How to get rid of backyard ants

7 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Ants in Your Yard and Home - Lawn Care Blog

When you use chemical pesticides to exterminate ants, you potentially contribute to groundwater pollution and harm bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Try these natural ways to get rid of ants in your yard and home instead. They’re safer for you, your family, your pets, and the environment.

Not all the substances we recommend come directly from nature, but they’re all much safer than chemical insecticides and don’t contribute to water pollution. These methods should work on most common species of ants that infest lawns and homes.

We’ll talk about:

Natural ways to get rid of ants

1. Diatomaceous earth (DE)

SprocketRocket | Wikimedia Commons | CC0

How it works: Diatomaceous earth (DE) is made of tiny fossils left behind by microscopic organisms called diatoms. Those fossils are too small to hurt humans, but they’re deadly to ants. DE particles slice through ants’ exoskeletons, which dehydrates and eventually kills them.

What to do:

Step 1: Buy food-grade (not industrial-grade) DE. It looks like powder and usually comes in a bag. You can find it at most garden supply stores.
Step 2: Sprinkle the powder around anthills, ant trails, and anywhere else you’ve seen ants congregate.
Step 3: Sprinkle more powder in a perimeter around patios, driveways, swing sets, and other high-traffic areas of your yard to kill ants that try to invade your space.
Step 4: Spread powder in front of doors, windows, vents, and other possible entry points into your home. If you already have ants inside, spread DE powder around your pantry and sink, where ants are most likely to find a food source.
Step 4: Replace the DE powder any time it gets wet. That means after every rain and every time you water the lawn.

Downsides: DE becomes ineffective any time it gets wet, so you have to reapply it often, especially outdoors. While DE isn’t toxic, it can cause irritation if you breathe it in or get it in your eyes. We recommend wearing a dust mask and safety goggles while you apply DE.

2. Baking soda / Baby powder

Aqua Mechanical | Flickr | CC BY 2.0

How it works: Baking soda and baby powder both suffocate ants by clogging their spiracles, which are pores in their exoskeleton that they need to breathe. If ingested, baking soda will create a chemical reaction inside the ant that kills it.

What to do:

Step 1: Sprinkle either baking soda or baby powder inside the ant nest or anthill, all around the nest, along ant trails, and anywhere else you’ve seen a lot of ants.
Step 2: Create a barrier of baking soda or baby powder around your outdoor living spaces, potential entry points into your home, and indoor food sources. Ants may cross the barrier, but they should die soon after.
Step 3: For more widespread control, mix equal parts baking soda and powdered sugar to create an ant bait. Ants will be attracted to the sugar and eat it, then take it back to the nest for other ants to eat it, too. They’ll ingest the baking soda with the sugar and die.

Downsides: Baby powder is safe to use anywhere, but baking soda can dry out your grass and soil. Water will wash away either one, so you have to reapply after rain or watering your lawn.

3. Boiling water

Scott Akerman | Flickr | CC BY 2.0

How it works: Boiling water burns ants and kills them on contact. It also destroys the inside of the nest, so any ants that survive will likely move on to somewhere new.

What to do:

Step 1: Boil a large pot of water.
Step 2: Rake away the mound covering the entrance to the underground nest.
Step 3: Slowly pour the boiling water directly into the nest’s entrance. Make sure as much water as possible goes into the hole instead of soaking the ground around it.
Step 4: Repeat after a few days if the ant colony remains active.

Downsides: Boiling water can burn you badly, so you have to be careful while handling it. It also burns your grass and soil and might create a soggy spot in the lawn. Plus, there’s a risk that the water will cool before reaching the queen deep underground and will fail to kill her.

4. Borax / Boric Acid

How it works: Borax is a powder made of boron, oxygen, and sodium. Boric acid is basically a more processed version of borax. Both contain boron as the main ingredient, and both kill ants by disrupting their digestive systems when ingested.

What to do:

Step 1: To create an ant bait, combine borax or boric acid with food that attracts ants. If possible, make multiple baits, some with solid food (such as sugar) and some with liquid food (such as syrup).
Step 2: Place multiple baits in different places you have seen ants, inside or outside. Potential locations could be next to an anthill, in the middle of an ant trail, or near a food source.
Step 3: Don’t kill ants when you see them swarming the bait. Let them carry the food (and the borax or boric acid) back to their nest, where even more ants will eat it.

