Easy tips to get rid of all kinds of ants
Simple methods to get rid of different types of ants from your house
Ants are a problem that many people have. There is nothing more disturbing, annoying or embarrassing than having ants in your home. Also, there are several different species of ants that can be dangerous to you or your family members, depending on which state you live in; and there are other ants that can cause serious damage to the wood or carpentry of your home. Several different types of ants are listed below.
1. Fire ants are some of the worst types of ants you can have in your home. Fire ants are found throughout the United States, but those in southern states like Florida are the most dangerous.
Fire ants are usually found outside, but sometimes they can reside in the foundation and climb to the floor. You can tell if you have come across a nest of fire ants. These ants are small and dark red in color, but their bites can be painful.
Fire ants are very aggressive and when their nest is disturbed they will sting multiple times. In the southern states, fire ants can also be deadly, especially to sick children and adults.
2. Carpenter ants are the most common ant problem people in the United States have. Carpenter ants can cause just as much damage to your home as termites. Carpenter ants are large black ants and they reside in wood. They make tunnels in the wood and that is where they build their nests. When carpenter ants dig their tunnels in wood, this weakens the wood and causes it to rot.
3. Sugar ants are probably some of the nastiest ants you can have in your house. These ants are also known as pharaoh ants or pavement ants. The fact that these ants are persistent in getting what they want makes them a serious household pest.
What makes these ants a particular nuisance is that they can smell any food that is protein and sugars. These ants will invade any food you have on your table or kitchen counter. Furthermore, these ants can also be harmful because they can carry the dangerous staph and pseudomonas bacteria.
4. Argentine ants can be a serious problem for you if you live in the desert Southwest. Argentine ants are a problem that not only affects individual homes, but is also wiping out native habitat in the Southwest. Argentine ants can eat everything in sight.
How do I get rid of these ants?
There are many different ways to get rid of ants and you don’t necessarily need to hire an exterminator to solve your ant problem. In some cases, however, an exterminator might be necessary. However, exterminators are expensive and their chemicals are highly toxic. Try some home remedies first before considering hiring an exterminator. Some remedies are listed below.
1. Hydramethylnon is a toxic chemical that is usually produced in granules and is a great way to get rid of fire ants in your home. These pellets are sold at your general store and usually under the Amdro, Maxforce, or Siege brand names.
2. To get rid of carpenter ants, you must first locate their nest. There are several ways to locate a carpenter ant nest. The first sign that you have a carpenter ant problem is if you see a carpenter ant roaming the ground.
You can also hear the rustle of ants in the carpentry. One of the best ways to get rid of carpenter ants is to place a sugar or honey bait. Carpenter ants like sweet things and swarm around sugar or honey. When you see carpenter ants swarming on the sugar, follow them to see where they came from.
Once you’ve seen their nest, use a strong ant-killing spray. There are many ant killer sprays available, Raid being the biggest and best known brand. You can also drill holes in the wall where the ant nest is and spray or sprinkle insecticide directly into the nest.
A good powder that can be used to kill ants is Sevin. But keep in mind that Sevin is highly toxic. If you have children you should keep them away from Sevin and you should place something they cannot move in front of the ant nest when you are applying Sevin.
Once you’ve gotten rid of carpenter ants, there are a few things you can do to keep them from coming back into your home.
has. White gravel can be a natural barrier when lining around the house. The way white gravel works is simple. Carpenter ants like most dark places, and white gravel is dry and allows for good drainage. If moisture is drained from your home, carpenter ants will not enter.
b. Boric acid is another great tool to make your home repel carpenter ants. Boric acid is not as strong as other acids and is not as dangerous. As with all acids, you still need to take your precautions with boric acid. You should not consume it or allow your children near it.
Cons Hiring a professional exterminator is the last option if you can’t get rid of carpenter ants.
3. Candy and protein based baits are the best way to get rid of sugar and Argentine ants. Although the two species of ants have similar tastes, they are different and the ways to get rid of sugar ants and Argentina ants are listed below.
I. Getting rid of sugar ants can be a daily affair. This is especially the case when the sugar ants are the most active, which is during the months of March to September. There are several things you can do to prevent a sugar ant infestation in your home during this time.
has. Keep your kitchen sink clean and dry. If there’s one thing sugar ants like best, it’s a nice dirty kitchen sink.
b. Clean countertops with bleach every night. Keep your countertops clean and free of sugar-based foods or other food proteins. Sugar ants also like a dirty countertop. Even if you spill a few grains of sugar during the summer months, the sugar ants will find it and make themselves at home.
against Bleach-mop your kitchen floor every night during the summer months. Sweep your kitchen floor after every meal. The bleach will destroy the pheromone trails left behind by a sugar scout ant.
d. Vacuum carpeted areas where food is eaten regularly. This can be a good policy for not inviting sugar ants into your home.
me. Use heavy-duty trash bags to line your kitchen trash can, and take out household trash daily to prevent sugar ants from entering your kitchen attracted to your trash. After taking out your kitchen trash, use Arm & Hammer baking soda to deodorize the trash can.
II. One of the best ways to control Argentine ants is to prevent them from entering your home. All the Argentine ants need to get into your house is a small hole from the outside one millimeter wide. Check all your windows and doors. Make sure that the seams of the window frames are well sealed with caulk.
Make sure window screens are snug and not torn. Put weather stripping on doors and windows to prevent these invasive ants from entering and making themselves at home. Other ways to get rid of Argentine ants are as follows:
has. Talcum powder can be used to get rid of Argentine ants because, for some unknown reason, these ants do not like talcum powder. After this powder has been dusted throughout the house where Argentine ants nest or enter, it will not only kill these pests, but also prevent them from coming back.
b. Maxforce Ant Killing Granules can be sprinkled throughout the home to effectively kill Argentine ants.
Other innovative ways to get rid of ants
Some companies have come up with some solutions that do not require insecticides or other toxic chemicals.
1. PestRepeller Ultimate is a disposable device that, according to its manufacturer, eliminates not only ants, but also other pests, such as insects of any kind, spiders, and rodents. This device uses a sound of a specific pitch that is inaudible to the human ear, but for insects and rodents the sound generated by this device is unbearable.
2. Vinegar can be another way to get rid of ants and repel them without using toxic pesticides. Ants do not like the smell of vinegar.
3. A large pot of boiling water can be like a nuclear bomb for an anthill, as long as you know where the anthill is. All you need to do is pour the boiling water over the entire nest and make sure it goes into the tunnels and it will kill all the ants on contact. You can intensify the effect by adding boric acid and cornmeal to the boiling water.
There are many ways to get rid of and control the ant problem in your home depending on where you live.
