In this article we will discuss identifying sugar ants, and teach you how to get rid of them. Camponotus consobrinus also known as odorous house ants, sugar ants This species of ant usually small in size and mostly black and brown in color. These are called sugar ants because of their high attraction towards sugary things.
Sugar ants are the most common species of ants that are found in homes. Coming springtime, sugar ants will begin to invade homes again in search of food and water. Most sugar ants come from outside your home. They have about four to five times more strong odor receptors than other insects and can smell food from a long distance. When these ants recognize the food smell, the only one ant needs to trace the food. Once this ant finds the food supply it release the pheromone trail for other ants to follow. These ants come through cracks, cervix and other openings of your homes. Sugar ants make their nest in the walls of homes.
Sugar ants release a chemical compound for their defensive mechanism which smells like rotting coconuts. That’s why these ants are also known as “Odorous house ant” or “coconut ant”. Sugar ants are not directly dangerous to humans but these ants can contaminate uman food which is dangerous for our health. So, it is necessary to eliminate the sugar ants from home to safe food from contamination. Sugar ants are difficult to control because of their large number infestation and hidden nest. But there are some natural ways that are useful to eradicate sugar ants. Before following these ways to get rid of sugar ants, you need to learn how to recognize the sugar ants.
RECOGNIZING SUGAR ANTS:
Having ants invade your home can be an extremely unpleasant experience. The first and most important step in elimination of these pests from your home is determining which type of ant is in your home. Sugar ants are one of the most common, aggravating species of ants, and they can easily invade into your home Sugar ants are attracted to your home because of food spills Sugar ants have their own specific characteristics that differentiate them from other ants. By knowing these characteristics you can easily recognize the sugar ants.
Size:___ These are small in size and vary from 5-15mm. Minor worker ants are smaller than major worker ants. Queen are the largest ant in the colony.
Color:___ Both female and male ants are differ in colors. Female sugar ants are easily recognized because of their black head and orange thorax while male sugar ants are completely black only small parts of their thorax and legs having a rusty colour.
Legs:___ All sugar ants have six legs.
Antennae:___ All sugar ants have antennae Antenna are highly sensitive and contain both touch and smell receptors. It helps to follow the scent trail.
Diet:___ These ants feed on nectors, secretion of various plants and sugary foods.
Habitat:____ These ants are active in the summer season and mostly found in the kitchen, cupboards and walls. Outside the home they live in soil, grasslands and in trees.
ERADICATING SUGAR ANTS:
Sugar ants are attracted to your home because of food spills. Keep your kitchen shelves clean and make sure the foods in your cabinets are sealed tightly. This will make it less likely that sugar ants will view your home as a food source. Even after cleaning up, you somehow missed a few drops of sugar syrup or food leftover on the kitchen counter. This will give opportunity to sugar ants to infestation into the kitchen and contaminate the other foods also. So, the homeowner needs urgent removal of these sugar ants. There are a number of pesticides available in the market that helps in eradication of sugar ants. But if you are not really comfortable using chemicals to kill the sugar ants and you are afraid for the safety of your family and pets, there are still plenty of eco-friendly ways that you can use to get rid of sugar ants like:
Cleaning:
Just like many other pests, ants require their daily nourishment, and the place with the most food reserves in your home such as the kitchen. However, as ants are not that big, especially sugar ants (small ants) don’t really need plenty of food to be full.
Even the smallest amount of leftovers is like a buffet breakfast for them. So, the important thing you need to do to get rid of them is to make sure that your kitchen space is wiped clean from all the food leftovers, like bread crumbs on the table and counters.
Vinegar:
Vinegar is used to eradicate the sugar ants because it contains the acetic acid which breaks the scent trail and acts as a deterrent against them. Mix equal amounts of vinegar and water and pour the solution into a spray bottle. After tracing the ants entry point, spray on all entrance points and trails . To get maximum result use this home remedy in the morning or late afternoon when ants are most active.
Coffee Grounds:
Ants hate the smell and acidity of coffee because it burns them. So, coffee grounds can be used to repel sugar ants. Spread these coffee grounds around pet bowls and other areas where you want to repel sugar ants. You can also sprinkle coffee grounds outside your home to prevent ants from entering into home.
Honey and corn syrup:
Make a mixture of honey and corn syrup. Pleace this mixture on a disposable plate. Sugar ants will be attracted to the bait and get stuck in the gooey substance and will die soon. Once the ants are dead, discard the plate and remove the trash from your home.
Cloves, Bay leaves, and Garlic:
As you’ve probably noticed already, ants are quite sensitive to strong smells, which means that cloves, bay leaves, and garlic also have a strong deterring effect when placed around in the house.
Just put them in locations that have a stronger ant concentration. The strong smell will confuse the senses of the ants and keep them away to home
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is a popular pest repellent because it is not toxic for humans or pets. It just looks like a white powdery substance, but on a microscopic level, it’s actually filled with millions of rough particles that can kill ants from the inside. Pour a generous amount of food-grade diatomaceous earth on ants. It will cause dehydration in sugar ants and will kill them within 48 hours.
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