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Insects in the house are an unpleasant thing. Especially as soon as the animals appear en masse and cause considerable destruction. Ants in the house and in the apartment can make life difficult for us. Even with just a few copies, swift action is called for. Even without the use of chemicals, you can effectively get rid of the ants or drive them out of your four walls.
useful information
Ants are indispensable helpers in nature. One of the most important characteristics of the cute crawlers is that they recycle plant and animal remains. In the garden, the insects still arouse fascination and enthusiasm in the silent observer. In the house and in the apartment, however, this quickly turns into the opposite.
Almost nobody likes these insects in their own living quarters. They can quickly become a plague and cause massive damage. With simple means you can effectively fight the ants.
Unwelcome roommates
Ants are indispensable in the garden and in the great outdoors. The small crawlers contribute effectively to the ecological balance. For example, the insects loosen up the soil with their extensive tunnel systems and thus promote the growth and resilience of plants. At the same time, ants ensure the dissemination of seeds and fungal spores. As pest killers, they keep unwanted insects in the garden in check.
Even rotting materials and carrion are disposed of quickly and efficiently by the hoofed insects. A few native species, such as the red wood ant, are considered strictly protected. Our native ant species cannot be dangerous to humans. A bite causes only minimal skin irritation in a majority of cases.
All the usefulness of the six-legged crawlers is forgotten when the ant trail does not lead through the front yard, but straight through the living room at home. In the kitchen or in the pantry, the insects then show their annoying side. Ingredients containing sugar and protein magically attract the hymenoptera. Once the scouts have discovered the delicacies, a few insects quickly grow into more. It is not only the voracity that makes ants an annoying nuisance in the house or apartment. The crawlers can spread germs. For this reason, it is important to remove affected food immediately.
Fast action is called for. If the animals feel comfortable in your apartment or house, it is difficult to get rid of them again. Even a severe winter cannot harm the ant population. At the latest in the following year you can observe the next generation of insects on their search for food.
find cause
It is understandable that hardly anyone wants to voluntarily share their living space with the small insects. Fighting ants in the house or apartment is easy. Before you resort to effective measures, you should first locate the entrance and find the reason for the massive infestation.
Leaking window and door seals are no real obstacle for ants looking for food. Porous masonry or other small openings are also an invitation for the little pests. With a heavy ant infestation, finding the entrance is easy: follow the insects. With this method you can find destination and access at the same time.
The following has proven itself as a first measure against an ant infestation in the house:
- seal holes and cracks with silicone, plaster, or clay
- set sticky traps
- Pour open food into containers immediately
- wipe regularly with vinegar water
The last point is important in order to destroy the scent trails of the insects. This confuses the ants and can completely eliminate the pest infestation in the event of a weak occurrence. It is worth keeping your eyes open for individual animals. Most of them are scouts who show the rest of the ant colony the way if they find something positive. Get rid of the animals before it comes to that.
In an apartment on the 1st floor you will have to expect less frequent visits from the hoof moth than in living rooms on the ground floor. If you like to cook and bake with the window open, wipe away any sugary residue on the floor and workspace immediately. This will prevent the ants in the garden from picking up the weather.
Pantries and pantries can be made unattractive to ants by consistently wrapping sugary foods. Use airtight containers for all open ingredients and dishes. An effective method to deny access to other harmful insects. Food moths and flour beetles are storage pests and can cause enormous damage. Unlike ants, these insects are harder to control. The use of insecticides is almost unavoidable here.
In addition to sweet foods and drinks, open dog and cat food attracts hordes of ants. This can be observed more often in the hot summer months when the meat remains in the feeding bowl for a longer period of time. Always only feed as much as your four-legged friend can eat in a few minutes. With house cats, this involves some work. In order to promote the metabolism and digestion of the house tiger, the fur noses have to eat regularly. Another option: put the food bowls on an elevated position and set up a "barricade" for the annoying ants.
Effective home remedies
There are more or less aggressive means to combat ants in the apartment or house. First try mild measures to drive the annoying insects out of your four walls permanently. In a few cases, the animals are still numerous in the living quarters. In such a situation, you should resort to other methods. It is not uncommon for smaller ants to make permanent nests in a large flower hive. For this reason, check all houseplants.
Pests on the plants can represent a potential target for the 6-legged contemporaries. It is aphids that really attract the ants with the honeydew. Both groups of insects form a kind of symbiosis. While the hymenoptera literally milk the cell-sap-sucking pests, they also offer them protection from predators.
