Ant infestations can be a frustrating and unsanitary problem for homeowners. To prevent ant infestations, you need to be diligent about keeping your home clean and using natural repellents to keep ants at bay. In this blog, Gharpedia brings a detailed guide to know how to get rid of ants from home. This guide comprises some tips for getting rid of ants in your house and yard without using harsh chemicals.
What Are the Different Kinds of Ants?
Ants come in all shapes and sizes with different characteristics and behaviors that make them unique. Learning about the various types of ants can help you identify and manage ant infestations in your home. Here are some common kinds of ants and how to recognize them.
01. Acrobat Ants
Acrobat ants are a common household pest throughout North America. These ants can be identified by their dark brown color, and a heart-shaped abdomen held high above their thorax. Acrobat ants are so-called because of their unique behavior of raising their abdomen over their thorax in a distinctive acrobatic stance when disturbed.
Acrobat ants prefer to nest outdoors, often under logs, rocks, or in the hollow stems of plants. However, they can also enter homes by creating entry points in siding, window frames, or other gaps in the exterior of the house. They are attracted to food and water sources, which can lead them into kitchens or bathrooms.
While Acrobat ants are not particularly destructive to homes, their presence can be a nuisance, especially if they nest in wall voids or insulation boards. Besides, they can bite when disturbed, which can be unpleasant.
02. Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are destructive insects that can pose a serious threat to homes and structures. These ants are known for their nesting habits, which involves excavating wood to form new colonies. They are most commonly found near sources of moisture, which helps them to maintain their nests.
Unlike other ant species that simply create tunnels within wood, carpenter ants actually remove the wood to form galleries for their colonies. This can lead to significant damage to structures, including support beams and other components of the home.
Carpenter ants typically form a primary colony outside, where they can be found in trees or other wooden structures. However, they also have satellite colonies that can be found inside the home, within walls, curtain rods, hollow doors, and other areas where wood is present.
03. Little Black Ants
Little black ants may be small, but they can be quite the nuisance. Although they are not known to pose a major threat to the structural integrity of your house or yard, they can become quite a disturbance if they establish a colony inside your home.
These ants have a tendency to establish their nests behind bricks, under a slab, or beneath a carpet located near a doorway. If you spot any of these pests marching into or out of a small hole in your wall, chances are that they have formed a colony inside.
Little Black Ants are attracted to a variety of different foods, including sweet substances like syrup and honey, as well as greasy and sugary foods such as meats and sweets. They are also known to forage for protein sources like pet food and crumbs left by humans.
04. Odorous House Ants
Odorous House Ants, also known as sugar ants, are a common annoyance in many regions. These ants get their name from the distinctive odor they emit when crushed, which can be described as a rotten coconut smell.
While Odorous House Ants are not known to cause structural damage like some other ant species, they can be a nuisance when they form nests in walls or carpeting. These nests can include multiple colonies and subcolonies, making it essential to eliminate all of them to get rid of Odorous House Ants permanently.
How to Get Rid of Ants from Your House
The followings are the tips for getting rid of ants indoors and outdoors. So, follow these simple techniques and keep ants away from your home.
How to Get Rid of Indoor Ants Permanently
Getting rid of indoor ants permanently can be a difficult task, as they tend to spread quickly and set up multiple colonies inside your home. To effectively keep ants away from home, it is important to use a combination of prevention and elimination techniques.
- First, inspect for any ant trails leading into or out of the house. These will lead you to potential colonies and nests that need to be eliminated.
- Next, clean up any food messes or crumbs that can attract ants. Also, seal any cracks and crevices in walls or floors that may provide an entry point for ants.
- Finally, use insecticides to target the colonies and eliminate them. Make sure to use products specifically formulated for indoor ant control and follow the instructions carefully.
How to Get Rid of Outdoor Ants
Outdoor ants can be a pesky problem, especially during warmer weather. They can invade your yard and make their way into your home, causing a nuisance and potentially even damaging your property. To prevent this from happening, it’s important to take preventative measures and use natural deterrents to keep outdoor ants at bay.
If you already have an outdoor ant problem and want to know how to get rid of outdoor ants, then there are several natural deterrents that you can use to get rid of them.
- One effective method is to mix warm water with liquid detergent and pour the solution onto the ant trails. This will disrupt the scent trail that the ants follow and make it more difficult for them to find their way back to your home.
- Another natural deterrent that you can use is a vinegar solution. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water and spray the solution onto any areas where you have seen ants. This will not only repel the ants but will also disrupt their scent trail.
- If you have an ant infestation on your exterior walls, you can use a natural repellent such as peppermint essential oil. Mix a few drops of peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle and spray the solution onto your exterior walls. This will create a barrier that will repel the ants and prevent them from coming back.
When to Call the Pros to Keep Ants Away from Home
Recurring infestations are a definite sign that you may need professional assistance. If you’ve tried natural solutions and professional products to keep ants away from home but the ants keep returning, it’s probably time to contact a pest control company. A professional like Turner Pest Control will be able to take a thorough look at your property and locate the source of the infestation, which is often difficult for most homeowners to do alone.
When it comes to pest control in Tulsa, OK, Dandi Guaranty Pest Solutions & Termite Protection is an excellent option. They have been providing quality pest control services to residents of Tulsa and the surrounding areas for over 60 years. Their team of certified technicians has the expertise and experience to identify and treat all types of ant infestations, ensuring that your home remains ant-free.
I hope you will find this guide on how to get rid of ants from your house helpful and by following this simple tips you can keep ants away from your home.