There are two categories of ants, one that lives inside the house and the ones that make their nests outside the house. Ant control is a difficult process and different strategies are used for different types of ants. Effective controlling of ants starts with the identification of their nests. This also helps to know whether the ants are coming from inside the house or out side. Spraying ants on sighting them may prove useless as the ants sprayed will be only a part of the colony. The entire colony with the queen and the eggs are generally hidden. Eliminating the queens and the eggs in their nest is an effective remedy of getting rid of ants.
Ants that live outside the house generally come into the house in search of food. To control the ants, the cracks and crevices in the corner and edges of walls have to be sealed properly so that the ants are unable to come inside the house. The walls should be wiped properly with an insecticide to scrub off any chemical left by ants.
The ants that nest inside the house are present all round the year. It is very important to completely eliminate their nests as the colonies outside the house are linked with the colonies inside the house. Few ants left untouched inside the house will send scent trails for replacement of new ants. Identification of their nests can be accomplished by following the trail of the worker ants back from the food source. After successful identification of colonies of ants, baits and pesticides can be used to destroy their nests. Baits are placed in the area where the worker ants generally feed and collect food for their colonies. They collect and take the bait back to their nest and feed it to the queen and other colony members. Baiting may take 2-3 weeks to show results but can wipe off large colonies. Insecticides and pesticides can also be sprayed to kill all the ants including the queen ant and the colony.
Once the control is effectively done, it is recommended to continue the treatment outside the house also to ensure that there is none left to come into the house again.
Related Articles of Interest :
-
Army Ants
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Army ants are a specific variety of ants whose size ranges between 3 mm-12mm. They have long pointed mandibles (lower jaw), long legs and an elongated body. The color of army ants ranges from deep golden to dull brown. Army ants find nests, develop a...
-
Facts About Ants
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Ants are insects that live all over the world and are one of the most successful groups of insects who live in organized colonies. Scientists estimate that ants have been living on the earth for more than 100 million years. Most ants are omnivores and...
-
Types Of Ants
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Ants are found all over the world, from the hottest deserts to the lush green rainforests. We can find them in our backyards, in our homes, and even in our workplaces. Ants live in colonies and a single colony may have over a million ants....
-
Basement Insects
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
The basement region can be a breeding ground for insects because the area is seldom used and is usually filled with old, used items and other knick-knacks. Cracks and gaps in the foundation and walls, along with the dampness, allow insects to survive in the...
-
Human Motivation: Tips and Principles
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
The theory of human motivation was proposed and developed by A. H. Maslow. According to him, human desires are never-ending and can be classified into five categories. They are physiology, safety, love, self-esteem, and self-actualization. They are termed as basic goals. These basic goals are...
-
Mole Crickets
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Mole crickets, so called because they look like moles, live underground and feed on small insects, plant roots, tubers, vegetables, underground stems of grasses and earthworms found in the soil. They are cylindrical in shape and measure around 1.25 inch in length. They are generally...
-
Ticks
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Ticks constitute a menace that can cause debilitating diseases in humans and animals. Ticks are not insects, but arachnids. They belong to the same family as mites, spiders, and scorpions. Although they thrive in warm regions, they stay away from direct sunlight. They are parasitic...
-
Deer Ticks
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Hundreds of species of ticks are found across the world. The deer tick is a species of tick that is small and dark legged. It is also known as the seed tick or bear tick and feeds primarily on mice, deer, cattle, and humans. In...
-
Types of Crickets
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Crickets are insects that belong to the order Orthoptera and the class Insecta. Crickets are an important part of the ecosystem since they help in the breakdown of plant material. They are also an important source of food for other animals like small owls, spiders,...
-
Pest Control Services
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Eliminating bugs and pests can become more difficult to handle than the bugs themselves if not done the right way. Employing the services of a pest control operator (PCO) can be part of the solution, if certain basic precautions are taken care of. Cost-effectiveness and...