Sugar ants, also called odorous house ants, are a typical household nuisance that, once they have infiltrated your home, may be tough to get rid of on your own. Sugar ants are also known as odorous house ants. These ants are drawn to sweet things and may rapidly infest your kitchen and pantry, so contaminating your food and creating a trail of pheromones for other ants to follow. They are also attracted to sugary goods. The following is a list of suggestions for getting rid of sugar ants in your house:
Table of Contents
#1. Locate the Origin of the Infestation
Discovering the origin of the sugar ant infestation is the first step in devising an elimination strategy that will be successful. Look around your house for places where you’ve seen ants, such as next to the garbage can, in the pantry, or around the food bowls for your pets. If you follow the path that the ants leave behind, you can figure out where they are coming from, which will allow you to locate the entrance point and concentrate your efforts there.
#2. Remove all Potential Sources of Food
Sugar ants are drawn to sweet foods, thus removing the sources of the sugar that they consume is an important step in getting rid of these pests. Maintain a clean kitchen that is free of crumbs and spills, keep food in containers that are airtight, and quickly wipe up any food that has been spilled. In addition to that, be sure to clean the food bowls for your pets and take out the garbage on a regular basis.
#3. Set up Bait Traps for the Animals
The use of bait traps is a common and successful approach for removing sugar ants from a property. These traps are baited with a sugary liquid that the ants find irresistible; after drinking it, the ants take some of it back to their colony to share with their fellow workers. The bait is laced with a poison with a gradual onset of action, which will kill the ants in due time.
You may get commercial bait traps from the hardware shop in your area, or you can create your own by combining borax and sugar in the appropriate proportions. Borax and sugar should be combined in equal parts, and then the mixture should be placed in tiny containers and placed close to the regions where you’ve noticed ants. Sugar will entice the ants, which will lead to their demise since borax is lethal to them.
#4. Use Ant Repellents
You may prevent sugar ants from invading your house by using one of several different natural ant repellents that are available. These are the following:
Vinegar: Fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and white vinegar, shake well, and then use the solution to treat the regions surrounding entrance points and other places where you’ve observed ants. Ants may be driven away by the pungent smell of vinegar.
Peppermint oil: Put a few drops of peppermint oil and some water in a spray bottle. Shake the container well, and then spray the solution all around the entrance points and other places where you’ve observed ants. Ants may be driven away by the strong odor that peppermint oil gives off.
Lemon juice: Squeeze some fresh lemon juice all over the entrance sites and other spots where you’ve noticed ants, and then sprinkle some lemon zest over the area. Ants may be driven away by the lemon juice’s naturally acidic nature.
#5. Close All Possible Points of Entry
You will be able to avoid future ant infestations by sealing up the access sites after you have determined how the ants are getting into your property in the first place. Caulk or weather stripping may be used to fill cracks and gaps around windows, doors, and other entrance points. Caulk can also be used. You may also use a barrier spray to create a barrier that the ants can’t pass around the outside of your house by spraying it around the perimeter.
#6. Get in Touch with a Qualified Expert
If you’ve tried all of these strategies to get rid of sugar ants, but you’re still having trouble doing so, it’s possible that it’s time to call in the services of a professional pest control firm. They are equipped with the knowledge and the instruments necessary to successfully eradicate the ant colony and prevent further infestations.
To summarize, getting rid of sugar ants requires using a multi-pronged strategy, which involves locating the origin of the infestation, removing any potential sources of food, employing bait traps and repellents, blocking off potential access sites, and, if required, contacting a pest control specialist. You will have much better luck getting rid of sugar ants and avoiding future infestations if you follow the advice in this article.