How to Prevent Ants in Your Home

By Horizon Pest Control

ant

With summer here, we can expect the presence of ants in our kitchen. While they may still be expected, there is no reason why they should not be stopped from even entering our homes. So how do we stop ants from invading our kitchen? Here are some effective ways to stop them:

Remove Their Food Sources

The main reason why ants like to get inside your home is because they know they can get their food there. If your home is not clean enough, ants will easily multiply since they will tell the others about your food buffet. Make sure to clean daily, especially your kitchen since all your goodies are in there. Cleaning your home will include:

  • Putting food in sealed containers
  • Keeping the sink tidy
  • Keeping pet food and water dishes clean
  • Removing any spilled food
  • Keeping trash cans and bins far from your house
  • Taking the trash out every day
  • Sweeping the floor after meals
  • And, not allowing moisture to accommodate on counters and other surfaces

Create Barriers

Because ants are very small creatures, they can easily find a lots of tiny entrances that will eventually lead to your home. While some may easily be seen, others are very difficult to find. To protect your home you will have to:

  • Seal any cracks and holes on the outside of the home with caulk.
  • Repair holes or gaps in window and door screens.
  • Replace weather-stripping
  • Repair loose mortar around basement foundation and windows
  • Use deterrent substances, such as Diatomaceous earth, salt, talc, baby powder that are made of cornstarch, cornmeal, dried cloves, and the likes.

Bait The Ants

You can bait the ants by choosing the right type of poison for the job. The most common bait used is by combining boric acid with maple syrup. If you get the right quantity and timing, these ants will bring the mix with them to the colony, wiping out their colony. However, this procedure may take several weeks to a few months. This is why diligence in continually giving them bait is necessary.

Get Rid of the Queen and Scouts

It is necessary to kill the queen since she is mostly responsible for the colony. If you can eliminate her, then the colony will die. However, finding the queen is nearly impossible because they do not go out of the colony and will stay well hidden and out of sight. The best way to get the ant queen is through the bait. Expect to see more ants when you set out the bait. This means that more ants are taking the bait back to the colony where they will share the rest of the food with the other ants that will also include the queen.

It is also necessary to bring down the nest, especially if you still continue to find them. If you can find the nest, pour several gallons of boiling water into it, and that may be the end of them. However, if you cannot find where they are coming from, the best solution is to bait them. In cases, where you have an infestation, it is also necessary to call reliable pest control services to be able to solve your ant infestation right away.

Eliminating ants is sometimes a necessity especially when you have an infestation and there is no end of them. For effective ant control, trust Horizon Pest Control. We will know what ant species is present and help determine the nesting site, food preference and the best method of management. Learn more about Horizon’s ant control and schedule an appointment, visit New Jersey Ant Control.

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