Did you know that there are billions and billions more ants than there are humans? There are over 12,000 different ant species on earth. Together, they weigh about 3,000 million tons – 6 times more than every human combined! It’s a wonder that we can keep these bugs out of our homes. Ants are everywhere around the world.
Luckily, ants aren’t too hard to get rid of. All you have to do is keep the house clean, block them out, and use an effective bait. The following lists how you can get rid of ants in the home and garden. Check out furniture from featuredeco online.
Clean up the house
The experts at Ant Control Peterborough recommend that you deep clean the house, first. Doing so eliminates the food sources that attract ants and keep them alive. Start by decluttering and moving things off the floor. Then, vacuum the house from top to bottom. Pout food away in sealed containers and mop the floors. No matter which pest you are dealing with, you should always keep the house clean.
Set ant baits
Once you have cleaned up the house, it is time to set bait. Look for baits that are safe to place along the walls and on the countertops of your home. Then, place them wherever you have seen ants. Scout ants will find the bait, then bring it directly to their queen. Soon, the queen will perish, and the colony will begin to die out.
Get rid of ant trails
If you want to avoid another invasion of ants, erase the trails the previous colony left behind. Scout ants that go foraging for food leave scent trails behind them, which lets other ants know that there is food nearby. Erase these by mopping the floor with a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water. Spray the floor, then wipe it clean.
Exclude the house
The next step in the extermination process is to exclude the house. This means to seal and block off every possible entry point, so no more ants get inside. Start by weatherstripping the bottoms of your doors to the outside, then have screen doors installed, if you don’t have them. Make sure that your windows screens are in food shape and that there aren’t any cracks in their frames. Seal cracks in your foundation with epoxy.
Use a perimeter spray
Ants come from outside. Often, they come indoors because they smell food or because they want to escape the cold weather in the fall. To keep them out, try using a perimeter spray. This insecticide lasts for several weeks, which helps to keep bugs out of the house for an entire season. You can find perimeter sprays at most hardware stores or by calling a licensed exterminator.
Spray carpenter ant nests
Carpenter ants nest in old wooden structures, like decks and sheds that are falling apart. If you see any big black ants crawling and out of a piece of wood, spray the area with an insecticide for carpenter ants. Keeping carpenter ants under control will prevent them from getting inside the house and causing additional damage.
Fix and replace rotting wood
In addition to using insecticides, you should fix and replace rotting wooden structures to prevent a carpenter ant problem. Lower the humidity in your home during the summer and maintain your deck. If it needs replacing, do so before a colony moves into the house.
Use ant bait stakes
Are there lots of ants in your garden? Ants are great for aerating the soil and keeping the Garden Furniture with Firepit, but they can cause an influx of aphids and other pests. If there are far too many ants in your garden, try putting a few bait stakes in your garden beds. Like interior bait stations, these contain a bait that eliminates queens. Getting rid of the queen is crucial. Spraying or crushing scout ants when you see them won’t solve the problem.
Pour boiling water on anthills
One last and easy thing you can do to keep exterior ants under control is to pour boiling water over their hills. Simply pour the water over any anthills you find in your patio or in the garden. An excessive number of ants in the yard can be problematic when eating outside or trying to grow vegetables.
Hire an exterminator
Remember that exterminators are always available to help. They have access to high quality pesticides that get rid of ants quickly and keep them gone for good. Call an exterminator as soon as you feel that you need help.