Try combining three parts powdered sugar with one part boric acid. The sugar will lure the ants in and the boric acid will kill them, Pereira says. Liquid is better—adult ants prefer to drink their food—so water this stuff down a little. “I recommend this to a lot of people,” Pereira says.
Ants are attracted to sources of food, which are generally a combination of sugar and water. You'll also need a container to place your bait into, which can be any size, from a cup or glass to a gallon bucket. Bait can be as simple as sugar and water, but feel free to use other food like fruit, vegetables, or starch.
Mixing baking soda and sugar is the best combination that you can use to eliminate pesky ants. The sugar will lure ants, and the baking soda will kill them eventually, and it works the same as borax. If you want a safer bait for ants, baking soda is the one as it is non-toxic.
3. Honey Trap. Ants are too indulged to sweet food, and honey is one of their favorites. They will quickly go to places where they can find food sources, especially sugary food.
Baking soda is one of the most effective way to take out an ant infestation. And, it is always a good idea to target the whole colony at once if you want to stop the outbreak in its tracks.
That being said, what they are most interested in is sugar, water, and salt. Sugar - Since sugar contains a very high amount of carbohydrates, ants will eat anything they can get sugar from. Sugar also has a very sweet and alluring scent that will draw ants towards it.
Although ants are attracted to almost all types of human food, they are particularly drawn to sweets such as honey, candies, jellies, or syrup. Food spills, scraps, and messes are also tempting sources of foods. Garbage is another food source for ants. Avoid throwing leftover foods in the trash bin.
Salt-boil salt and water into a mixture and once cooled, pour into a spray bottle and spray nooks and corners. Oranges-half fresh orange juice and half water sprayed around your home will keep the pests out and keep your home smelling nicely. Essential Oils-used like lemon or orange juices.
You can eliminate the pheromone scent that forms ant trails by spraying a mixture of water and vinegar onto it. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, spray down the ant trail and wipe up with a paper towel. The scent of vinegar also acts as an ant deterrent, but will only last for four to 48 hours.
The most effective way of getting rid of ants permanently is to call a professional pest controller. They can eliminate an infestation as well as put measures in place to ensure you're never faced with one again.
In a small bowl or cup, mix 1 tablespoon of borax (a laundry booster related to boric acid, but milder) with 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar, and then blend in just enough shortening or lard to make the mixture crumbly (about a teaspoon). Put crumbs of bait on pieces of waxed paper and place them near ant trails.
The sugar attracts the ants, and the baking soda is what kills them: It reacts with the acid in their digestive system, and they explode. Place the mixture in strategic locations and wait for the baking soda to do its thing.
So why are ants not eating the bait? The most common reason is that the bait that you placed doesn't contain the food source that they need at the moment. They usually feed on foods that are based on the needs of the colony at the time.
Sugar is the food that ants are most drawn to. Sadly, sugar may be found in the majority of foods and drinks. They enjoy chowing down on sweet-smelling foods and beverages that contain high fructose corn syrup. Ants benefit greatly from food spills and crumbs, and ants favor any food that has a strong smell.
Essential oils such as peppermint, lavender, and thyme work well to repel ants. You can use a diffuser, set out dishes of essential oils, or leave out cotton balls soaked in essential oils to deter pesky ants.
You might just find yourself crying over spilt milk (or formula) when you end up having to get rid of an ant infestation. Ants like the sweetness of baby formula or breast milk and will come running when they catch the scent of it.
Cayenne Pepper or Black Pepper
Both cayenne and black pepper repel ants. Ants hate cayenne pepper. Black pepper will work just as well too. Locate the source of the ant infestation problem, sprinkle some pepper around that area and if possible, create a wall that will stop the ants from accessing your household.
Killing ants will, definitely, attract more ants because the dead ants release pheromones that attract or rather alert, nearby ants. If you want more information about what happens when you kill ants, keep reading through this article.
It is advised not to squash ants, doing so will only release pheromones and trigger more ants to come to the location and cause more trouble to you and your family. Ants are known to pack a deadly bite that causes excruciating pain for a short time.
Always remember that Vinegar is not a permanent solution to remove an ant infestation. It is reasonable to spread the solution thrice a week over the affected areas to remove ants slowly.
If you mix it incorrectly, it won't kill the ants because they likely won't eat it in the first place. You also may not use the right amount of the treatment. It's important to be able to identify the size of the infestation so you know how much treatment to use to kill the ant colony.
You can mix borax powder with confectioner's sugar, and then sprinkle it around your yard, near anthills, and ant trails. You can also warm some honey and mix in borax powder, then drizzle the mixture in places where ants will find it.