Ants are so minute that they can easily make their way into your home, particularly during the summer when doors and windows are regularly left open. If you see ants crawling around your kitchen, they are most likely black garden ants (which are actually dark brown).
The presence of an ant in your home isn’t as concerning as other pests such as wasps and mosquitoes.
However, because ants are sociable and excellent communicators, if you see one, dozens are likely to follow. If there is a full-on ant infestation in your home, you need to search for “ants pest control brisbane/near me” for getting rid of them.
It’s one thing to have ants in your backyard, but it’s quite another to have them in your house. Everything you need to know about preventing an ant invasion is right here…
Here are three common reasons why you have ants at home:
1. Food
Ants consume practically everything that humans consume. While they will eat any leftover food bits or crumbs, they are particularly fond of sweets.
Ants can get their nourishment from sticky jam residue left on the counter, a drop of honey, or a dropped lollypop. If only one ant discovers the source of this sweetness, it will create a smell trail to attract the rest of the colony.
In a short time, there is a tremendous infestation.
2. Shelter
While ants are tiny enough to find refuge almost anyplace, they prefer to create a colony inside a warm, comforting nest if possible. Ants will happily enter your property if they can locate an entry point (a break in your weather-stripping or caulk, for example). This means you will have to look for the best ant exterminator by searching for “ant control company Brisbane” to get rid of them every time they enter.
3. Moisture
Ants must survive on food and water. Ants, unlike other animals, do not drink on an “as required” basis. They also return water to the colony to preserve it for future use.
They’ll leave a smell trail to inform the remainder of the colony when they reach a good water supply. As a result, faulty pipes, potted plants, bathroom condensation, and pet water bowls can all attract ants.
Low Impact Approaches
The following ant control strategies work well together to interrupt the ant life cycle and destroy ants and their colonies. The key to preventing indoor ants is prevention.
Cleaning at Home
To eliminate ant attractants, keep the kitchen and food preparation areas clean by storing sweets and proteins in firmly sealed containers or in the refrigerator. Keep the counters clean. Empty rubbish on a regular basis, and otherwise keep garbage properly wrapped. Empty food cartons should be washed before being discarded.
Clean up any food spills and wash any soiled dishes. Sweep and mop floors on a regular basis to eliminate crumbs and scout ants. Create a moat around ant-attracting pet food bowls and potted plants by encircling the dish with a bigger one filled with a soapy water solution.
Non-Toxic Defense
Along with cleanliness, it is critical to identify and seal ant access locations. Caulk around escutcheon plates that surround pipes or faucets that offer access to the wall voids or outside, door frames, flooring cracks, sinks, and any other spot where ants may readily enter.
Removal
A soapy water solution or window cleaner can be just as efficient at killing ants on contact as pesticides, but without the lingering toxicity. Use citrus-based cleansers, peppermint soap, cayenne pepper, or cinnamon to erase the invisible chemical fragrance trail that ants leave for other ants to follow. Remove roving “scout” ants and their scent trail to detect infestations early.
Avoid Sprays
You might be tempted to spray an insect barrier around the base of your home to inhibit access, but we would advise against it. For starters, the spray fades off and tackles just one potential ant entry point.
Insect sprays are both useless against ants and completely overrated. Worse, some of these sprays include endocrine-disrupting substances, which can affect our hormones.
Similar substances have been linked to neurobehavioral impacts in children, including lower IQ and higher rates of ADHD, even at the modest amounts, you’d be exposed to while spraying your house.
There is a difference between you using an insect spray and a professional using sprays to get rid of ants. Professionals are experts in handling these chemicals, so they how much and where to use these for effective results. They will also know how to be safe when using these chemicals.
So search for “ant specialist Brisbane” or “ant treatment near me” on your browser to seek out the best ant exterminator in your locality.
3 Traditional Ant Extermination Methods Ant Spray Extermination
If you’re seeking traditional ant control methods, these five are the most common:
1. Ant Traps
Ant traps function similarly to baits, except that they trap ants and do not enable them to escape. These traps may also include poison, which quickly kills ants.
Pros: Low cost, high efficiency
Cons: You must frequently check the traps and dispose of dead ants.
2. Ant Baits
Ant baits are tiny, covered pods that are placed in ant-infested locations. The pods contain poison that the ants may reach and bring back to their nest. The poison kills the ants in the colony when they swallow it.
Pros: Effective and inexpensive
Cons: Can be hazardous to children and pets; needs frequent inspection and replacement
3. Ant Repellent
Indoor and outdoor ant spray is offered. It kills ants on touch and can eliminate an ant issue quickly.
Pros: Effective and quick-acting
Cons: It contains toxins and should not be used near children or pets; it kills ants on contact, so it is not a long-term remedy.
That’s all we know about effectively controlling ants at home. But if these are not working, you should hire an expert soon. The infestation might have spread too much to handle on your own.