Here it is advisable to fight aphids and ants equally. If the houseplant tolerates it, you should carry out the measure outdoors. This prevents the pests from spreading to other plants in the room and directs the ant trail away from the living areas. It is literally a diversion. The insects will quickly locate "their" aphids at the new location.
baking powder
An effective, but controversial method to combat the pesky crawlers is the application of baking soda. Similar to an oven, the powder swells up in the ants' stomachs, which inevitably leads to the death of the insects. An agonizing end, but an effective and non-toxic solution.
- sprinkle the powder at the entrances
- combine baking soda with sticky traps
- renew the barrier regularly
The only consolation: You will never be able to decimate an entire ant nest with just the valuable baking ingredient. Only a few specimens will die from the powder. This is usually enough for the ants to avoid the area in the future. Caution: Remove the "source" that attracts the insects into your apartment or house. If this is too attractive, the animals will quickly find another way to get there.
deer horn salt
Deer horn salt works in a similar way to baking soda. The classic leavening agent for baked goods releases ammonia in ants. The insects die from toxic poisoning. Completely harmless to people and pets, you can apply the deer horn salt on the ant trail. Be generous with the remedy so that the crawlers don't find an alternative route.
countermeasures
Targeted fight with scent
Like almost all insects that live in colonies, ants communicate by smell. As already mentioned, it is scouts who open up new sources of food and inform their fellow species of their finds. Take advantage of that. Ants are sensitive to foreign smells. When used in a targeted manner, you can use it to drive insects out of your living space.
Apply one of the following components liberally to the severely affected areas:
- cinnamon powder
- lemon or orange peels
- vinegar
- Dried cloves
- tea tree oil
The scent of essential useful and medicinal plants can also confuse the insects' sense of smell. Lay out freshly harvested plant parts of these herbs in a targeted manner along the ant trail.
The following plants have proven themselves for this task:
- thyme
- juniper leaves
- chervil
- lemon herb
- lemon balm
- peppermint
- lavender flowers
- fern
- coffee grounds
Take advantage of the ants' aversion to these herbs and plant the versatile plants in the garden. Alternatively, you can cultivate the plants on the windowsill. This is how you kill two birds with one stone: the ants stay away and you can enhance your dishes with fresh herbs.
In winter, you should use strong-smelling oils, such as lavender and peppermint. The advantage of the natural fragrance components: the agents are not toxic for allergy sufferers, small children or pets. Ants are not harmed by this measure either, but are only driven away by the smell.
Coffee grounds are a versatile tool. Freshly brewed, the powder conjures up a tasty drink. When used, dried, it releases a nutrient-rich fertilizer in the garden. Once you've spotted the ants' entrance, spread a thick layer of the strong-smelling powder outdoors. Renew the barrier regularly. The advantage: You can sprinkle the old coffee grounds directly into the substrate of your plants or dispose of them in the compost.
Relocate ant nest
Watching a colony of little crawlers is fascinating. The insects move about diligently, carrying loads that are many times larger than themselves. Ants are welcome in the garden. As soon as the animals, which are only a few millimeters in size, settle on the terrace or the wall of the house, caution is advised.
The way to the living quarters is not far. Porous walls of older buildings provide ideal shelter for ants. Instead of chemical substances, you can resort to a proven trick: resettle the entire nest. This works very well with a young or small population. All you need is a clay pot, wood shavings and patience.
- fill the wood shavings into the container
- put the entire container over the ant nest
- after a few days, carefully relocate the new home to the garden
You can speed up the process by uncovering the old nest a few inches deep beforehand. Simulate the attack of a predator, the ants will try to bring their offspring to safety. The clay pot offers the insects warmth and a protected new habitat.
chemical aids
insecticides
If closing the access points and applying conventional home remedies doesn't work, you have to resort to other methods. Insecticides can be helpful in keeping the ants at bay. You can get a special contact poison from specialist retailers. The insects pick it up and carry it to their nest.
There it unfolds its full effect and decimates a large part of the ant population. Get enough advice, because not every trap or contact poison is suitable for every ant species. The agents are extremely toxic, children and pets should not come into contact with the traps. Put the bait in hard-to-reach places.
biocides
A heavy ant infestation in rented apartments and houses can lead to a rent reduction. Depending on the age and thickness of the nest, removal with conventional means is difficult or impossible. In such a case, only a pest controller can help. With biocides, it tackles the ants and other pests. The exact procedure depends on the size of the living space and the number of pests. Don't reach for these toxins yourself. Improper use can lead to serious damage to health. The advantage of an "exterminator": After its use, you are rid of all annoying insects.