Pest control for ants is a sensitive topic for homeowners. Finding ants in the home is very common. Ants are the most problematic house pests with 56 percent of householders reporting ant invasions within the last year.

Ants invade your home. They build dirt mounds outdoors and establish ant nests inside the home. Sometimes it may seem as if ant control is impossible. It would be an understatement to say that ants are hard to do away with and tough to deal with.

Why are ants so hard to get rid of?

No matter what you do to kill or get rid of ants they appear to always come back right? If you spray insecticide, ants will disappear for some time, but eventually, they will return in full force. So, why are ants so troublesome and difficult to eliminate? Here are a few reasons why ants are hard to eliminate and defeat:

• First, ants live in large colonies. These colonies can contain anywhere from a few hundred to tens of thousands of ants. If you fail to kill all the ants in a colony, the survivors with regenerate.
• Second, ants build their homes and colonies in out-the-way and hard to access places. Your treatment efforts will be unsuccessful unless you use multiple pest control methods.
• Third, ants are elusive and hard to kill because they do not stay in place. If you spray ants they will run away to a safer spot, regroup, and avoid your poison.
• Fourth, ants have developed an immunity to many of the national brand pesticides that are so heavily advertised.

Indeed ants are a tough opponent to defeat in just one fight, you have to go the distance to eliminate them for good. When

Ant Insecticides

There are many types of ant insecticide, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. However, the four most common chemical insecticides for ants are…

• Liquid Sprays: Spray insecticide products kill ants on contact.
• Baits: There are sugar-based, fat-based, and protein-based baits. Baits are slow-acting and are carried back to the colony.
• Dusts: are a contact insecticide (i.e. boric acid, diatomaceous earth) that insects and pests walkthrough. effective where liquid sprays are ineffective.
• Foams:  designed for use in cracks and crevices inside and outside of homes.

How to get rid of ants once and for all!

Are you ready to give you backyard back to your kids and remove ants from your home? There are many pest control methods for removing and treating ants.

As a homeowner you can try insecticide poison, baits, sprays, powders, granulates and even pour boiling water over the ant mound. If you indiscriminately go around dumping poisons everywhere you will not get the results you seek using any of these methods.

The instructions listed below will show you how to get rid of the most common ant species.

Important Note: Before placing down ant baits you should remove and eliminate nearby food sources. This will improve the likelihood that ants will take your bait.

Argentine ant

• Where you’ll find the Argentine ant – they prefer to nest in moist soil near or underneath buildings
• How to get rid of the Argentine ant – a combined sugar-fat-protein liquid bait is most effective. Place the combined slow-acting bait to kill multiple queens.

Carpenter ant

• Where you’ll find Carpenter ants – the carpenter ant also likes moist environments. Look for them outside in damp, hollowed-out, and rotting wood. Inside find them along baseboards, in window sills and crawling on walls.
• How to get rid of Carpenter ants – they respond well to slow-acting sugar and protein ant bait.

Fire ant

• Where you’ll find Fire ants – will first set up outdoors anywhere they like. Inside they are attracted to electrical currents and can be found loitering near appliances.
• How to get rid of Fire ants – the best approach to defending against fire ants is to broadcast/spread ant bait across the entire yard. Disturb and pour liquid insecticide on mounds.

Odorous House ants

• Where you’ll find tiny and small Odorous house ants – can be found nesting inside and outside the house underneath mulch, rocks, and wood debris.
• How to get deal with Odorous house ants – feed this pest either sugar-based, fat-based, or protein-based ant bait to see which one they want most. Appling a perimeter treatment of liquid insecticide is best to keep them out of your house.

Longhorn Crazy ant

• Where you’ll find Longhorn crazy ants – here is another outdoor ant that loves moisture. Look for them outside in garbage, in potted plants, and in wood materials.
• How to get rid of Longhorn ants – combine a sugar and protein-based ant bait. Pest control for this species of ant can sometimes be difficult.

Pavement ant

• Where you’ll find Pavement ants – can be found outdoors in the cracks of paved and concrete surfaces such as driveways, patios, roads, and sidewalks. Inside they can be found in wall cracks.
• How to get rid of Pavement ants – sprays, dusts, and foams are the best trail treatment options for this ant species.

Pharaoh ant

• Where you’ll find the small Pharaoh ants – unlike most ants that prefer moisture, pharaoh ants thrive in warm areas near water. Because they like water when inside they will gravitate to kitchens and bathrooms.
• How to get rid of Pharaoh ants – baiting with sugar and protein is the preferred treatment method for the pharaoh ant. For outdoor applications, broadcasting is also recommended for ant infestations.

Tawny Crazy ant

• Where you’ll find Tawny crazy ants – typically this ant hangs out in moist areas such as damp soil, compost piles, potted plants, and rock gardens.
• How to get rid of Tawny crazy ants – prepare and place a sugar and protein-based ant bait along trails to get rid of the tawny crazy ant.

Thief ant

• Where you’ll find Thief ants – like to hide out of sight. They establish their outdoor home near rocks and rotting woodpiles & stumps. Indoors, they occupy space behind baseboards, cabinets, and countertops.
• How to get rid of Thief ants – a liquid spray insecticide is the best treatment option for the thief ant species. Spray a non-repellent insecticide around the perimeter of your house and don’t forget to target the nest during outdoor treatments.

When to call a professional ant exterminator

Call a professional when you can not handle the ant situation on your own. Understand the behavior and nesting habits of this insect is challenging. Despite your best efforts and even when you do everything right you may not succeed in ant control. Don’t be afraid or too ashamed to ask for professional help.

Pest control experts and exterminators have the equipment, knowledge, and training to step in when your do it yourself pest control methods do not work. They respond to service calls daily, and will almost have a better idea of which ant treatment methods are working best in your location.

Final Thoughts On Pest Control For Ants

You are now armed with enough knowledge and actionable information to be deadly to ants. Try out the methods and treatment options we discuss here to determine what works best for you. In the event that nothing works, you should seek commercial advice and fire a professional assist you in handling your insect problem.