Ants:
Argentine Ants, Odorous House Ants, Pavement Ants, Pharaoh Ants and Others
Least-Toxic
Options
Step One. Is it a Problem?
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There may be as many as 20,000 different types, or species of ants!
Each species has their own habits, life cycle, geographic distribution
and needs for food, water and shelter. Only a very few ant species
have potential to cause problems for humans - all ant species are beneficial is
some way in the right environment.
Ants are social insects,
living in groups of individuals that may have specialized tasks - such
as foraging for food, defending the colony or reproduction. Some
ants develop wings during times of dispersal and new colony formation.
Most often, a single ant
wandering through your home or workplace is seeking out food, water or
shelter. If the ant finds one or more of these resources, it may
return to the nest and recruit others to the resource. If
you see one or more ants carrying solid particles of food, or with
swollen, food-filled abdomens (ant bellies), they are probably returning
to the nest to feed others.
Solving most ant problems is
simply a matter of cleaning up the food or water that is attracting the
ants and removing the offending ants to the outdoors.
Fire
Ants and Carpenter Ants.
Fire ants can sting
animals and humans. Carpenter ants
can cause extensive structural damage if left unchecked. Follow
the links to learn more about managing these pests.
Step Two. Inspection ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have an ongoing problem, have the
problem ant identified accurately. Identifying the ant can help
you learn if the problem is a serious one requiring professional
help. Identifying the ants can also indicate where to find nests,
what the nests look like, which food sources might be attracting them, and
other information useful for crafting long-term, permanent solutions.
To
identify, capture one or more of the ants and place in a plastic
bag. Place the bag in the freezer overnight to kill the ants,
and mail in crush-proof packaging to your Cooperative Extension office
- after checking with them to verify they will provide this service
and what fees might be involved..
To
locate nests, attractants and other conditions that lead to ant
problems, carefully inspect the area where the problem is
occurring.
Indoors.
Follow ants back to their nests or entryways/exits where
possible. Like many insects, ants often travel along edges - so
look for ants along the edge of walls and under the edge of
carpeting. Baseboards may also have crevices where they meet the
floor, providing a sheltered runway for ants. A spatula or
similar device can often be used to flush ants out into the open.
Once
you've located where ants are entering the building interior, take a
look outside in the same area for a trail of ants on or alongside the
building. Follow this to where the trail enters the
building. Solving the problem may be as simple as sealing the
entry hole with caulk.
Some
ants will nest in structures, even carrying dirt or other debris into
the building with them. If sealing any entry holes does not
solve the problem, professional help may be needed to locate and
remove a nest or nests within the building.
Where
ongoing or frequent problems occur, a monthly inspection of buildings
and grounds for nests and attractive conditions can help keep problems
under control. See prevention
below for suggestions on what to look for, and how to correct these
conditions.
Step Three. Prevention --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"A thorough, long-term ant management
program involves correcting any conditions in and around the
structure which may be contributing to the ant infestation.
THESE ITEMS MUST BE CORRECTED FIRST!! If only insecticides are
used to control ants, the program will ultimately fail and the ants
will return."
-
Stoy Hedges, in Field Guide to the Management of
Structure-Infesting Ants, Pest
Control Technology.
Open food containers, pet food dishes
and other food and moisture sources can attract ants. Keep
these away from doors and windows. Clean up food spills promptly
and thoroughly. Store food in sealed plastic containers, or
refrigerate or freeze. Use
plastic trash can liners and keep the inside and outside of the can
clean.
Place
outdoor garbage cans and dumpsters away from buildings and use tight-fitting or spring-fitted lids and keep these
closed and in good repair. Empty outdoor trash cans and dumpsters frequently.
Rinse
recyclables before storing, and store in a sealed container. Areas around outdoor trash cans and dumpsters should be
checked daily and kept clean and free of attractants.
Maintain
and repair exterior surfaces of buildings to keep ants out.
On a regular basis, locate and seal any holes in masonry, stucco, and siding, or around plumbing or electrical
entries. Install or repair door sweeps and door and window
seals. Repair or replace loose or damaged shingles, splintered or rotten
siding or fascia boards. Cover
attic, crawl space or other vents with fine mesh screen if ants are
using those as entryways. Address any moisture problems that may be
causing damp wood - which can become a home for carpenter or other ants.
Keep vegetation and debris away from
building walls and foundations. Ants are reluctant to cross open
areas - don't provide them with cover by mulching next to foundations or
allowing leaf litter or other debris to build up there. Trim trees,
shrubs, vines and other plants so that no vegetation touches foundations,
walls, gutters, soffits, eaves or roofs. These plants can become
travel ways leading ants to the building.
Step
Four. Least-Toxic,
Non-Chemical Options --------------------------------------------------------------
1.
Soap and water can be used to "clean up" individual ants
and to remove any scent trail they may have deposited to recruit other
ants to a food or moisture source.
2.
Fly swatters or rolled up newspaper can be used to shoo or kill individual
ants that wander into buildings. Vacuums may also be used
to suck up individual insects.
3.
Sticky traps baited with a food item may capture some ants - but
ants can be very creative in avoiding becoming stuck and may simply
use the trap as a food source. Many baited traps are available
that contain an insecticide - look under least-toxic chemical options,
below, to make sure you purchase a "least-toxic" product.
4.
Physical
removal of nests in walls, floors or ceilings is best left to a
professional! To avoid damaging structures and possibly
dispersing ants to form new nests, removing nests within structures is
best done professionally. Ants nesting outdoors are most likely
not the source of your problem - removal or treatment of outdoor ant
nests is not recommended unless you have confirmed they are the source
of the problem and other measures have failed to prevent their entry
into the structure.
Step 5. Least-Toxic Chemical Options
Use with Justification-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All pesticides can be hazardous and
should be used as a last resort, only when non-chemical measures are not
effective. Use of the following pesticide products may be
justified when non-chemical measures are not adequate to resolve a
problem. These products contain ingredients which meet our criteria for least
toxic. Warning.
Note:
For detailed product information, click on the product
name to link to the Pesticide Action Network Database. This option is
available for EPA- registered pesticides only.
The
following products are least-toxic pesticides contained in an enclosed bait
station, reducing the possibility that pets or people might come in contact
with the pesticide.
Use with Restrictions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The
following products are least-toxic pesticides in liquid or gel form.
These should be applied where people and pets will not come in contact with
the pesticide. For example, apply to a crack or crevice close to where
ants have been found. Warning.
Although
the ingredients in the following products meet our criteria for
least-toxic, these pesticides are dust
or aerosol
formulations. Dust and aerosol formulations do not meet our criteria
for least-toxic and should be used with the restrictions noted below
to reduce inhalation hazards. Warning.
Note: For
detailed product information, click on the product
name to link to the Pesticide Action Network Database. This option is
available for EPA- registered pesticides only.
Click here
to see a list of pesticides for ants that do not meet
our criteria for least toxic.
