How to get rid of ants?

After an already difficult year that has seen the world and so many of our lives turned upside down, we want to avoid additional stressors and issues where possible. With Covid-19 being our new normal, many of us are spending more time inside, and protecting your livelihood and home has become a high priority. For homeowners in Queensland, Australia, this means tackling a problem that, although very real and undesirable, does not have to be a permanent fixture in your life.

It is the issue of ant infestations, which, you may be pleased—or more appropriately, relieved—to know is not uncommon, and you definitely aren’t alone. In fact, some businesses have reported a significant spike in infestation treatments and inspections since the pandemic began. Ant infestations are common across Queensland homes. To understand more about ants and their behaviour, the Australian Museum offers detailed information on different species found across Australia.

Moreover, as the summer months are beginning to take hold, these six-legged creepy crawlers are attracted to sickly sweet foods and drinks and are unafraid to march straight through your windows, front door, and those unknown nooks and crannies hidden in your walls.

It’s not an ideal situation—one that we all want to avoid at all cost—but it doesn’t have to feel like the end of the world. Coming face-to-face with ants inside your home is not a cause for panic and can be rectified quickly. You just need to understand what has led you to have new inhabitants in your home, and how to get rid of them – ASAP.

Common Ant Species Found in Australia

Australia is home to over 1,300 ant species, but only a few are commonly found in homes and businesses. Understanding the type of ant you’re dealing with helps determine the right removal method.

• Black House Ant
• Coastal Brown Ant
• Carpenter Ant
• Green Tree Ant
• Bull Ant
• Argentine Ant
• Pharaoh Ant
• Sugar Ant
• Ghost Ant
• Fire Ant
• For a more comprehensive list and detailed species profiles, visit AntWiki – Australian Ants.

What do Ants Eat?

Your first question might be: what do ants eat? If you’re finding trails of ants inside your home, it is unsurprising that one of your main concerns would be them infesting your cupboards and fridge or crawling a bit too close to the cooker at dinner time. On top of that, you may be curious to understand if it is certain foods that have attracted the ants into your home in the first place, and how to stop ants from coming back.

To answer this question very simply, ants are omnivores and eat virtually anything they find in nature to stay alive. As a result, they earn the reputation of being opportunistic feeders, eating anything and everything they find to nourish themselves — making getting rid of ants a recurring challenge for many homeowners.

This means that if you make a habit of leaving food or drinks lying around, whether that’s an unwashed plate, a bin not yet emptied or splatters of food and crumbs on your benchtops, you put your home at a greater risk of becoming infested with ants. If you’re trying to figure out how to get rid of ants in the house, start by eliminating these easy food sources.

Although it can depend on the type of ant, generally the three main food groups that ants are drawn to are sugary foods, like bread, syrup, fruits, protein, like meats and eggs; and finally fungus.

By simply prioritising cleanliness, regularly wiping down your benchtops, and clearing up after yourself after cooking and eating, you can reduce your chances of an ant infestation significantly. This is often the best way to get rid of ants before they become a serious issue.

Don’t be fooled though, even the cleanest of houses can experience issues with ants; it is about being proactive and doing what you can to tackle the issue and prevent ant infestations in Australia.

How to Find the Ant Nest

If you’re dealing with a serious ant infestation, locating the ant nest is the first step to getting rid of ants effectively. Most ant colonies in Australia build their nests outdoors in soil, under pavers, garden beds, or tree roots. However, some species, like black house ants or white-footed house ants, may build their nests inside wall cavities or roof voids.

Start by following the trail of ants. Watch where they’re coming from—ants usually follow a scent trail from a food source back to their nest. Look for small holes or cracks near skirting boards, windows, or outdoor paving. If you notice piles of fine dirt, sawdust-like shavings, or a constant stream of ants in one area, there’s a good chance the nest is nearby.

Once located, you can apply targeted treatments or call a pest control expert to eliminate the entire colony.

How to Kill and Get Rid of Ants

There are various ways to kill ants and remove them from your home, whether that is actions you can take yourself to prevent an infestation, or relying on professionals to handle the issue for you.

Maintain Good Cleaning Habits

As we mentioned before, try to get into good habits of routinely cleaning your home – particularly areas where there are food and drink. Store fruits and vegetables in the fridge, take out the trash, and put away pet food bowls when they aren’t being used – ants can’t eat things they can’t access after all!

Use White Vinegar to Kill and Repel Ants

White vinegar is the perfect solution to killing and removing ants. If you see ants in your home, use vinegar on a cloth to wipe them up to kill them instantly. To repel ants, use a diluted vinegar solution when cleaning your home surfaces, including the floor. The smell will successfully repel the ants and won’t linger unpleasantly indoors.

Spray Outdoors with Lawn Insecticides

Lawn sprays and insecticides – prevention is much easier than trying to solve problems, so stop ants before they even come into your home by spraying your lawn and any outdoor areas surrounding your home with insecticides, effectively killing the ants before they enter.

Clean Up Trails with Soapy Water

Use soapy water to clean up ant trails, removing the pheromones they leave behind. Without these pheromones, ants are unable to communicate with their colony and their trail into your home will be lost.

Some ant species like funnel ants can even damage your lawn. Learn how to get rid of funnel ants in your lawn here.

Natural Ant Deterrents

Other natural deterrents like cinnamon, peppermint oil, and lemon juice can help discourage ants from entering your home. Sprinkle cinnamon near entry points, or spray a diluted mix of peppermint oil around windows, skirting boards, and doors to confuse and repel ants.

Seal Entry Points

Ants are tiny and will exploit even the smallest cracks and gaps. Use silicone-based caulk to seal crevices around windows, doors, plumbing lines, and electrical points to block their access completely.

Contact a Professional

To ensure your ant problem is properly addressed and dealt with, consulting pest control is one of the best routes to go down. Pest control will typically discover how ants are entering your home, and deal with the problem by spraying insecticides, laying traps, and sealing off their channels indoors.

How Long do Ants Live?

For some people, seeing an ant infestation in their home may make them wonder whether they can wait for the ants to die, outlive them and continue with your life – it’s only a matter of time and the problem will be gone, right?

Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. There are many different species of ant, and their lifespan can vary from a short 30 day period to an eye-watering 15 years. Ants are known as workers and spend their lives working in colonies, carrying food, and building hidden colonies.

It is in their DNA to survive and produce for their colony, so deciding to outlive them is probably not the most productive use of your time.

Call the Pest-Ex Experts Who Know How to Get Rid of Ants

Using a professional pest control company like Pest-ex, you can be sure to remove ants in your home safely and efficiently while maintaining and prioritising cleanliness. Click here to contact Pest-ex today.

We all want to live a safe, healthy, and happy life under these unprecedented circumstances, therefore following these simple best practices, and understanding the reasons why ants are attracted to your home, will mean you can kill and remove ants from your home, and even prevent an infestation before it occurs.