Wet weather has increased pests, including ants, all over the country. If you are dealing with a new ant infestation, you may be wondering what you can do to get rid of those ants.
At Flick, we know some good tricks you can use to get rid of ants. We will give you our opinion on home remedies, tell you the strategies that work, and tell you when you need to call the professionals.
Home Remedies
When we talk about a home remedy, we talk about a substance or thing you use to get rid of ants. Some of the top home remedies are chalk, lemons, oranges, pepper, white vinegar, salt, cinnamon and cloves, and peppermint. There is anecdotal evidence that insects, particularly ants, do not like the scents of these items and will avoid areas that smell heavily of them. In our experience, they may work for a day or two to keep some bugs away, but you have to reapply constantly. As a long-term strategy, we have not found any home remedy effective.
Get Rid of Ant’s Food Sources
This is one of the top strategies for preventing ant infestations. Ants need food and are especially attracted to sugars. So keep your food, including pet food, in sealed containers and clean up your kitchen and dining areas to remove food sources. This is a great strategy that helps prevent ant infestations from starting.
Remove Water Sources
Like food, ants need water. Therefore, you want to get rid of any sources of standing water. That includes leaking water under cabinets. Water leaks pose a double problem. Water leaks can also damage wood, and damaged wood provides ants with a place to nest and serve as a food source.
Get Rid of Ant Trails
Ants leave a scented trail for other ants to follow. Even if you get rid of the food and water initially attracted ants, other ants will continue to follow those trails. So, it would be best if you cleaned up the ant trails to keep other ants from following them.
Exterminate Ant Colonies
Whether you have ants inside or outside, you have to kill the colony to eliminate your ant problem. There are a variety of chemicals you can use to kill the entire colony, from baits to direct-application insecticides. Most of these are helpful, but you have to find the colonies to kill the ants.
While some DIY steps you can take to get rid of ants, sometimes you need professional help. Call Flick on 13 14 40. We can locate ant colonies, eliminating the pests, and help you set up a regime to prevent reinfestation.
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