Downsides: Both borax and boric acid are toxic to humans and pets if inhaled or ingested. They might cause irritation if they touch you directly, so wear gloves and safety goggles while making and setting up the baits. Direct contact from borax or boric acid damages plants, as well.

5. Soapy water

ryan lee | Flickr | CC BY 2.0

How it works: The soap breaks down ants’ cell membranes and destroys the protective wax coating that keeps them from losing water and dehydrating to death. If you add oil, the oil will clog ants’ spiracles (which they need to breathe) and suffocate them.

What to do:

Step 1: Combine 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap or ¼ cup of Castile soap for every quart of water. You can add canola oil, olive oil, or vegetable oil to make the mixture even more effective.
Step 2: Spray soapy water directly on any ants you see outside the nest to kill them on contact.
Step 3: Pour the solution into anthills in your yard (or indoor ant nests, if possible) to kill the ants remaining underground.
Step 4: Repeat spraying and pouring the solution as needed. Soapy water will only kill ants it comes in direct contact with, and it has no lasting residual effects.

Downsides: Soap can damage some plants, so you have to be careful about applying it in the lawn and garden.

6. Garden hose water

Steve DiMatteo | Unsplash

How it works: Drown underground ants by filling the entire nest with regular water from the hose. Some ants can survive underwater for 24 hours, so you may need to drench the nest more than once.

What to do:

Step 1: Rake away the aboveground anthill to expose the underground nest.
Step 2: Turn on the garden hose and direct the water into the entrance to the ant nest. Let the water run for about 30 minutes.
Step 3: Repeat as needed if the colony remains active.

Downsides: Soaking the soil with so much water at once can drown grass and other plants. The process will create a soggy spot in the lawn for at least a few days.

7. Artificial sweeteners

frankieleon | Flickr | CC BY 2.0

How it works: Artificial sweeteners such as Splenda, Nutrasweet, and Equal contain saccharin or aspartame, which act as neurotoxins in ants. They kill ants by damaging their brain cells.

What to do:

Step 1: Mix the artificial sweetener with 1 tablespoon of milk, apple juice, or another sweet liquid to help attract ants.
Step 2: Leave the mixture in a dish where ants are likely to find it, such as next to the anthill or anywhere you’ve seen ants congregate. For best results, place these baits in several locations.
Step 3: Leave the baits alone and don’t kill ants walking to and from them. Let the ants carry the bait back to the nest, where ants remaining underground (and hopefully the queen) will eat it.

Downsides: No significant downsides.

Home remedies that don’t get rid of ants

While many home remedies are effective at exterminating ants, there are some that don’t work so well.

Here are a few we don’t recommend:

Cornmeal: Cornmeal attracts ants and can be used in baits with another natural ant killer, but there is no evidence that cornmeal on its own kills ants.
Cornstarch: Just like cornmeal, you can use cornstarch to attract ants, but it won’t kill them.
Neem oil: Neem oil is used to kill aphids, which some ants “farm” as a food source, but not the ants themselves. Wiping out the aphids won’t necessarily wipe out the associated ants.

Practices to prevent ants

You can keep ants from ever infesting your yard and home if you keep up with a few simple practices like these:

Take care of your lawn by mowing to the right height, watering the right amount, and fertilizing on the right schedule for your grass type. Ants are far more likely to infest a bare, patchy lawn than a thick, healthy one.
Relocate compost bins and trash cans away from the lawn, where ants are more likely to find them and get into them looking for food waste.
Remove plant litter such as dead branches, fallen leaves, and decaying logs from your yard ASAP.
Store woodpiles inside of a shed or garage if possible. If not, at least store them away from the house. Ants can easily climb woodpiles and use them to get into windows, vents, and other cracks and crevices.
Trim trees and shrubs so they don’t touch the house, which creates a pathway for ants to get inside your home.
Clean up food waste immediately, whether it’s crumbs on the couch or an ice cream cone you dropped outside.

