Posted March 7, 2024 by Sarah Malone
Category: Advice, Ants

One of the most annoying visitors in Australian households are the tiny and persistent ant. Although ants play an important role in our ecosystem, having them invade your home can be a nuisance and can sometimes cause health risk. Luckily there are things you can do to help control ant infestations in your home.

Types of Ants:

Australia holds a wide range of ant species and each different type have their own behaviours. It is important to identify what type of ant that is invading your home to use the most effective treatment method. Some of the more common types found in homes are:

• Black House Ant: These ants are a larger black ant usually found in kitchens, bathrooms and electrical equipment looking for water and food sources.

• Sugar Ants: These ants are small and reddish-brown in colour and are usually attracted to sugar substances which is how they got their name. They will be seen in trails looking for crumbs, pet food or spills.

• Bull Ants: These ants are usually found outside and are large and aggressive. You should always be very careful around them.

How to prevent ants in your home:

Prevention is Key:

It is always best to put steps in place to prevent ants from wanting to invade your home. Some ways to make your home less inviting are as follows:

• Seal off entry points: Have a look around your home for any gaps or cracks around the windows and doors as these are potential entry points and ensure that you seal these areas with suitable materials.
• Keep your areas clean: Ensure you never leave crumbs or food out. By keeping food in sealed containers and cleaning up any spills you are removing potential food sources.
• Don’t leave pet food out: Never leave pest bowls out for long periods of time.
• Keep lids on garbage bins: Empty bins regularly and ensure they have a tight fitting lid on them.

Natural Approaches to Treat Ants:

Sometimes a natural approach can be enough to treat ants in your house before having to contact a professional. Some common solutions are:

• Vinegar: You can make your own spray by mixing equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. This can be used to disrupt their trails.
• Diatomaceous Earth: This is a natural powder which is made from fossilized algae. It is sprinkled around the entry points and ant trails and will dehydrate the ants.
• Sugar and Baking Soda: Using equal parts of baking soda and sugar to make solution is used to treat ants. The sugar attracts the ants and the baking soda will disrupt their digestive system however this method can also harm other insects and not just the ants.

Professional Help to Treat Ants:

If you find that the natural approach isn’t helping then it is time to call a professional. A professional will be able to identify the type of ant which helps with a more targeted treatment. In some cases, you can find the nest and treat it directly. A professional has access to safe and effective insecticides and can bait ants when a nest is not located at the time of the treatment. The ants will carry the bait back to their hidden nest to feed the rest of the colony.

Things to remember:

When ever treating ants, yourself always read and follow instructions on any products purchased from the hardware store and keep these products out for reach of children and pets.

Ants are a migrating insect and new nests can form after treating old nests and further treatments may be required for these new nests.

If in doubt always contact a professional for further advice or check out our page on ants and help identifying them.