Insecticide for Ants

Insecticides are an effective way to kill ants.

Ants are a nuisance both inside and outside your home. Preventing ants before they become a problem is the best method for ant treatment. However, if you do have ants, you have several options for insecticides.

Outdoors

Most outdoor insecticides use one of several chemicals as the active ingredient. When choosing an outdoor insecticide, look for one containing carbaryl, cyfluthrin, acephate, permethrin or bifenthrin. Options include both liquid and granular form.

Indoor

Indoors, the options for chemical insecticides are a bit different from outdoor options. Dusts are a preferred method of killing ants in their indoor nests and contain either permethrin or deltamethrin. Ant traps, another popular indoor insecticide, utilize fipronil, abamectin or propoxur, among others. The third option is an aerosol spray containing cypermethrin or permethrin.

Homemade

Regardless if you are treating ants indoors or out, you can make your own insecticide at home utilizing boric acid. Boric acid is mixed with a sweet, sugary substance such as jelly to attract the ants. The boric acid then works to kill any ants who feed on it.

References

• University of Minnesota: What to Do About Household Ants
• 'Bugs: Homemade Ant Killer Bait