By With the onset of spring warmth and summer, ants can become a significant problem in the house, especially for those who live, for example, on the lower floors of an apartment building or in a private home.
In terms of appearance, red house ants are similar to common garden ants and differ in size: Red ants are more minor than garden ants. Once a year, many winged ants, both males and females, hatch in an ant nest. You can quickly get into the house and, under favourable conditions, start a new family with hundreds and thousands of insects.
Red house ants usually nest in hidden, inaccessible places – in false floor coverings, behind tile coverings and skirting boards, under the parquet, in cracks in the plaster, etc.
Having tiny red ants in your home doesn’t mean they necessarily have their nest with you. Ants can travel long distances in search of food. They feed primarily on carbohydrates and foods that contain protein. However, they are most attracted to sweets and meat.
Why can ants be dangerous in an apartment?
It is believed that ants, unlike other insects, do not cause much harm. Nevertheless, experts warn that such a neighbourhood can be harmful to health and that ants can spread infections when they come into contact with sewage and food.
Oftentimes, homemakers face an invasion by ants. It is very uncomfortable when the fruits on the table are covered with insects when the ants swarm in the sugar bowl and crawl along with the sliced bread.
For most people, one thing is clear: the ants definitely have to get out of the house.
Reasons why ants pop up in the house.
Insects of all kinds attack homes to improve their living conditions. Often they are looking for a safe shelter to build a nest or just for food reasons. Ants are no exception. They perceive dirty dishes, remnants of crumbs on the table, an overfilled garbage can – all of this as an invitation to dinner.
It is impossible to completely rid the dwelling of particles that would be suitable as food for ants. But a clean environment can help to contain ant infestations.
So that an invasion of ants does not occur during the warm seasons, you should take preventive measures:
- Do not leave food lying around for ants: sweets, meat, bread.
- Pay careful attention to the cleanliness of your kitchen: try not to keep the dishes dirty for a long time and carefully wipe the countertops of any leftover food.
- Take out the trash more often. For the ants, it serves as a “lighthouse” in your kitchen.
- Store the fruit in the refrigerator or tightly closed food containers.
- Find the paths through which the ants can enter and stick a strip of double-sided adhesive tape about 5 cm wide on each of them. The adhesive surface should withstand the onslaught of uninvited guests.
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How can I fight ants in my apartment?
Before you start fighting ants, first observe them. Insects live in large families where each member of the community has a different role. Worker ants gather food and carry it to the nest in their bellies. Once you’ve established where they are crawling (visible tracks are often formed), you can find a nest or see that they come to you for food only.
Attacks by these intruders are repelled in several ways – with home remedies or with modern, professional methods.
The chemical industry suggests using gels, aerosols, soluble poisons, and fighting against these insects. Each of them is effective in its way, but all of these chemicals have their drawbacks: they can be harmful to humans, and ants can adapt to them.
Ant insecticides may contain substances that can be harmful to health.
But if your neighbourhood with crawling creatures does not make you happy at all, then it is better to use special traps filled with solid materials or grains that attract insects. The ants ingest the particles of this poison and infect the entire anthill with them. It is essential to set up the traps so that they are out of the reach of children and pets.
How do I get rid of ants in my apartment with home remedies?
Various household methods are circulating on the Internet to help drive away ants with simple home remedies. For example, you can find the following suggestions:
- To use bait with boric acid
- Mix yeast with sugar
- Use garlic, peppermint, or camphor as they give off pungent smells
- To lure ants away with coffee grounds
- Set up tape traps
- These suggestions can lead to success. However, this is not guaranteed, and the future infestation cannot be ruled out. Professional control is more likely to lead to success.
Do you need help driving ants away in your home, garden, or business? Get in touch with AAA Termite and Pest Control today.