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If you’re unsure, contact a pest control professional to perform an inspection. Studies show that cinnamon has a compound known as trans-cinnamaldehyde that effectively repels and kills ants. Place ground cinnamon around common entryways and its strong smell will act as a natural repellent. You can also coat cotton balls with cinnamon powder or cinnamon oil and place them near ant-prone areas. Tea tree oil, peppermint, or citrus oils are all repellent to ants. In a spray bottle, mix about 1/4 cup of water with seven to 10 drops of essential oil, then spray that on entry points.
Clean Up Food Messes
The species commonly seen inside the home are pavement ants, odorous house ants, or pharaoh ants (also known as sugar ants). These species feed heavily on sugars and greases commonly found in kitchens. They can be dark brown, black, or light yellowish-brown in color, and while very annoying they do not pose serious risk. It's understandable that you'd want to get rid of ants fast, and the internet is in no short supply of all-natural ant control methods. While there isn't a quick, steadfast way to get rid of ants, natural ant-repellent methods are very effective. Outside your home, clean and repair gutters to prevent water from pooling around the roof or foundation.
Stay Away From Sprays
"Keeping your surroundings clean, especially your kitchen—will naturally aid in the decrease of ant populations," says Girard. But, if you find yourself dealing with an ant invasion and no cinnamon on hand, try these other methods for deterring and killing ants. That's even more reason to get rid of ants around your home. Various store-bought products can do the trick, but for harmless ant varieties, chemical baits and sprays can be more detrimental than the ants themselves. Try these cheap, natural ant remedies to rid your home of the tiny pests.
How Do You Get Rid Of Ants In The Kitchen?
Cinnamon, and generally anything with a really strong scent, like vinegar or certain essential oils, deters ants by intercepting their pheromone trails, which they use to find food. "The primary ingredient in cinnamon that might agitate ants is cinnamaldehyde," says Ismael Girard, CEO of Pest Agent. Some common household products may help you get rid of ants, such as white vinegar, Borax, essential oils, and coffee grounds.
White vinegar
We offer thorough inspections to identify ant problems and advanced pest control solutions to get and keep these pests out of your living areas. With our friendly team at your back, you won't have to worry about annoying, dangerous, and destructive pests like ants ever again. When they discover a tasty treat, their job becomes to let their colony know it is there.
The appearance of a few carpenter ants inside your home doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a large colony indoors—it may be that a few ants have ventured inside from an outdoor colony. Because carpenter ants build nests in wood, winged carpenter ants are sometimes confused with termites. However, you can easily tell these two pests apart with the naked eye. Carpenter ants have a narrow “waist,” or middle body segment (thorax), and their antennae have an angle to them, like an elbow.
Is Ant Spray Safe for Pets? - HowStuffWorks
Is Ant Spray Safe for Pets?.
Posted: Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
When threatened or crushed, odorous house ants give off a smell of rotten coconut, hence their name. While these ants do not pose a public health risk, they can contaminate food. Though ants are familiar insects, in the home, they are sometimes confused with termites. If you look closely enough, you can tell an ant by its slim middle and curved antennae. Instead, the best way to get rid of ants in this case may simply be to give them a good stomp when you spot a few here and there.
The containers have tiny openings to keep paws and little hands from coming into contact with the bait. And because ants consume liquids easier than solids, they’re more likely to bring the bait back to the nest, wiping out the entire colony in less than a week. There are many ways to kill ants in and around your home and yard. Create a syrupy paste with borax, confectioner’s sugar and water. Put the mixture inside shallow containers with narrow, ant-sized openings and place them near ant mounds or wherever you see ants. Enticed workers carry the sweet substance back to the nest to share with their friends.
A top pick for killing menacing fire ants that’s also safe for pets is Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait. The natural acids in tangy citrus, such as lemon, orange, lime and grapefruit, work wonders at keeping ants at bay by masking their scent trails — at least temporarily. Squeeze lemons into a spray bottle, or rub a pureed blend of orange peel and water on window sills and doors jambs to discourage the itsy-bitsy insects from crossing over. One 2014 study showed that, in high concentrations, cinnamon essential oil could repel and kill ants. However, sprinkling the powdered cinnamon you have in your spice cabinet won't be as effective. Ants will just learn to avoid it and go to other parts of your home.
So it’s best to get rid of them if you have an ant problem in your house. Little black ants are 1/16-inch long with two-segmented abdomens. They can be dark brown to black, but usually very dark black. If you can identify an outdoor nest that is sending workers inside your home, drench it with an approved insecticide spray (following all label directions). You might be tempted to apply a bug barrier spray around the foundation of your home to discourage entry, but Hansen doesn’t recommend it. For starters, the spray wears off and addresses only one potential source of entry for ants.
Although ants rarely cause serious problems, they have the potential to damage property, sting or bite and carry diseases. As common household pests go, ants can try a homeowner’s patience. Ensuring your home is sealed tight and free from open food and water sources, and that your backyard is free of anthills, will be your best bet in evicting the little pests. If you're worried about an outdoor bait attracting more ants or want to ensure the colony near your house is killed off, consider adding Borax to the DIY mixture. Because ants need water and food to survive, start by cleaning up in and around your home.
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