Ants are definitely not picky eaters, but they do have their preferences, especially the ants that will infest a home. These ant species can be categorized as sugar or grease ants, based on the type of food that they prefer. Figuring out which species is in your home will help you pick out the right bait. Sugar ants obviously prefer sugar, and they can be baited using jam, honey, and even sugar water. Grease ants on the other hand will prefer protein or fat, with nut butter being an ideal bait. Once you know the type of food the ants prefer, you can mix it with insecticides such as powdered borax or liquid ant killers, drop the bait on wax paper and watch as the insects fall into your trap.
You can set up both baits at first next to each other near an ant trail or near the entrance point to the nest, and then check back later to see which the ants prefer. If you do not want to waste insecticide, you can just set up the unlaced food initially. There are also some ant species such as the carpenter ant, which will go for both.
Destroying an entire colony will take some time and effort, but there are situations where a DIY solution just won’t be able to do the job. If the infestation is large enough, you might go through an entire tube of liquid ant killer and still see ants scurrying around the home after. At this point, your only option is to call a pest control specialist.
A professional will try to first assess the situation in order to find the most effective treatment method, and he will look for the source of the infestation. After that, the professional will pick up the right type of bait based on the ant species and the time of the year, since ant feeding patterns change with the season. For example, in the spring, ants will look for food sources that are high in protein and fat in order to grow the colony, while in the summer, they will look for carbohydrates in order to sustain the population of the nest. If baits and insecticides are not enough, physical control methods may also be necessary to contain the infestation. Contact us today if you have any questions about ant control or if you are dealing with a large ant infestation.