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Soon it will be that time again: Thousands of ants spread their wings and soar into the air. The flying ants in the house are particularly annoying. These defenses help fight flying ants.

In a nutshell

  • all species grow wings
  • Ant flight between May and August
  • never use fungicides
  • not every known home remedy is effective
  • It is best to combine several methods together

Defenses against flying ants in the house

use fragrances

Like many insects, ants are sensitive to smells. While sweet scents attract small animals, intense aromas deter them. The source of the scent is best located directly at the ant's nest. But even those who distribute fragrances in the apartment put the uninvited guests to flee. Lavender is especially good for fighting flying ants. The easiest way is to cut fresh shoots from the garden, provided the lavender species is suitable for this. The newer species, although they emit a very pleasant scent that people find very harmonious, do not deter ants enough. However, French lavender and spike lavender are known for their strong aroma, which unfolds primarily after the twigs have dried.

Source: Patrick_K59, Flying Ant (15665490803), edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 2.0

Notice: The dried twigs are best kept in a small bag, as the flowers crumble a lot in this state.

Furthermore, lavender helps to keep animals from coming into the house if the gardener plants it on the house wall or in front of the patio door. Even as a houseplant on the windowsill, the violet flowers serve their purpose.
If you don't have lavender in your garden, you can use scented candles or scented oils. However, caution should be exercised with the latter option. Some agents leave stains on curtains, cushions and wooden furniture.

Notice: Finally sleeping peacefully again! This is not only possible because the annoying ants are finally gone, but also because the scent of lavender helps many people to fall asleep and has a calming effect.

Common home remedies

Of course, the good old remedies that are available in every household also come into play against flying ants.
Hint: Sometimes an ant trail on the window sill leads right through a flower pot. In this case, those affected should rather avoid acid of any kind in order not to damage the roots of the indoor plants.
Another home remedy that can put those affected on the ant trail is vinegar. Due to the pungent smell, this is only suitable for use in the house in extreme emergencies.

Sticky Tools

If there are ant trails on every corner of the house, it doesn't take long for the insects to take to the skies. Anyone who can be patient until the time of the nuptial flight will hang sticky traps in advance. Affected people prefer to attach these directly above the nest. This is easily located by the gardener tracing the ant trail back to its origin. It provides a link from the nest to the food source.

Yellow panels, which are often used in the event of a fungus gnat infestation, are rather irrelevant. Flying ants are not attracted to colors, they respond to smells. Those affected can also take advantage of this behavior by setting up traps. Anyone who puts out beer or sticky, sweet liquids such as honey or syrup attracts the insects in a targeted manner and is thus better able to kill or catch them in one fell swoop. Whether adhesive strips (available in hardware stores or drugstores) or self-made ant traps, the flying ants stick to the agent with both variants.

Once you have located the nest, you can use a third method to combat flying ants. When the animals swarm, those affected simply spray hairspray into the swarm. The agent sticks the wings together and has a similar effect to the methods mentioned.

Set up insect lights

The trade offers a whole range of means to combat flying ants. Unfortunately, in most cases these are baits or chemical fungicides. On the other hand, insect lights are environmentally friendly, as their UV light attracts flying ants. Similar to an adhesive strip, the animals stick in here.

destroy nests

In the case of a pest infestation, those affected should always fight the source of the disease. In this case it is the ant nest. Even if this is outside the house, the source of the ant plague must be destroyed. To do this, the gardener dissolves yeast in water and pours the liquid directly over the nest.

nematodes

Last but not least, those affected can also hand over the work to beneficial organisms. Nematodes are roundworms that attack flying ant brood. As described above, it destroys the origin of the population. Adult animals die sooner or later. It is crucial, however, that no new generation follows. The beneficial insects are available as a powder in small bags in specialist shops or on the Internet. Before use, the user must dissolve them in water and finally sprinkle them over the nest. They are among the most environmentally friendly defensive measures of all. However, since they are also living beings, the user must ensure appropriate conditions in which the nematodes feel comfortable. Here are a few application tips:

Source: Bob Blaylock Whidou (date removal), 20100814 175958 FungusOnDeadnematode HarposporiumAnguillulae, edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • pay attention to a suitable nematode species
  • Determine the extent of the ant plague in order to order enough beneficial insects
  • only usable in summer
  • if storage is required until use, temperatures of 4°C to 8°C are recommended
  • after dissolving in water, storage is no longer possible
  • if the temperatures are too cold (especially soil temperature), the nematodes die
  • Nematodes are sensitive to UV light
  • therefore only sprinkle over the nest early in the morning or late in the evening (if used on the terrace)
  • pour dry soil beforehand (also applies to use in the garden)

Once the nematodes have eaten all the brood, they die off shortly afterwards, leaving no damage or residue at the site of use. Incidentally, the beneficial insects do not pose any danger to humans or animals. Therefore, they are a much better alternative than ant bait to combat flying ants.

Tip: Many home remedies require multiple applications. But even the repeated application of scents or other substances does not promise the desired success one hundred percent. In order to combat flying ants, it is therefore advisable to combine several measures with each other.

Inappropriate home remedies

Of course, the person concerned wants to get rid of the ant population as quickly as possible. However, there are some remedies that fight the insects effectively, but let them die a slow, painful death. This includes:

  • deer horn salt
  • baking powder
  • and baking soda

When the ants eat the powder, their bodies swell up internally until they finally burst.
Dousing them with boiling water is another way to wipe out a population in no time. But no matter how annoying flying ants may be in your own four walls, viewed from another perspective they are actually beneficial creatures that make an important contribution to a functioning ecosystem. There are plenty of other ways to drive animals away without causing them this much pain. Furthermore, methods are known which are extremely environmentally friendly and animal-friendly, but whose efficiency is questionable. For example, it should help:

  • to draw a chalk line in front of the door
  • to disrupt the course of an ant trail with eggshells
  • Scattering copper coins on the floor

Experience has shown that these measures only irritate the animals for a short time, if at all. If you still want to try it, you can of course try it anyway.

Prevention as the best defense

Even in summer it is advisable to keep doors and windows closed as much as possible. This applies in particular to the patio door. Of course, it is impossible to do without regular airing. In this case, a fine-meshed fly screen helps to prevent insects from entering. However, insects not only use obvious openings to get into the house, but also crawl through small cracks in the walls. If you seal them with silicone, you prevent a population in the apartment. Ants are constantly looking for food and prefer sweet foods. Fresh fruit therefore belongs in the refrigerator or in a well-closed kitchen cupboard, just like cakes or sticky spreads. It is also advisable to change the garbage more frequently in summer.

frequently asked Questions

Are flying ants harmful?

No, flying ants are not dangerous. They are neither poisonous nor do they damage plants. Still, her demeanor gets on my nerves. However, there is a risk if it is not the usual native species. These include, for example, the pharaoh ant, the lawn ant and the black-grey garden ant. Depending on the type, they contaminate food or eat into the wood of the interior. upon identification, an exterminator must be contacted immediately.

When do insects fly?

If you already have ants in your garden, you have to reckon with flying animals all summer long. As soon as they are sexually mature, they grow wings and start looking for a partner. From late May through August, they fly through the air to find a potential mate. Flying ants are not a separate species. Behavior is typical of all species.

Why are the flying ants cavorting near the indoor plants of all places?

Here, too, the ants are looking for food. Aphids may have settled on the leaves of the houseplant. After sucking the sap from the leaves, they excrete a sticky film called honeydew. This attracts ants, who love to feast on it. Aphids and ants are known to live in symbiosis.

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Garden design