How to get rid of house ants in an apartment

The presence of ants in a house or apartment gives trouble to every person. Some owners do not pay attention to a single representative. But just then it is worth starting the search for an effective way to combat insects. They multiply rapidly, so you can not hesitate to get rid of them.

The reasons for the appearance of ants in the apartment

If you find a forest ant in your apartment, then there is no reason for concern. He himself will quickly leave the room, as he will not be able to survive in it. But his redhead friend is the reason for your immediate actions. Let it not deceive you that he is only one. This is the so-called scout. He studies the territory and, if he finds food and water, then brings the whole family here.

An excellent condition for living and breeding ants in an apartment is free access to water and food. The remains of food on the tables, scattered crumbs and drops of water in the sink contribute to the active growth in the number of ant people. Sweets, meat and any protein food are considered a favorite treat for these insects. They will also find a poorly washed sweet spot that can feed them for a long time. Also ant people are not indifferent to meat dishes.

Insects nest in hard to reach places that cannot be identified by their appearance. Cracks in the plaster, free space behind the baseboard or tile, under the parquet flooring, can be their home. Between floors, ants settle closer to heat sources. A cluttered balcony or pantry is perfect for a permanent habitat for insects.

The main reasons for the appearance and reproduction of insects in an apartment or house can be:

1. The constant availability of freely available food (open containers, sugar bowls, bread, etc.).
2. Poorly washed surface of countertops.
3. A sharp cooling (ants are thermophilic insects and, if the cold came unexpectedly, then they look for warm places for shelter).
4. Settlement of "neighbor" ants in your home. If the neighbors began an active fight against the invasion of insects, then the ant colony settles in the nearest territory.

Therefore, all measures to destroy unsolicited "guests" must be carried out from the moment the scout is discovered until the apartment is completely freed from them.

What is the danger of domestic ants?

Like any insect, ants are undesirable in living quarters. In search of food, they explore many places. Interfloor ceilings, garbage chutes and garbage bins are no exception. Their paws are an accumulation of carriers of dangerous diseases. An ant bite can cause an allergic reaction. They are especially dangerous for young children. In addition to harm to human health, they cause material losses - damage to things, furniture, products, etc. Therefore, you need to get rid of ants right away, since they themselves will never leave a warm, well-fed home.

Ways to get rid of house ants

Immediately get ready for a long fight with ants. Firstly, their numbers are very large and they multiply rapidly. Secondly, it is very rare to immediately find colonies with a queen. Thirdly, not all funds can immediately help. There are several effective ways to destroy domestic ants:

Call of the pest control team
This method is expensive, but does not present any trouble for you. Employees of the brigade themselves will find places of ant congestion, process the premises and give recommendations for self-prevention.

The use of insecticidal chemistry
The drug market offers a wide selection of gels, aerosols, liquids, crayons, etc. When buying a chemical product for exterminating or repelling ants, always pay attention to the date of manufacture, shelf life and storage conditions.

Important! If you purchase the drug outdoors in the winter, then temperature changes do not positively affect the action of the active components. Therefore, you do not need to expect an effect from such a tool.

You need to buy chemicals to kill insects in special stores where storage conditions are not violated.

Aerosol application
The use of aerosols will help to instantly get rid of a large number of insects, provided that all colonies are detected. If the queen survived, then in a few days the new tenants of the ant family will pay a visit again.

Important! Sprays are very toxic. Therefore, before using them, you need to cover all things, products, an aquarium, flowers. You need to work only in a cotton-gauze bandage or respirator. The room should not be children, pets and other people without protection.

Aerosols of the Reid, Raptor, Combat, and Off brands show good results. Also, ants die from any aerosols from bugs.

Chemical gels
Chemical gels are used for long-term repellent of insects. They can also be used as preventative procedures. Gels show good results. Their use does not require the search for ant colonies. It is enough to apply a drop of gel around the perimeter of the premises in the discovered places of their clusters. Working individuals bring drops of the drug to the colony as food. Using them, the ants die.

The duration of action of the preparations is designed so that insects have time to gel droplets to bring them to their habitats and die there. It will take about two months to completely free your home from ants. Therefore, you need to stock up on gel, patience and be sure to follow the recommendations on the maintenance of the premises. Effective gels recognized brands "Fas", "Raptor", "Globol."

Chemical powders and pencils
Chemical powders and pencils are less effective than gels. Their use is rational as a preventative measure and in combination with a stronger drug. They kill only those insects that have had direct contact with particles of powder, chalk or pencil.

