you see inside. The soap removes tracks that other ants would follow. As effective as an insecticide spray to temporarily kill ants in a building, but safer.
Baking soda
Mix equal parts baking soda and powdered sugar, place in a lid, and place near ants and their entry points. Sodium bicarbonate, safe for humans, reacts with an acidic material in an ant’s stomach and kills it.
Plain Cornmeal
Spreading cornmeal is gracious to ants and safe for plants and other living creatures. The ants carry it back to the nest, but it interrupts the scent trail and makes it difficult for others to follow.
Lemon Peels or Juice
Grind the peels or just pour juice into a lid and place it around the house or on the foundation.
Ants stay away from the smell. But that same sense of smell allows ants to ignore many synthetic lemon-scented products.
Cinnamon
Some people swear that you can put cinnamon powder on cotton balls and leave it there to keep the ants away, or you can just drop cinnamon sticks. Sure, people like the smell.
However, cinnamon has only been shown to be effective on ants when the oils are extracted and used.
Cornstarch
Pour cornstarch over a bunch of ants and then pour water. It immobilizes them and can suck or sweep them. Messy and time-consuming. It’s not the best way.
Talcum Powder
Talcum powder is safe around babies and animals, and can be sprinkled on an ant trail, blocking the scent that other ants use to follow it. It’s good on walls; Ants cannot climb on it.
Tea Tree Oil
There is little research on this natural product, but there are people who say it treats acne, athlete’s foot, lice, nail fungus, and other things including ants (especially leafcutter ants). It is applied like peppermint oil. However, it is toxic if ingested, so it is necessary to keep it out of the reach of children and pets.
Borax
Borax and something sweet like jelly, honey, or even peanut butter. Ants are attracted to sweet things. They take them to the ant colony or ant nest where they are eliminated.
But borax can damage your nose, throat, and lungs if you breathe it in, and if you ingest it, it can cause nausea, vomiting, and in extreme cases, toxic shock.
Cornmeal does not kill ants directly, but they are attracted by a slow-acting insecticide. The ants carry it back to the nest, where others feed on it and die.
Epsom salt
Some people mix Epsom salt with water and spray it. It should dry out and kill the ants. However, Epsom salt can also harm plants.
Gels
Gels are becoming more common. They can be used in small cracks and crevices that ants use as entry points to get into your home. Just spray it on and it will block the smell ants need from an ant trail or keep them from crossing it just like white vinegar
Pepper
Take cayenne pepper or black pepper, mix with water and sprinkle on top. The ants don’t like that, so they leave. Ant problem, just expel the ants from this place.
Peppermint Oil
Mix it with water in a spray bottle or burn it in a tea infuser near a place where you see ants. A University of Georgia study that focused on
Argentine ants found that the oils of spearmint, cinnamon, and cloves work the same way. However, peppermint oil is readily available. The oils serve as a repellent.
Vinegar
You can mix it with water or simply pour white vinegar from the bottle. It repels ants, even after it has dried. But ants will go around it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to do if you see anthills?
When you see anthills, you need to take steps to prevent them from turning into huge ant colonies or ant nests. You can pour boiling water into the entry holes, rake them, flush them away with a garden hose, or apply an insecticide.
Can you identify the type of ants in your garden?
Simply catch one of the harmful pests and compare it to the charts to find out what you are dealing with, then follow the advice on how to combat it. This species. Or take a picture and send it to your local extension office for identification.
What is the key to fighting ants?
Most ant colonies have a queen that can live up to 15 years and produce thousands of offspring. Trade with an ant killer; It not only kills the workers but also the queen.
Does the ant species matter?
Different ants are attracted to different baits. You can set up multiple baited traps and see which ones are attracting ants, or you can search for your ants and find out what food source they prefer.
How do I get rid of ants in my home permanently?
Two of the best ways to get rid of ants are with borax and diatomaceous earth. Essential oils, including peppermint and clove, are natural remedies to repel and kill ants, and moisture attracts ants, so keep your home clean and dry to get rid of ants permanently.
What is a good homemade ant killer?
Try combining three parts powdered sugar with one part boric acid. The sugar attracts the ants and the boric acid kills them, Pereira says. The liquid is best (adult ants prefer to drink their food), so dilute this mixture with water. a little.
Why aren’t my ants going away?
Ants do not stay in places where food and water are not available. Put away all groceries and clean up crumbs and spills. Seal leftovers and groceries in pest-proof containers. Find even the smallest leak under faucets and drains and repair it if necessary.
Final Thoughts
Anytime you have a serious ant infestation in your home, it’s a good idea to call a professional exterminator. Many species of ants nest in hard-to-reach places like interior walls, and a professional is the best person to find and destroy these nests.
You should be able to handle most outdoor ant infestations on your own. But if you try all the methods we describe in this guide and nothing works, it’s time to call in a professional.
Remember that a lawn maintenance program can help prevent ants from invading your garden. Proper mowing, watering, and fertilizing will keep your lawn dense, healthy, and ant-free.
