Now that summer is here; it seems like everyone wants to break out of their winter slumber and take in a huge gasp of fresh, warm summer air. It includes all living things, even the annoying insects that often come into our homes.
During the summer, ants are exceptionally good at finding their way into our homes, especially finding their way to any sweet-smelling fruit.
If you’ve found yourself with an ant problem you want to get rid of, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will talk you through the various aspects and problems of having ants, the different types of ant species, and how does ant killer work to keep your home ant-free?
Do You Have an Ant Problem?
It’s not uncommon for an ant infestation to occur in any living space anywhere in the world. That’s why there is more than one solution on how to get rid of ants by use of ant control.
Controlling Your Pest Issue
There are many ways that you can control your pest issue if one occurs in your living space. These solutions to ant problems can come in many different forms.
Ways to Kill Ants
If you want a more permanent fix to your ant issue, ant pesticide may be the right choice for you. However, other solutions that are just as effective include ant repellent, ant traps that are loaded with bait, or, if the problem is really bad, you can hire a professional pest control worker. These workers, also known as exterminator service workers, will spray your home to rid your home of any pests, including an entire colony.
If none of these methods appeals to you, DIY ant killer or repellent are also fantastic options.
How Do I Choose the Best Way to End My Ant Infestation?
With so many different ways to control ant activity, it can be hard to decide which method is the right one for you. However, all of the outlined methods are effective at controlling the number of ants in your home, and some may provide you with better long-term solutions than others.
In the end, the choice is up to you, and so that you can make a fully informed decision, we’ve outlined a few factors below that may help you reach a conclusion.
So, for more information about these types of ant killers, and pest control in general, read on.
Types of Ants
Finding out what type of ant and ant colony the ants in your home belong to may be an essential first step in figuring out which ant killer and application method is the most effective.
Here are the most common types of ants that have been known to cause ant infestations in the average household.
Common Ant Species That You May Come Across
Black Ants
Black ants are one species of ants that can infest your living space. Another word for this kind of pest is carpenter ants. The carpenter ant is easily recognisable as it has a black body. In addition, they are one of the largest kinds of ants in the world today, which is another identifier that makes them easier to recognise if these ants show up in your home.
Fire Ants
There are seven kinds of fire ants. All of the ants from this species have a red main body colour. A further identifier is that all of these ants have a large abdomen at the end of their body. The abdomen of this ant’s body is black and has a stinger. These ants use their stingers to sting their prey.
Red ants may also sting you, and although their sting or bite will not be dangerous to you, it may be quite uncomfortable and can cause swelling, itchiness and redness of the skin.
How Do Ant Traps Work?
Ant traps are an effective method of pest control to get rid of ants. Most ant traps that you can find and use nowadays work in one of the following ways.
Ant Traps
The most popular way to get rid of an entire nest of ants is to use ant traps. Ant traps usually look like small plastic containers. These small plastic containers usually contain ant bait, which lures the ant in and kills it before any worker ants can return to the colony.
Ant Baits
For ant traps to work correctly, they need to be filled with ant bait. Ant bait can take many forms. However, whatever form the ant bait comes in, it needs to resemble some food source.
This is because worker ants (who are in charge of bringing food back to the nest) are also foraging ants. Foraging ants have the prime goal of finding food and bringing it back to the colony to feed their queen. That is why you need to have the right ant bait to attract them to the bait and not the rest of the food in your home.
The best way to use ant bait for ant baiting is to set up your ant traps as bait stations. The ants will be attracted to the bait in the ant traps. Once one ant finds the ant bait, it will leave an ant trail. Ant trails allow other ants and the rest of the ant colony to find the bait in the trap.
Once these ant trails have been determined, ants will go to the trap, take the bait, and then bring the bait back to the nest. Some bait also kills the ants on contact or very shortly after the workers have ingested the bait. The main chemical used to kill these pests is Terro.
Although this is not a very pleasant way to trap and kill insects, baitings ants with these traps are among the best and easiest pest control methods and stop them from entering your home.
It may take a few weeks for the entire ant infestation to stop, as ant colonies can be quite extensive.
Staying Safe Outdoors
If you want to enjoy time in nature but don’t want to be bothered by an ant’s nest, then laying out traps and bait isn’t going to do the trick. The best solution, in this case, is to use repellent.
Repellent
Repellent is excellent for getting rid of unwanted insects, whether ants or mosquitoes, and it’s a great way to protect yourself from bug bites. However, repellents work in the opposite way that bait does. For example, ant baits draw in ants, whereas repellents repel ants.
One common repellent method you can use comes in a spray form. Sprays as repellents work well as it’s easy to cover your whole body for maximum protection. One popular spray repellent includes those made by the Raid company.
Keeping Your Home Insect Free
Insects, including any ant, are attracted by food. So the first thing for you to do is ensure that all your food – especially sweets and fragrant fruit – is stored properly in well-sealed bags or boxes so that the annoying pests don’t even have a chance of getting to it.
If your house ants are beyond control and you feel like you have an entire colony residing in your home, your best bet is probably to hire an exterminator service. They can assess the damage properly and suggest what baiting or trapping methods are the most suitable.
If your problem with ants only just started, the ant traps and baits you can buy in many brick and mortar stores or online will most likely do the trick of keeping the ants out of your house.
Now you know how does ant killer work. Do you have any special tricks? Do you prefer to buy bait for ants, or do you make your own DIY ant killer? Let us know; we’d love to hear from you.