Trap use
If there are children and / or animals in the house, then the baits should be installed in containers so that only ants can reach them. Effective results were shown by the use of the Raptor, Combat, Thunder, and Thunder-2 traps. They contain special microgranules that destroy insects in places of their accumulation.

Electric traps, as well as sticky ones, act locally. They only scare away and destroy working ants, which scurry about your housing in search of food. In case of their death, the anthill will send the following for food.

Folk methods of getting rid of ants

Most preparations prepared independently based on folk recipes contain boric acid. But there are options without using such strong substances. In almost every home you can find ingredients that will repel ants no worse. Practice shows several effective compounds:

1. Boric acid, sugar and water are mixed in equal proportions to the state of batter. Then balls are formed and laid out on the permanent paths of insects. Sugar acts like a bait. As a result, the entire colony dies within a week.
2. Boil three medium potatoes and three chicken eggs. Mix the yolks with mashed potatoes, add one teaspoon of sugar and one packet of boric acid. We form balls and proceed according to the previous scheme - we arrange them in the places where insects walk. Change balls every one and a half weeks.
3. You can use minced meat balls (2 tbsp.spoons mixed with 1/2 tsp boric acid). But this method is not suitable for homes where there are pets.
4. As an analogue to chemical aerosols, which are killed only by direct contact, a soap solution can be used. Fill a spray bottle with water, add any soap and spray on insects, on their laid paths, etc. Soap solution destroys the smell by which ants find their paths and other representatives of the colony. You can enhance the effect by adding a few drops of aromatic oil. Tea tree oil, peppermint, eucalyptus or another with a pungent odor helps well.
5. To scare ants away from food, use laurel leaves. Put them in containers with flour, paprika, sugar. These products are a treat for insects, but the smell of bay leaves will not let them get closer to them. They also do not tolerate the smells of garlic, lavender, peppermint, camphor and cloves.
6. Use baits that kill ants and are absolutely safe for residents. Spread cornmeal, uncooked semolina, and black ground coffee along the working insects. These foods are not digested by their stomachs, and the ants die.
7. If you have a private home, use coffee grounds, falling asleep around the building. To kill insects inside, add some sugar to the rest of the coffee.
8. To destroy the larvae, you need to remove their power sources. Put the sugar diluted with yeast as bait. The breadwinners will bring sugar to the colony, but the yeast fermentation process will make it unsuitable for food.

The perimeter of the room can be protected by barriers. Thus, it is possible to trap worker ants and destroy them. To create barriers, you can use the following tools:

• crushed activated carbon;
• coarse salt;
• sprinkled ground pepper (cayenne, chili, black);
• powder for children;
• line of pencil or silicone gel;
• seasonings - cinnamon or turmeric;
• citrus oil - orange, tangerine, lemon, etc.

Prevention of the appearance of ants in the apartment

In order to prevent even a scout from appearing in your home, follow these recommendations:

1. Maintain cleanliness in rooms where there is food (kitchen, dining rooms, etc.).
2. Thoroughly wash kitchen surfaces and sinks. After washing, wipe them dry with a clean sponge. We recommend wiping the kitchen furniture (cabinets, countertops, tables) with water and vinegar. It neutralizes odors and cleans surfaces of impurities that are difficult to see.
3. Do not leave food in open containers. Use tightly sealed containers to store food.
4. Make sure that the bin is not filled and is tightly closed.
5. Clean the kitchen floor daily. Use a detergent disinfectant. Pay special attention to skirting boards and possible crevices.
6. Use chemical pencils or gels to repel unwanted insects.
7. Track the place where ants entered the room. It is necessary to tightly close all possible routes of penetration of these insects. To do this, use putty, glue, silicone sealant, etc. Adhesive tape or other adhesive tape is undesirable for these purposes, since the sticky surface suffers when exposed to temperatures and the entrance for excess residents becomes free again.

Such simple precautions should be observed during the fight against insects. Stick to them for at least a week or until insects completely disappear from your home. If you live in an apartment, then the fight against the colonial people should be carried out together. The result of individual measures to get rid of them will be the relocation of ants to neighboring territories. Then follows the reverse process.Also, neighbors should be warned in case of pest control workers.

Cleanliness of apartments and the implementation of preventive measures are the main obstacles. From them, ants and other insects will bypass your housing.

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