Are ants invading your home yet?
The summer is coming to an end, and the ants are moving in!
How are you doing? It's been awhile since I wrote last. I was on a bit of a hiatus from work and then the fires started, which was a bit too close for comfort. Thankfully I did not have to evacuate, we are safe and sound, however it has been a fairly stressful time with poor air quality, excessive heat waves and this week's orange skies. I hope you and your family have been doing well, are all safe and healthy.
As the summer comes to an end, I've been hearing lots of people mentioning that they are seeing ants coming into their homes. This is a common end of the summer activity, to be expected. Why is this? Because they are searching for food and water.
Are ants coming into your home yet? If so, I can offer a few tips for managing this pest:
Action steps:
When I see a scout on it's solo mission, I will have the tendency to wipe it away and clean the entire surface with soapy water. I have heard that it is not advisable to kill the scout, however don't have the tolerance to monitor this any further. You may be more tolerant, so observe the activity over the next couple of days to see what develops.
Clean up the crumbs, vacuum nooks & crannies, remove any food source the ants many be interested in including the pet food once your pet has finished eating. If your pet is an all day nibbler, then place the pet food bowl into a second bowl slightly larger filled with soapy water. This creates a moat effect, preventing the ants from reaching your pet's food.
If you can identify how they are coming in, then seal up that crevice with caulk or other appropriate sealant. This isn't always an option, however do your best when you can. New weatherstripping around doors and windows also helps to prevent ants and other insects from entering.
If you need to take further action then understand that bait station are proven to be more effective than sprays. Why? Because the ants take the bait back to their colony to feed the others. After a few days, the entire colony has been killed and you ant problem is relived for the time being.
A few words about ant baits:
Now not all baits are as effective as others. The consumer favorite is Terro Liquid Ant Bait. The active ingredient is sodium tetraborate decahydrate (boric acid or borax) with a sugar bait. Terro isn't the only brand out there with this a.i combo. Harris has a liquid ant bait with the same, and so does Rescue. There are gel baits with the same a.i. combo, however I hear that they are not as effective for some reason. Perhaps the gel is too hard, or dries out and difficult for the ant to access? I'm not sure. What I do know is the boric acid/sugar bait combo is a winner for eradicating many common ant problems.
How this bait works:
Boric acid is ingested by the insect, which then disrupts it's digestion and leading to its demise. This is a slow acting pesticide, which is what you want. It may take a few days for the ant infestation to vanish, this can be alarming but be patient. Fast acting active ingredients could kill the insect before it returns to its nest, then not enabling it to feed the others. This is also a successful bait for cockroaches.
If you prefer to use boric acid powder, just be mindful that only the intended pest can access it. For instance if you have to open up your wall for a plumbing or electrical issue, by applying a thin dust of boric acid on the internal frame, as long as this stays dry it will be effective for years to come. The way this loose powder works is when ants, cockroaches, silverfish walk over the boric acid, since they are grooming insects, they ingest the powder which in time will kill them. Cockroaches will get an extra dose of boric acid by eating the shed skins and droppings of their pals that have already ingested the bait. Kinda gross but extremely effective!
Risks:
All pesticides have risks, even the eco-friendly/less toxic ones, such as boric acid.
If you use bait stations, place them where children and pests CAN NOT access them. Remember children and pest like to chew on little plastic things. Places the bait station higher, perhaps up on the counter top. Or place the bait station behind a cabinet door with a child lock engaged. Trust me, the ants will find the bait.
If you are using the powder, and this goes for Diatomaceous Earth too, ensure pests can not access this powder with their noises or tongues. DE is a lung irritant and should be inhaled by sniffy pest noises. Same for our children, we don't want them to inhale this dust. Loose powder can be a higher risk if not placed in secure areas where anyone or anything other than the pest can come in contact with it.
Why not use an ant spray?
As for spray pesticides, most are contact kills and will often say this right on the label. When we have ants coming into the kitchen and opt for the ant spray, we are only killing those ants. Not as effective as a bait. (soapy water is just as effective, so consider this approach first)
However if you are looking for a spray as well, I am a huge fan of Orange Guard. (I am not here to favor one brand over another but Orange Guard is fantastic!) The active ingredient is d-limonene, which is the extracted oils from the citrus rinds. It works better than the traditional ant sprays, it doesn't have a stinky pesticide smell, is not toxic in and around the kitchen (don't spray it near or on food), and it has repelling properties that last about a week. I use this as an alternative to the toxic home perimeter sprays. Orange Guard also works fantastically for fleas and roaches as well.
Additional resources:
If you would like to read a bit more about managing ants around your home you can read this fact sheet from Our Water Our World
If you are battling excessive ants in the garden, they are trailing up a plant or a tree then this is typically an indicator of another pest situation, such as aphids, scale or thrips. Ants feed off of the honeydew secretions of these other pests. If this is the case, then focus on the pest the ants are protecting. Typically blasting the plants or tree with a strong blast of water does the trick.
If you have any questions about ants, or any other pest issues, please don't hesitate to send me your questions. I'm happy to offer any guidance I can😊
Until next time, I wish you a wonderful day and a great week!
Happy gardening,
Suzanne