Why you might not want to exterminate ants

Exterminating your ant population might not be the best option for your yard even if you use eco-friendly home remedies like the ones we covered here. You might choose to keep the ants out of your living spaces with natural ant repellents instead.

Some home remedies to repel ants are:

Some essential oils such as tea tree oil, peppermint oil, or cinnamon oil
Cayenne pepper or black pepper
White vinegar
Lemon juice

Why is repelling ants a better choice in some cases? The presence of ants in your lawn can benefit your grass and plants. Ants aerate the soil, carry plant matter underground to enrich the soil, and prey on other insects that want to eat your plants.

So, before you exterminate the entire colony of ants living in your yard, weigh the pros and cons of leaving them alone and letting them do their thing.

When natural methods aren’t enough

If natural methods don’t work and your ant problem is unbearable, it might be time to consider chemical pesticides. Learn more about the different ways to use insecticides in our complete guide to getting rid of ants in your yard and home.

Sometimes, even pesticides won’t be enough to wipe out an ant infestation. In complicated situations where you can’t figure out why your ants won’t go away, you may need to call a professional pest control technician to solve the problem.

How can you prevent an ant problem in the first place? Consistent lawn care is one of the best means of prevention. But keeping a lawn healthy takes a lot of time and work. That’s why Lawn Love’s local lawn care pros are here to help.

Main Photo Credit: Guillaume de Germain | Unsplash

Total

Jordan Ardoin

Jordan Ardoin is a writer and indoor plant enthusiast hailing from Florida. In her spare time, she enjoys chasing her two cats around the house and trying to keep her houseplants alive.

Posts by Jordan Ardoin

How to Get Rid of Ants in the House and Yard

Here's how to get rid of ants, including natural ant repellents, ant prevention tips and ant bait and killer spray recommendations.

Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. Ratings and prices are accurate and items are in stock as of time of publication.

1 / 12

Petri Oeschger/Getty Images

How to Identify Ants

Start by identifying the type of ant in your house so you can find out how to get rid of ants, their nesting habits and have a better idea of where they're living (they may be nesting outdoors). Take a close-up photo of the ant and send it to your local university extension service (enter your state's name and “university extension service” into any online search engine). The extension service will tell you the type of ant you're dealing with and where it nests. They may give you fact sheets about the ant species and maybe even some advice on getting rid of that particular ant species.

2 / 12

Image courtesy of Jeff Hahn, University of Minnesota

How to Find Ant Nests

Sometimes the solution to an ant problem is getting rid of their nest. If you're dealing with carpenter ants, which can do structural damage to your house, it's vital that you wipe them out ASAP. Finding the nest may not be easy and takes some detective work. Ants generally prefer damp areas, such as framing or flooring that's soft and spongy from a plumbing or roof leak. How to get rid of ants begins by looking for areas with water damage. Attics, bathrooms and exterior walls are obvious candidates. Cut small holes in water-damaged walls to track down the ant nest. (You're going to have to repair the walls anyway. ) When you find the nest, spray it with an insecticide that contains bifenthrin, permethrin or deltamethrin (look on the label). Ortho's Home Defense Max is one brand. Be sure to fix the water leak and replace damaged wood. If you can't track down the nest, hire a pest control service. Pros spend about 80 percent of their time hunting down nests. Their fees start at about $150, but tough cases with multiple treatments can cost $400 or more.

3 / 12

Family Handyman

Ant Removal: Determine the Best Ant Bait

When you see an ant, your first impulse is probably to step on it. But don't. You'll kill it, but for every ant you see, there may be hundreds more hiding in the house. The ones you see are scout ants, foraging for food to take back to the colony. Use these scouts to wipe out the entire colony. Prebait ants in areas you've previously seen them. Ants' tastes change during the year. They usually prefer protein in the spring and sweets or fatty/oily foods in the summer. Set out sugar or honey, fried food and peanut butter, then see which food attracts ants. Use whichever food they prefer for bait and a DIY way to get rid of ants. Once you know what the ants like, buy and set out toxic ant bait that's geared to their taste. Look on the bait package for words like “controls both sweet and grease eating ants.” Stop ants from coming in the house by using this 'outdoor ant bait (Amazon)' around your yard.

