Getting Rid of Ants: Inside and Out

Ants are everywhere. And, for the most part, they’re beneficial to the natural order of things. But when you experience an ant invasion and their numbers become too large in your yard, garden or home, they can become quite a nuisance. Keep the ant population under control inside and outside your home with these tips and ideas from Tully Lakes Hardware.

Controlling ants starts outside because even when they make it into your house, their nests are usually outside, and it’s better to get them before they make it indoors. There are a number of ways to get rid of ants even when they’ve managed to infiltrate your house — but you’ll need to go directly to the source. You can usually trace the ants back to their nest by first discovering where they are getting into your home. Check cracks, edges and seams around doors, windows, trim, etc. Follow the trail of ants back to the nest from there, if possible. You might also locate the nest by noting anthills. When you find out where the ants are coming from, there are products available designed to be applied directly to the nest.

Ants that are visible above ground or on your kitchen floor, for example, can be removed a few different ways. There are a number of ant-killing traps, baits and sprays available as well as poisonous baits that can kill the queen and colony. These often can be useful if you don’t know where the colony is located. Bait is especially effective because scout and worker ants carry it back to their nest, poisoning the rest of the colony. Sprays are less effective at getting rid of a large invasion because you only kill the ants that you attack with the spray; more are likely to show up later if the rest of the ants from the colony can follow the trail of the first ants. If you aren’t being infiltrated by the whole colony, a spray can get rid of the individual ants encroaching on your kitchen.

The two best ways to keep ants out of your house is to seal as many entrances they use as you can, as well as remove the incentive for their invasion by properly sealing food and cleaning up crumbs and other tasty bits that often attract them inside. Use clear silicone caulk to seal cracks around doors, windows or anywhere there’s a way for them to get in. Keep food items such as cereal, rice, breads, pet food, etc. in airtight containers. This not only keeps ants from getting in, it also helps keep food fresher for longer. Try keeping pet food dishes in a larger bowl or dish with a bit of water added to the larger dish to create a “moat.” This will make it more difficult for ants to get to your pet’s food. Keep all kitchen surfaces clean as much as possible. Sweep and mop your kitchen floor regularly to keep dirt, grime and especially crumbs off of the floor. Remember, ant baits won’t work if there are crumbs to distract them and carry back to their nest. Cleaning up also can clear the pheromone trail that worker ants leave for other ants to follow, giving them less of an invitation to try and enter your home. Make sure that you do the dishes regularly and keep your sink clean. Ants are attracted to both the food particles on your dirty dishes as well as any standing water in the sink.

That’s it! You’re now ready to get rid of the ants that made it in and to keep the rest out for good. For help finding the best ant control products for you home, stop in and talk to the staff at Tully Lakes Hardware- A family-owned and operated hardware store in the Village of Tully.