How to Identify & Kill Ants
Ants are one of the most common insects on Earth. Ants are known for their predator and scavenger characteristics. Although it may be pleasant to think of a world without these tiny critters, ants play a beneficial role outdoors. When they enter your home, however, ants become unwanted pests. If ants are in your home, don't panic. Consider ways to control and manage an ant population and to identify and kill them in your home. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Determine if ants are the pests invading your home. Ants are dark brown and have small waists and bent antennas. They have hind and front wings. Ants are very small (1/4 to 1/2 inches) and make nests for their large colonies.
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Locate a nest by following a trail of ants until they disappear. Look for indoor colonies in walls, under floors, window seals and cracked electrical outlets. Also check around areas such as sinks, toilets, showers and hot water heaters. The nest will have a sawdust material at its opening. If following the trail leads you to an outside nest, poor hot water on the nest to destroy it. This will control the ant colony from making its way into your home.
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Control ants in your home by taking the proper sanitation steps. Keep kitchens and other rooms as clean and dry as possible and free from food. Wipe all kitchen surfaces with hot water and dish soap, and remove residue from dishes. Keep all food in tightly sealed containers, especially if it's not kept in the refrigerator or freezer. Rinse all your fruits and vegetables before eating them. Empty your garbage on a daily basis. Fill in all cracks and crevices in your home to keep ants from entering.
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Use pesticides to kill ants in your home and to stop them from returning. You can use two types of pesticides: dusts and baiting. Use dusts for killing ants in areas where liquid products cannot reach, such as attics and crawl spaces. Use baits if you don't have much time to solve your ant problems. Baits come in closed containers and limit your exposure to poisons. Place these containers in the problem areas, and wait for the ants to do the work for you by carrying the poison back to their nest.
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Use homemade solutions to kill ants quickly and to avoid using harsh pesticide chemicals. A quick solution is to mix Borax soap and water in a spray bottle. Spray the areas where ants are active, and clean up the dead ants to ensure that worker ants won't return to the same spot. You can also grab a bottle of hairspray, and use it in spots where the ants frequent to deter them from returning.
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Tips & Warnings
The Ant Institute provides a full guide to help you identify the type of ants in your home. (See Resources.)
Consider wearing a mask when using any chemical products indoors. Keep all toxic products away from children and pets.
References
Resources
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