4 / 12

Ant Removal: Erase Ant Trails

Where you see one ant, you're bound to see others. That's because ants leave a scented trail that other ants follow. Sweeping or mopping isn't enough to eliminate the scent. Instead, mix 1 part vinegar with 3 parts water in a spray bottle for a safe way to get rid of ants in the home, then spray wherever you've seen ants in the past. This will stop outdoor nesting ants that entered the house to forage for food (ants that come inside are not necessarily trying to establish a nest). Vinegar and water won't stop ants that are already nesting indoors. You'll need to kill them with ant bait.

Shop Our Favorite Products

5 / 12

Family Handyman

Ant Removal: Wipe Out Ant Colonies

Once you've set out toxic ant bait, expect to see lots of ants (initially). That's a good thing. It means more ants are taking the bait (which is toxic) back to the colony where they'll share it with the rest of the ants, including the queen, and kill them. There might be thousands of ants back at the nest. Liquid bait is the best way to kill ants for many sweet-loving ants. Other ants prefer solid bait. If you still have ants in house after two weeks, replace the bait containers. If that doesn't work, how to get rid of ants next means finding the nest.

6 / 12

Family Handyman

How to Kill Ants in Your Yard

Anthills are eyesores in yards, and the ants can ruin outside dining. If you only have ants in a certain area, like along your sidewalk, spot-treat the area with an outdoor insecticide. Liquid or granules work fine as a way to get rid of ants. For large-scale ant problems on how to get rid of ants, use a lawn and garden insect killer that contains bifenthrin as the active ingredient. The spray will also kill other insects (read the label for a list).

First, mow the grass.
Then spray the insecticide on the entire lawn—you can also spray shrubs and trees.

Spray in the early morning or late afternoon when the ants are most active. And it's best to spray on a calm day to prevent drift. If ants are still building mounds after six weeks, treat the lawn again (the insecticide works for up to six weeks). You won't kill every ant in your yard (nor would you want to!), but spraying will eliminate most of them and stop the annoying mounds.

7 / 12

Family Handyman

How to Kill Ants in Your Yard: Destroy Exterior Nests

If you frequently see ants in the same area on the siding, there's probably an ant nest in there. How to get rid of ants begin with looking for holes in the siding where ants are crawling in and out. The holes are often located between bricks where mortar has fallen out, under lap siding or in cracks in stucco. Once you locate the nest, or the vicinity of the nest, spray the area with an insecticide containing bifenthrin. Image courtesy of Mike Merchant, Texas A&M

8 / 12

Family Handyman

How to Kill Ants in Your Yard: Fire Ants

Fire ants are found in the Southeastern United States and Southern California. Standard insecticides are much less effective at killing fire ants. You need a special product that's designed to wipe out and the best wall to kill ants and these biting critters. Apply the granules with a broadcast spreader. Fire ants carry the granules, which they think are food (it's actually toxic bait) back to their mounds. The ants share the bait and die. Some of these insecticides keep killing fire ants for up to a year. As with other baits, it may take a few weeks for you to see full results.

9 / 12

Family Handyman

Ant Prevention: Keep It Clean

A clean house is your first defense against ants. Sweep up food crumbs, wipe up spills, take out the garbage and don't leave dirty dishes sitting around the house. This takes away the ants' food source. For a safe way to get rid of ants, spray vinegar mixed with water around bowls of pet food to keep ants from feasting there.

10 / 12

Family Handyman

Ant Prevention: Spray Ant Entry Points

After ridding the house of ants, take steps to ensure they don't come back. Caulk and seal holes, and then spray insecticide around doors and windows. An insecticide that contains bifenthrin, permethrin or deltamethrin is one way how to get rid of ants. Spray a 4-in.-wide band along entry points, just enough to wet the surface. Once dry, the spray leaves an invisible film that repels ants so they won't enter the house. Each spring, spray the insecticide to guard against ants. But keep in mind that this only works to keep ants out—it won't kill ants that are already inside, and it can actually interfere with the use of ant baits. Kill more than just ants with this multipurpose insect bait (Amazon), which is one of the best ant sprays.

