Black house ants are one of the most common ants to invade our homes and just like all other living things, they are looking for food, water and shelter. This makes our kitchens and bathrooms a prime target. As their name suggests, they are intensely black in color and prefer sugary liquids. They are more of a nuisance than a destructive pest. They are very good at creating nests in hard to get to places. This makes colony destruction very difficult and their colonies can have more than one queen with rapid reproduction. You will need to figure out what’s attracting them to your home. If you can get rid of the sources of food and water, then getting rid of them will be easier. Colonies will get out of hand quickly, making it imperative to get rid of them quickly. A-Tex Pest Management offers helpful tips to keeping black ants out of your home this summer.
What Keeps Black Ants Away?
1. Watch the ants patterns. Where are the trials? What parts of the house are they attracted to and how are they getting in?
2. Remove freestanding water. All it takes is a wet napkin to keep hundreds of ants alive. Keep your sinks dry and make sure there aren’t any leaks of condensation with the pipes. If you have high levels of condensation, you will need to increase air circulation to the area.
3. Any opening ants are using to get in will need to be sealed with caulk. Look inside and outside the property because the easiest way to keep tiny ants out of your home is to keep them out to begin with.
Can I Make My Own Homemade Ant Bait?
Ant baits have been used to kill ant colonies for decades because they work! If you have small children or pets you might want to use another method. Borax is a natural and effective way to control ants. Baits can be tricky because different ants have different food preferences, so the right kind of bait needs to be used with a specific species of ant. Dietary needs also change during different life cycles. Adults and larvae have different needs so it’s important to have both forms of bait to kill the entire colony. All-in-one baits will never solve an ant problem. Baits will need to be applied along different spots of the ant trail. You may be alarmed in noticing that the problem may get worse before it gets better but this is a good sign because it means more ants are taking the bait back to the nest. Use a protein based bait made of 75% peanut butter and 25% borax, a liquid sugar bait made with 1 cup of honey warmed in the microwave and a cup of borax and a solid sugar bait made with 3 parts powdered sugar to 1 part borax. After the baits have had about a week it’s time to get rid of the stragglers. You can also try essential oils such as tea tree and peppermint oil.
Ant Pest Inspections, Treatment, Control, Removal & More in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park Texas
Unfortunately, natural methods don’t work and you’ll need to call in the professionals. Contact A-Tex Pest Management. We will start with a thorough inspection and come up with a plan to effectively and efficiently deal with any ant infestation.
