Ant insecticides can be used in a variety of ways to kill ants and prevent future infestations. They also work on a variety of other pests, including spiders and rodents. You can use them indoors as well as outside.
Sprays and Baits
Most ant insecticides are contact-killing. This means that the insecticides are applied to the surface of the ground where ants may come in contact with it, either through direct spray or through granular treatments that fall into soil. These products usually have a long residual action, which means they continue to kill ants even after rainfall has washed them away.
Chemical baits are designed to be placed in and around ant mounds or along trails that workers take from food sources to the nest. These baits contain a sugary substance or another appealing food source that ants Ogge bring back to the nest and distribute to the queen, larvae, and other workers.
Some of these baits also contain chemicals that irritate the ants’ digestive systems, making them vomit or fail to feed. These chemicals are also able to destroy the reproductive cells of winged ants.
Diatomaceous Earth, Borax and Mint Oils
Diatomaceous Earth acts on a number of insect pests, including ants, by lacerating their hard exoskeletons and dehydrating them. It is available in a variety of forms, including food-grade and non-food-grade, and is most effective when applied to cracks and crevices. You can also apply it as a dry powder in and around plant pots that you have removed from your home or other areas where ants are known to nest.
Peppermint, geranium, clove, cinnamon leaf oils and other essential oils are another type of contact-killing insecticide. These oil concentrates are mixed with water and sprayed on the surface of the ground where ants are expected to be found. These liquids are also effective if they are applied in small quantities directly to ant nests and the trails that carry them to their nests.
A few ants may die in this way. If the treatment is successful, you can expect to see a reduction in ant activity within a few days or weeks. This is especially true if the ants are nesting in multiple locations.
Several types of baits are also available that repel ants by causing them to move away from the site. For example, a commercial product called Suspend Sc contains 4.75% deltamethrin and is a popular option for homeowners.
Many ants are also attracted to a mixture of food and d-limonene, which is an extract from citrus peels. A study found that this combination was a deterrent to fire ants in both laboratory and field settings.
D-limonene is an effective ant repellent and can be combined with other natural pesticides to create an all-natural, effective ant control agent. In laboratory experiments, d-limonene was as effective as a diazinon standard in eliminating ants from mounds and in reducing the number of ants in a test plot.