No matter where you live there are certain critters that live there with you. When pest control becomes an issue, you don’t necessarily want to shell out big bucks for an exterminator to do what you could likely handle on your own.
DIY pest control has certain risks, and you must take particular care not to make mistakes. If, however, you read the directions of any product carefully, apply it properly and store it appropriately, you should be able to manage many pest problems without calling in the big guns.
Identify Which Types of Ants Are Visiting
Carpenter ants are large, usually about ½ an inch in length. Usually dark brown or black, they can be reddish if they appear in Florida. They normally nest in damp and decaying wood out of doors, but if they make their way into your home, they will live in the voids and eat your studs. Most active at night, your best chance of catching them and tracking them back to their nests is in the evening or early morning hours.
Pavement ants are very small, ranging in size from 1/16 to 1/8th of an inch in size. Black, brown or some shade in between, they are attracted to any food that is left on your floor, pet food, and even bits of things you can’t see anymore. They travel in lines, most often moving at night, but you can spot them during the day as well.
Fire ants are very aggressive and can cause severe allergic reactions. While not territorial in nature, they will defend their nests enthusiastically and will attack if they feel threatened. They usually live in mounds outdoors, but have been known to enter homes to establish colonies.
Several other types of ants will enter homes for either foraging or nesting purposes. All ants can be treated similarly, through a species specific baiting program.
Why use Bait?
The real reason for using bait, even if it is a slower solution when compared with a killing spray is that the food is taken back to the nest and kills many more ants than a topical application.
Insecticide requires the application of large amounts of product, a gallon per small mound and several gallons for large ones. The toxicity of such insecticides can create problems for any other animal moving through the area. It is much easier to keep animals and children away from bait by using bait stations.
How to Apply your Bait
Pick bait that will address both protein and sugar foraging cycles. Identify several foraging trails and place bait on and around the trail. This is the best technique for both pavement and carpenter ants. It will take several days, or even a week or two, for the bait to be completely effective. The advantage is that as the bait is taken back to the nest it will also be fed to the queen, eliminating the problem at the source.
With fire ants you will need to scatter the bait around the mound or mounds. Foragers will gather the bait and take it back to the mound, again, killing the queen. Because fire ants can be dangerous, bait designed for them acts more quickly than other products. 72 hours is a normal response time.
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