Small ants - Ask Extension
Greetings! Thanks for your great service!
We have intermittent invasions of small ants in our home - most recently in the kitchen - a trail across th...
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Small ants #874757
Asked June 26, 2024, 9:42 AM EDT
Greetings! Thanks for your great service!
We have intermittent invasions of small ants in our home - most recently in the kitchen - a trail across the floor to the ant trap where there was a whole swarm. Luckily no food problem - all clean or in containers. This group of at least 100 ants, which I found one morning, appeared to be entering near the back door. We then placed ant traps near the back door and the problem is solved at the moment. However there are many ants around our driveway and within 5 feet of our home foundation.
MY QUESTION Should we do anything to control ants OUTSIDE? Is there a better solution for avoiding the appearance of ants inside?
NOTE; Our garden of 1/2 acre is totally organic and we avoid chemicals whenver possible. We are an older couple and need to be especially careful to avoid airborn contaminants.
THANKS again for your valuable advice!
Eaton County Michigan
Expert Response
It sounds like you are doing the right things to help control the flow of ants into your home. The most effective way to control ants is to put insecticide into the
nest and kill the queen(s). This may be done with a direct treatment or by using bait. Killing foraging workers has little effect as just a small percentage of ants are out of the nest at any given time. Baits work well because the ants carry it back to the nest and share it with others.
If you see ant hills outdoors near the door through which you think they are entering, you can try this organic control method:
Mix up a bottle of water and white vinegar and then add a few drops of liquid dish soap. Then spray or pour the mixture on to the ant hill. This will not only kill the ants but will also encourage the ones that survive to relocate to safer grounds. Since you know their entry point into your home, you can also spray the mixture over the opening and along their usual path. This will help tell them they can no longer enter that way.
As you know, there are pesticides available at your local garden center that can be spread around the perimeter of your home's foundation. Some are granules that your can sprinkle on the ground, and some are sprays. I doubt that any of them are organic, but you can find out by checking the labels. The labels should also tell you which insects are killed by use of the product. Many of these products may also be toxic to pets and children.
A product that has a residual effect would be the most lethal. By using this type of control, the chemical would be effective for several days (or maybe until it rains) and the ants would simply have to come in contact with it. The others would need to be sprayed directly on the ants when you see them. If you choose to use a pesticide, be sure to carefully read and follow all instructions on the label.
The information in the link below will be helpful:
https://extension.umn.edu/insects-infest-homes/ants#nonchemical-methods-for-controlling-ants-41810
You can find many other "organic" or chemical-free methods of ant control that others swear by, but none of them are research-based and may or may not be effective; therefore we cannot recommend them.
Of course, when it comes to indoor ant issues, nothing beats keeping the area clean with nothing for the ants to chow down on easily.
nest and kill the queen(s). This may be done with a direct treatment or by using bait. Killing foraging workers has little effect as just a small percentage of ants are out of the nest at any given time. Baits work well because the ants carry it back to the nest and share it with others.
If you see ant hills outdoors near the door through which you think they are entering, you can try this organic control method:
Mix up a bottle of water and white vinegar and then add a few drops of liquid dish soap. Then spray or pour the mixture on to the ant hill. This will not only kill the ants but will also encourage the ones that survive to relocate to safer grounds. Since you know their entry point into your home, you can also spray the mixture over the opening and along their usual path. This will help tell them they can no longer enter that way.
As you know, there are pesticides available at your local garden center that can be spread around the perimeter of your home's foundation. Some are granules that your can sprinkle on the ground, and some are sprays. I doubt that any of them are organic, but you can find out by checking the labels. The labels should also tell you which insects are killed by use of the product. Many of these products may also be toxic to pets and children.
A product that has a residual effect would be the most lethal. By using this type of control, the chemical would be effective for several days (or maybe until it rains) and the ants would simply have to come in contact with it. The others would need to be sprayed directly on the ants when you see them. If you choose to use a pesticide, be sure to carefully read and follow all instructions on the label.
The information in the link below will be helpful:
https://extension.umn.edu/insects-infest-homes/ants#nonchemical-methods-for-controlling-ants-41810
You can find many other "organic" or chemical-free methods of ant control that others swear by, but none of them are research-based and may or may not be effective; therefore we cannot recommend them.
Of course, when it comes to indoor ant issues, nothing beats keeping the area clean with nothing for the ants to chow down on easily.
MANY THANKS for your expertise! This info is very helpful and gives me a sense of direction.
Best to you!
Barb
Thank you for the kind words, Barb. I deal with pesky ants at my home too!
