Know Your Ants
The first step in controlling ants in and around your home is to know what type of ant it is. This is important because baits are generally the best option for control, but different ants have different food preferences. Additionally, some ants rarely enter homes or only do so singly, so placing bait inside will do little to get rid of ants that are living outdoors. In addition to several articles linked below, the University of Wisconsin has created a comprehensive, easy-to-read online tool to get to know your ants. It provides identification and specific control strategies for some of the most common ants, including:
Black carpenter ant Field ants Larger yellow ants Pavement ants False honey ants Odorous house ants Cornfield ants Pharaoh ants Grease or thief ants
Ant Prevention and Control
Ants are best controlled through an integrated program of prevention, exclusion, and control: The main reason that ants enter homes is in search of food or water. Once an ant finds either―or both―of these, it carries it back to its nest while leaving a scent trail for other ants from its colony to follow to get more. Thus, eliminating these sources of food or water is the first step in eliminating ants from your home.
Ant baits are made up of food to attract the ants along with a slow-acting insecticide, so that the workers can carry the poisoned food back to the nest and feed the other colony members, before being killed by the bait they carry. Additionally, in this way, the bait kills the entire colony, including the breeding queen, instead of just killing a few worker ants with a spray, who would simply be replaced with another troop of ants. At first, it may seem that baiting is a very slow way to rid your home of ants, but it will have a much greater long-term effect than continuously spraying a few ants here and there. Baits are fairly simple to use, but. because different ants have different food preferences, it is necessary to know the species of ant that is causing the problem. You may also want to consider hiring a knowledgeable professional. Ant baits are available in gel or paste tubes, granules, or covered containers. The covered, child- and pet-resistant containers are the safest to use in and around homes, but the open tablets and gels can be used if all label directions are followed and they are located where they will not be contacted by children, pets, or non-target animals.
