Five Tips to Help Make Your Ant Baits More Effective

There is nothing more disturbing than an infestation of ants in your home. Sugar ants are one of the more common species found in Northern VA. These pests thrive in kitchens because, as their name implies, they are attracted to food in general and sugary sweets in particular. If you’re having a problem with sugar ants (also called odorous house ants) and ant baits are not taking care of the problem, then this article may provide some useful tips for helping you get rid of your pesky problem. Like many pest control problems, getting rid of sugar ants requires daily focus during the months when they are active (March through September).

Understanding Ant Baits

Ant baits work on a simple principle. The worker ants take a small amount of the bait back to the colony where they infect other members of the colony until the entire colony is eliminated. The problem is that ants are remarkably adaptable and can reproduce quickly making it necessary to continually replace the baits to maintain their effectiveness. And the ants may also move to a new location thus making you have to be more strategic with your approach.

Tip #1 – Take Away Their Food Source

Spilled sugar, unwrapped candy, and pancake syrup are common things that attract sugar ants. However, that oversimplifies the problem. Sugar ants also like dirty sinks and that food that you put down the drain is an invitation to enter your kitchen. To combat this, you’ll want to make sure you clean your sink, and keep it dry.

Tip #2 – Disinfectants Can Be Your Friend

Ants have a well-developed sense of smell that makes them extremely keen to the pheromones left by food. That’s right, pheromones. Just like certain smells are attractive to humans, the smell of food is a “turn on” for ants, and are used to lead ants to where a good food source is. To combat this, you should use bleach to wipe down your counter tops and your sink. Bleach will not only clean up any sugary, sticky messes, but it will “jam the signal” these pheromones give off and make it difficult for ants to get a road map to your kitchen.

Tip #3 – Invest in a Quality Mop and Broom

During the summer months, when ants are at their worse, it is critical to sweep and mop your floor – preferably every night. This will help get rid of any residual sugars and scraps of food. Again, be sure to dispose of any trash and dirty mop water.

Tip #4 – Vacuum Areas Where You Eat

You have to think beyond the dining room. What about your home theater, an office, even an exercise area? Remember, sugar ants don’t just want sugar; they want any food source, including the remains of other insects.

Tip #5 – Dispose of Trash Regularly

It’s easy to try and keep trash out of sight, but those dark sealed places are ideal for ants to thrive. When you do this, you should use quality garbage bags, bags that are scented or use some form of deodorizer. It’s a simple, common sense step but can go a long way towards removing your sugar ant problem.