11 / 12

Family Handyman

Ant Prevention: Spray on an Ant Barrier

If you're still getting ants in your house after spraying interior entry points, spray a 12-in.-wide band of ant insecticide on the foundation and on and under the first course of lap siding to keep ants from entering the house. An outdoor insecticide that says “barrier treatment” on the label is one tool for how to get rid of ants.

12 / 12

Family Handyman

Ant Prevention: Eliminate Safe Havens for Ants

Once you kill the ants in your house and yard, take steps to ensure they don't come back.

Trim back bushes, shrubs and trees that brush against your siding or roof that provide a bridge for ants to reach your house.
Keep a 3-in. to 6-in. clearance space between the soil around the foundation and the bottom row of siding to prevent ants from nesting in the siding (and make sure the soil slopes away from the house).
Avoid stacking firewood next to the house. Firewood makes a perfect retreat for ants.
Ants like bare spots in the yard and ants like to build nests under layers of thatch. Maintaining a healthy lawn is one way to get rid of ants.
If anthills pop up in bare areas, spray the mound with insecticide and plant grass in the bare spots in order to get rid of ants.
Rake the lawn or bag the grass when you mow to eliminate thatch.

Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Originally Published: July 03, 2019

How to get rid of ants? | pigu.lt

A few ants in a garden or vegetable garden will not cause much trouble, but the biggest problem is that where there are several, the whole colony will be. Basically ants are useful. They destroy garden pests, maintain biological balance. But still, they do more harm than good, because they spread aphids, which are extremely harmful to plants. Also, ant colonies spoil soda paths, settle right next to plants, destroy strawberries, fruit trees and bushes, so you need to deal with their numbers and control the population. However, this can be very difficult to do, because it is not necessary to fight against single ants that are visible on the surface, but to destroy their nests and queens. nine0003

There are many ways to protect against ants, both chemical preparations and folk, tried and tested methods. Ways and means of dealing with ants depend on where they want, how many ants you are fighting and where you want to destroy them.

How to get rid of ants in greenhouses

If ants have taken up residence in your greenhouse and set up colonies there, you must choose products that will not harm vegetables or other plants. Therefore, it is best to choose traps - means that lure ants. Also, try to have less soil in the greenhouse that does not touch. In places that ants like, you can sprinkle coffee grounds, chalk powder, baking soda. nine0003

How to get rid of ants in strawberries

One of the most delicious summer berries is strawberries. And when it needs to be shared with the ants, it may happen that you don’t even have to try. Ants prefer places where the ground is almost untouched, so if you grow strawberries in the same place for several years, it is likely that ant colonies will appear there. Therefore, be sure to loosen the land on which strawberries grow. In order to get rid of ants that have chosen strawberries, it is best to use natural remedies. Ants do not like cinnamon, citrus fruits, so you can put citrus peels on the bed or sprinkle cinnamon on the ground. These methods should make the ants look elsewhere. nine0003

How to get rid of ants in the garden

In the garden we grow a variety of vegetables that we must protect from various pests. In theory, ants should not like the garden, because the earth in the garden is often loosened and watered. However, if your garden has already been chosen by ants, you will have to fight them. Insecticides must be selected very carefully and carefully so that they do not get on the plants. Therefore, you can try traps or get rid of ant nests with folk remedies. If the ants have established their colony far from the plants, pour hot water on them. But before that, make sure you don't burn the roots of the plants. Ants do not like strong odors, if you grow garlic, parsley, mint - place the leaves of these plants in those places where ants are most often found. You can also make a decoction from the hall and spray on the plants (fill the ashes with boiling water, cool and spray on the plants). nine0003

How to get ants out of flowers

Ants often invade flowers because they are attracted to sweet nectar. If there are single ants on your flowers, you should not take desperate measures. However, if their number is very large, measures should be taken to destroy them. Most likely, the ants will be on the buds, they should be sprayed. Try the aforementioned decoction from the hall or the extract of the onion, which must be sprayed on the plants. Also on the soil, near the plants, you can pour coffee grounds, ash, soda, chalk powder. These measures should delay the ants. nine0003

How to get rid of ants on trees

Sometimes ants appear on the branches of fruit trees or shrubs. Therefore, you need to take care of tree trunks. For this, baits or traps are best suited. You can wrap a tree trunk with duct tape, which will stop not only ants, but other pests as well. You can also hang special traps that will lure the ants.

