Ant Insecticides – How to Get Rid of Ants in Your Home
Ants can be a nuisance in a wide variety of environments, including residential properties. They are a natural pest and are a common irritant to homeowners, pets, and children. Fortunately, there are several effective control options that can help you get rid of ants in your home or on your property.
Sprays & Baits
The first and most popular option is to spray the affected area with a contact insecticide, usually applied as an aerosol or liquid. These products may also be available as a dry powder or granular bait to target specific ant species and nests. These products work best to eliminate ants that are already present on the lawn or landscape surface but are less effective at eliminating ants nesting in the soil or buried underground.
These types of ant control strategies are more expensive than some other approaches. They can be difficult to apply correctly and require a great deal of expertise in insect biology and ant nesting behavior.
In addition, these techniques may not be effective against ants that are hiding or nesting deep within the soil, and some ants will continue to nest in the treated areas. This may create a new problem in the future because it can be difficult to treat and re-treat ants that have escaped from treatment sites.
When using these ant control methods, the best approach is to choose the product with the lowest level of residual and use it as directed. This will minimize the amount of insecticide that gets washed away in runoff and reduce the potential for water contamination by sprays around a house or in the ground around a pond.
The most common insecticides maurmiddel used in the United States to control ants include bifenthrin, fipronil, pyrethroids, and organophosphates. Most of these chemicals are relatively fast-acting and can be applied as aerosols, liquids or granules. They also are more effective in smaller areas.
These ant control options are more convenient and easy to use than sprays and baits, but they may not be as effective in controlling ants. These products may not be able to kill all ants and do not sanitize the treated area as well as sprays or baits.
Dry Mound Treatments
Dry mound treatments are convenient to use, and they do not leave a toxic residue in the yard. However, they are slower to work than drenches and sometimes some ants will survive and return to the mound later. If you have a mound that you need to treat, sprinkle the appropriate amount of powder over and around it. Be patient, it may take a few days to completely destroy the mound.
Essential Oils
Insecticides that are scented with essential oils can be an attractive way to kill ants in the landscape and inside homes. These sprays often contain essential oils such as cedarwood, peppermint and clove, which can be especially effective at killing fire ants.
The scented sprays we’ve chosen are safe to use around children and pets, which makes them an ideal choice for many households. They can be used as a deterrent to ants or as an air freshener. We particularly like the Mighty Mint spray, which contains peppermint oil and other plant-based ingredients that can repel ants while also killing them. It’s a 128-ounce bottle that will last you several treatments.