Ant Management Guide

Ants are a common home-invading pest that are active during warmer months. Because of the size of their colony, ants can be challenging to control. Implementing preventative techniques and using pest control products can help to keep these pests away. We’ve gathered information to help you kick these pesky bugs out of your home. 

Ant infestations typically begin with ants looking for a food source in your home. When they find something to eat, they release pheromones that alert other ants to the food source. Ants follow these trails to your home and back to the nest. As long as they have a food source, they will keep returning to your home. Other attractants, such as moisture and shelter, can cause ants to infest homes too. To get rid of ants, you will need to remove attractants and use the right pest control products.

 Reducing Attractants

• Remove Food Sources: If ants can’t find something to eat, they won’t want to stay in your home. Ants are attracted to greasy or sugary food sources as well as protein-packed snacks. They will feed on crumbs, spills, and even your pet’s food. It’s important to remove potential food sources. Sweep, mop, and wipe down counters to remove drink or food residues, and avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink. Pick up your pet’s food bowl when they aren’t eating, and store their food in a sealed container. 
• Minimize Moisture: Ants are also attracted to sources of water. Leaky pipes and clogged drains can provide them with the water they need. Spilled water from you or your pet can also be attractive to them. Keeping your space as dry as possible will help to keep ants away. 
• Reduce Sources of Shelter: Ants can use clutter in your home and yard as sources of shelter. Regularly clean your home and keep things organized. Remove debris from your yard and keep your vegetation trimmed. Ants can use branches as a means of reaching and entering your house. 
• Seal Entry Points: Ants sneak into homes via cracks or holes. Sealing these entry points will prevent them from entering your house. Check the interior and the exterior of your home for potential openings and seal any you find using either caulk or steel wool. Make sure weather stripping, door and window screens, and seals are in good repair. 

Maggie’s Farm offers a few products for ant control. Depending on the severity of the infestation, insecticide sprays, baits, and dusts are available.

Plant-Based Insecticide Sprays

If you’re only dealing with the occasional ant, our plant-based Ant & Roach Killer aerosol spray or our Home Bug Spray trigger spray can help. They are formulated with plant essential oils as the active ingredients. They kill ants and provide residual repellency protection, helping to prevent ants from returning to your home. To create a repellent barrier around the exterior of your house that deters ants, you can also use our Yard Bug Spray. It kills ants and has repellent properties too.

Application Tips

You will want to shake the Ant & Roach Killer well before using and periodically during use. Spray the product to contact as many ants as possible. To help deter ants from entering your home, spray possible entry points including cracks near door and window frames or around the foundation of your house with our Ant & Roach Killer or our Home Bug Spray. To create a repellent barrier around your home, spray the lower portions of your foundation and the perimeter of your house with our Yard Bug Spray.

Baits

If you’re dealing with an infestation or a colony of ants, then a bait is the ideal solution. Baits, like our No Spill Ant Kill and our Ant Killer Bait, target the source of the infestation. Ants eat the bait and carry some of it back to the nest to share with the colony. As the bait spreads throughout the nest, the colony will be eliminated.

The needs of an ant colony can change depending on the species, and they will switch between sweets/carbohydrates and proteins. Protein helps them when they are in brood production mode and are trying to build their colonies. Our No Spill Ant Kill and our Ant Killer Bait are sugar-based baits. If ants are avoiding the bait, then it is likely they are looking for protein. Our Roach Killer Gel Bait is a protein-based bait and is labeled for ants as well as cockroaches.

Application Tips

Place bait stations or bait placements close to ant trails. This will make it easier for ants to find and eat the bait. You can use multiple bait placements. Our Ant Killer Bait and our Roach Killer Gel Bait can be applied to small pieces of cardboard and then placed in areas close to where ants have been seen. If you’re using a bait, don’t spray a plant-based insecticide spray near it. The repellent properties of the spray will deter ants from going to the bait. Monitor the bait to ensure that ants always have a fresh supply.

Insecticide Dusts

Our Spider & Insect Dust can help to get rid of ants and is great for treating an ant nest. It is formulated with plant essential oils as the active ingredients. Dusts work slower than sprays, but they provide longer-lasting protection. Our Spider & Insect Dust will remain effective for up to 6 months when undisturbed. You can apply dusts to areas where ants like to hide and where they can enter your home.

Application Tips

You will want to apply a light coating of dust. You can use the puffer bottle to apply the dust or use a small paintbrush to apply the dust into cracks and along edges. If treating an ant nest, cover the mound with the dust and gently puff the dust into the nest entrance. If you’re dealing with fire ants, you’ll want to be careful to not disturb the mound since these ants can sting.

Traps

Our Spider & Insect Trap can help to keep ants away. The pesticide free glue board works 24/7 to capture ants, spiders, and other crawling insects. The station protects the glue board and helps to keep children and pets from contacting the glue. It can be used to control an active pest problem or help to prevent or detect a problem.

Application Tips

Place the trap on level surfaces close to where you have seen ants. Stations work well when placed along walls or edges, close to doorways or windows, under appliances, near trash bins or food cabinets, and in garages or basements. The glue board will need to be replaced when it’s full of ants or every three months.

Ants can be tricky to control, but with the right techniques and products you can kick them out of your home.