How to get rid of ants in the house

Unfortunately, sometimes ants also settle in houses. To control ants at home, use insecticides. Do this very carefully if there are pets or small children in the house. There are various means - aerosols, powders, sticky gel. It is important to find the ant path along which they move and carry food. Your goal is to destroy the queen with which the whole anthill will die. Worker ants will bring poisoned bait to the nest, poisoned by which the queen ant will die. To control ants in your home, products that only repel ants are not suitable, because you do not want the ants in your home to move from one place to another. Therefore, measures should be maximum - to destroy the entire anthill. nine0003

How to get rid of ants in the yard

Ant colonies can lift tiles, and they often live on the terrace or in the gazebo. In these places where there are no plants, you can immediately apply insecticides. Destroy the ant nest so they don't damage the yard pavement. It is also very effective to pour boiling water, brewed ash and other means into the ant paths that will flood the paths and destroy the entire nest. One of the easier ways is to drown the anthill. To do this, you will have to use a straw and a strong jet of water. Just pour water on the ant paths until the anthill "floats up". nine0003

Along with ants, other pests are likely to appear in your garden, especially aphids. It is important to know that different insects need different means of control. Therefore, in the summer, be prepared to destroy various beetles and pests. Find out what measures are effective and how to deal with them.

How to get rid of ants in the house: 15 effective remedies

If ants have settled in an apartment or a private house, they will penetrate into every corner. Let's figure out why this happens, does boric acid help and what remedies are actually effective

Photo: Crisher P.H/Pexels

Finding ants is not easy. An extremely small size saves insects from prying eyes - only 2 mm.

Where do houses come from?
Signs of occurrence
How to get rid of
Expert commentary

Why do ants settle in the house?

adv. rbc.ru

Domestic ants are of two types - pharaoh and thieving ants (brownies). The former cannot exist without a person and live only in residential premises. The latter are adapted to life both with people and without them. They usually live in basements, periodically stealing food from apartments. nine0003

The main reason for their appearance is the lack of cleanliness of the premises. Leftover food and crumbs attract insects. After all, they need only one thing from people - food. But even in the cleanest apartment, ants can start if you leave food in accessible places.

The advent of insects is also possible from neighbors who have begun to fight with them. And often the ants are carried by the person himself - on things, building materials, furniture.

Signs of the appearance of ants in the apartment

Ants make paths from the food source to the nest. If you look closely, you can see them on the walls, cabinets, table. nine0003

If you have insects, it is enough to leave a piece of food in an accessible place - in a couple of hours it will be covered with ants.

Photo: Salmen Bejaoui/Unsplash

To fight them, you need to find a nest, because getting rid of worker ants is nothing more than a temporary measure. The uterus will quickly create new ones.

Domestic ants love warmth and humidity, so they live in apartments close to water and food. For example, behind a cabinet by the sink in the kitchen, behind a baseboard in the bathroom, or behind a tile. nine0003

How to get rid of ants with folk remedies

Since ants are extremely prolific and almost invisible, it is very difficult to get rid of them. But pest control methods exist.

Boric acid

It is mixed with sweet, adding a little water. This mixture is left in different places in the kitchen. Worker ants carry the infection to the uterus and larvae, boric acid destroys the digestive system of insects from the inside. You can also use mashed potatoes or egg yolks. The principle is the same - boric acid is added. The resulting poison is rolled into balls and placed in places of frequent accumulation of insects. Sometimes borax is used instead of acid - the method of application and effectiveness are similar. nine0003

Vinegar

To recognize food paths, ants secrete certain pheromones when creating them. If the paths, and preferably all surfaces, are smeared with a solution of vinegar and water, then the ants lose their bearings. For convenience, you can use a spray bottle, and uninvited guests will leave in search of a more comfortable home. Ideally, you need to process the nest. Then you can use vinegar essence with a little water. The resulting mixture is poured over the nest itself, this will destroy the uterus and larvae. For effectiveness, the procedure is best repeated after a few days. nine0003

Ammonium chloride

Its pungent odor also disorientates the ants. Used like vinegar.

