How Do I Rid My Home of Ants?
What an amazing creature the little ant is! Did you know there are 8000 different species of ants in the world. Ants are even mentioned in the Bible as teaching us lessons about working hard, planning ahead, and preparing for the future. We can surely learn a lot from these critters.
However, we don’t want the classroom in our children’s play areas, in the cupboard, or, in fact, in the house at all. But how to keep them out of the house is often a puzzle.
Let’s examine some ways to safely and certainly keep ants out of the house. There are things we can do without chemicals. Caulk holes where ants might enter, vacuum regularly, be careful not to leave sticky jars out, don’t leave food items out. Ant traps are available at most hardware stores and can be effective with small problems. Also sticky strips catch the ant as it crawls across it in child-free areas. But, as successful as these might be, they don’t deal with the source of the problem.
Real success comes when the queen is removed. This is because the colony’s life depends on her. But to get rid of the queen, you must first locate the nest. Figure out the movement of the ants. See if you can detect their travel patterns once they find some food. Check for signs where ants converge in large numbers.
Once the nest is located, it is time to remove it. This will probably require spraying. Here are some of the common outdoor nest insecticides: bifenthrin as granules, permethrin as a liquid or granules, acephate as a liquid, carbaryl as a liquid or granules, and cyfluthrin as granules. Make sure the nest is thoroughly treated as ants can dig deep into the ground and remain unaffected by some poisons. Generally gasoline, fire, water do not eliminate the problem.
Another method of keeping ants out of the house is to spray the house exterior with contact insecticides. Some common ones are permethrin as a liquid or granules, bifenthrin as a liquid, carbaryl as a liquid or granules, cyfluthrin as granules, and deltamethrin as a dust. Of course, spraying the entire exterior of the house is a big job and you may want to call on an exterminator to do this for you. This may also be necessary if the nest is located in a wall or other hidden place.
Another effective method is setting out bates. These are poisons that smell like food to the ant. The ants that find it take it back to the colony to share it with everyone. This may kill the queen as well and end the problem. Common bates are abamectin, Fipronil, sulfluramid, disodium octaborate, orthoboric acid, and propoxur. Be sure to use it as instructed on the label.
Using poisons, especially around children and pets, can be dangerous. For this reason, a serious infestation will probably warrant calling for the services of a reliable pest control firm. These people are trained to know just how to use insecticides in a way that is safe for you and your family.
If you’re located in the Eastern Wisconsin area, I’d highy recommend the services of Prompt Action Pest Control. They have been providing full service pest control in Rice Lake for over 35 years. Just visit http://www.promptactionpest.com/ or call 1 (877) 877-6678 today.
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