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Are you inundated with an ant invasion in the house? Does the thought of leaving a single crumb on the counter conjure thoughts of long lines of marauding ants? If you find yourself besieged by an ant problem, the best method to eliminate them is by getting to the source and the whole colony!

Finding the nest could prove problematic. It is a good idea to get pest control experts in to advise and help with the problem. Find out more about ants and the species you may be dealing with in South Africa.

1. Follow the Ants Back to Their Nest.

If you spot ants in your home, it is a sign that they are foraging for food. Ants will carry any edible material back to the nest. The ant leaves chemical trails (pheromone trails) for fellow worker ants to follow to find more food.

Killing the few ants you spot won’t prevent ants in your home. Treatment sometimes depends on the types of ants you have in your home. Discovering the nest is the singular, best way to combat ants.

This may seem difficult to achieve, but it is quite possible to follow an ant trail back to the nest. Ants are very difficult to track, as they have a knack of sneaking into crevices and holes that we often do not detect. Identifying the trails used by worker ants moving to and from the nest is important. It is the first step towards keeping ant invasions at bay.

Why? Because entire nests are poisoned when worker ants take back poison to the nest. Ant trails are seldom in a straight line – most zig zag in an uneven pattern. Are you struggling to identify ant trails in your home? You can contact pest management experts who know all the signs.

2. Spot the Signs of an Indoor Ant Colony in South Africa.

You have indoor ants. What should you do? Indoor ants are more than a nuisance factor. They cause actual harm to the structure of your home.

They also contaminate your water and food. How can you tell if there is an ant nest inside your home? Here are 4 distinct signs to look out for:

Wood Shavings.

Wood shavings are a telltale sign that you have carpenter ants, especially when they appear underneath wooden beams.

Cracks and Crevices.

Swarms of ants could also be swarms of termites. You need to distinguish between the two to tackle the problem. Swarms of ants could be nesting outside your home. They then enter into your foundation through cracks and crevices.

Leaks.

Did you know that leaking taps and other plumbing problems are the perfect draw card for pests of every description? Ants need food, but they also need water. Ensure you fix those leaks to distract unwelcome visitors.

Piles of Dead Ants.

Other signs of ant infestations include little piles of dead ants. If you do have dead ants around your entry points in your home, this could be a sign of nests within your home!

3. Find Clever Eradication Methods to Tackle Your Ant Invasion.

Call in Professional Ant Exterminators.

You might consider getting a free quote from Mostert Pest Control Services to find a way of getting rid of your annoying ant invasion.

Use Ant Bait.

Use ant bait to get rid of ants. Liquid ant baits will tackle an entire colony of ants. The problem, however, could persist during extreme weather conditions. During periods of extreme drought, ants are very tenacious and could be very difficult to get rid of.

Use Ant Dust.

You might find that sprinkling ant dust in cracks is effective. Do this where ant activity takes place or to disrupt the pheromone trail of ants. You could solve your ant invasion problem by applying this method. Ant dust can continue to kill for long periods.

Use Ant Spray.

Spraying ants might seem like an option, but the truth is that this is not the most effective method to tackle an ant colony.

4. Keep the Invasion in Check by Taking Preventative Steps.

Cut off Access to Sweet and Fatty Foods.

Ensure every sweet substance such as your syrup, sugar, and anything fatty is kept in airtight containers. Alternatively, place these in the fridge. Ants love fatty and sweet foods, but if they can’t access them, they must look elsewhere.

Keep Pet Food in the House Ant-Proof.

Your pet food is the perfect draw card for ants. Place a moat of water around pet food bowls. The ants won’t be able to cross over these to reach pet food.

Get your pets into a feeding routine. Not only is it a healthy habit for Felix or Rover. It also means that your pet food bowls are not left outside, attracting ants and other pests.

Use Acidic Substances.

Did you know that ants hate anything acidic? Add vinegar or lemon to your water when wiping down counter tops. This is a great deterrent. Break pheromone trails and tackle sidewalk cracks by washing down ant trails with vinegar or lemon.

Seal Gaps and Cracks.

Seal any gaps in your floors, doors, and windows to discourage home-invading ants.

Put an end to household ant invasions by contacting us today for a free quote!

Sources: terro; thespruce; ABC News;

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