Soap

It will help bring down the smells of pheromones. Mix a solution of soap and water in a spray bottle. The resulting mixture is sprayed with places of accumulation of ants.

Essential oils

Ants cannot stand strong odors. Therefore, essential oils of cloves, lavender, cinnamon, wormwood, and pine needles can help in the fight against them. They are impregnated with pieces of cloth or cotton balls and placed in insect habitats and on trodden paths. nine0003

Dried fragrant plants

Aromas of chamomile, mint, bay leaf, and parsley are also unpleasant for ants. Bags of herbs are laid out wherever they can appear. Lemon zest may help too.

Soda

Once in the body, it reacts with acid, as a result, the ant dies. It remains to force the ants to eat a very unpleasant product. To do this, soda is mixed with sugar and a little water is added. The resulting solution is left in all places accessible to insects. nine0003

Hot pepper

Burning seasoning scares off uninvited guests. Pepper is scattered on ant trails and in the habitat of the colony.

Boiling water

Hot water will also help to kill insects. However, here the efficiency will be zero if you do not pour boiling water over the nest itself, namely the ant queen.

Garlic

They wipe all surfaces and ant paths. The procedure must be repeated regularly, as the smell quickly disappears. nine0003

Photo: hybridnighthawk/Pexels

Anticides

Traps

They contain a strong poison inside. In this case, the insect is lured by an appetizing aroma. Falling into such a trap, the ant is smeared in a poisonous mixture and carries it on itself directly to the nest. This method is the safest for both people and pets.

Gels

The agent is applied to surfaces where insects are most active. The gel attracts with the smell of food, and the ants carry the prey to the nest, killing not only their fellows, but also the queen. nine0003

Crayons

With crayons, they limit the territory for access by drawing certain boundaries. Crossing them, the ants are also poisoned and already infected return to the nest, bringing death to others.

Aerosols

Quite effective, but the agent must be sprayed directly into the center of the colony. Otherwise, the toxic substance will not help.

Powders

Like most products, they infect directly the food processors. A poisoned ant carries the infection to others, which leads to the destruction of the colony. nine0003

Expert's comment

Petr Fisenko, Disinfector Specialist of the Dez_Hunter Disinfection Service:

- It is quite easy to distinguish house ants from street ants by their appearance, not only by their small size (about 2 mm), but also by their red color. In addition, they crawl very slowly.

Ants can be seen most often in food - especially next to sweets, near a sugar bowl, an open jar of jam, a vase with sweets. Individuals that crawl around the house are ordinary workers, running around in search of food. The main danger is the uterus, which is much larger than the others, with wings - it is she who breeds the colony. Therefore, it is important not only to find the nest of ants in the house, but also to destroy their queen. Otherwise, insects will appear in the house again. nine0003

There are many recipes for solutions and baits containing boric acid. Indeed, it is detrimental to ants - after entering the stomach of an insect (this is a prerequisite), the granules cause paralysis of the nervous system and the ant dies. But it will take a long time to bring out the entire colony along with the queen. Also, when working with boric acid, it is necessary to follow the precautionary rules: place the bait out of the reach of children and pets, do not leave in the open access products through which infected insects can move. nine0003

Table vinegar will not kill ants, it will only scare them away. If you treat the places of their accumulation with a solution of 9% vinegar, then its pungent smell will interrupt the sense of smell of insects - they will not be able to find their way to food, they will begin to starve and leave their homes.

It is absolutely useless to fight ants with boiling water, shampoo solutions, kerosene emulsion, ultrasonic repellents. Maximum - pests will leave the apartment for a while, but then they will return again according to the "food" memory.

Many household chemicals for ant control are now available: insecticidal gels, aerosols, traps, granules. But they will only be effective if you find the nest and use them to target the colony's queen and destroy it. But independent struggle takes a lot of time and is not completely effective. nine0003

As a rule, all insects living in apartments compete with each other. For example, ants and cockroaches will not live together.