ANTS

Ants are social insects with one quadrillion of them on earth at any time.  They are beneficial; eating any insect they can find.  For example, the Argentine ant kills subterranean termites, aerates soil and recycles dead animal and vegetable matter.  On the whole ants provide an ecological cleansing and fertilization service of great importance.  However, they become pestiferous when they invade the home.

It is important to distinguish an ant from a termite.  The distinguishing features are:

          Termite:       Both wings are the same size with many veins.  Broad waist.

          Ant:             Hind wings smaller than front wings with few veins.  Thin waist.

The following species of ants are found in our area:

DETECTION

Observe the ants and determine (1) on what they are feeding, (2) how they are entering the house, (3) are they nesting in the house or coming in directly from the outdoors, and (4) are they biting or stinging ants.  Carpenter ants can be identified by sudden appearance of large winged ants in the spring; piles of sawdust-like material expelled from nests, or a rustling noise in the wall, floor, woodwork or prefabricated doors that is loud enough to hear when you place your ear against the surface.

CONTROL MEASURES

General control measures for ants in the home include:

1. Proper storage of food:  glass jars with rubber seals or inner gaskets, or plastic containers with tight fitting snap-on lids.
2. Waste management:  clean all kitchen surfaces, thoroughly sweep floors, and rinse containers before tossing in waste containers.
3. Caulk cracks, preferably with a silicone caulk.  If ants are already nesting in cracks or in wall voids, apply an absorptive dust, boric acid dust or a desiccant.  Use CAUTION.  Do not inhale – wear a dust mask and goggles to protect lungs and eyes.

TREATMENTS:

1. Quick fix in kitchen or bathroom:  Determine entrance and mark the point.   Determine what they are after.  Fill a basin with soapy water and wipe up the ants with a sponge dipped in this water.  Or put a teaspoon of detergent in a quart plastic bottle, fill it with water, spray and mop up ants.  Once you have killed most of the ants, block the point of entry temporarily with a smear of petroleum jelly or duct tape.  Use caulking to permanently seal the entrance.
2. Set out baits (Terro Ant Killer II®, Maxforce®, Pharaoh Ant Killer or Granular Insect Bait, Drax Ant Bait®).  Ants are attracted to the slow killing bait, will carry it back to the nest, regurgitate it and feed it to others in the nest.  In several weeks the ant problem should be controlled.
3. Sticky barriers (Stickem®, Tanglefoot®, Sticky Stuff®) will provide limited control of ants.
4. Flood indoor plants with water forcing the ants to leave.
5. Repeated flooding every few days will force outdoor ants, including fire ants, to move their nests.  This is a good treatment for the pavement ant.  Hot or cold water plus detergent will kill some ants.
6. Chemical treatments of silica aero gel with pyrethrum (Revenge®, Pursue®, Drione®) and insecticidal soap may be used in the home. 
7. Chemical treatments of Orthene®, Demon® and malathion may be used outside.  Spray or dust a 6-10 foot band around the foundation wall and up 2-3 feet on the foundation wall.
8. Argentine & Odorous Ants:  Indoors:  Use baits containing fipronil, hydramethylnon or sulfuramid (Combat®, MaxAttrax®, Raid® or Spectracide®).  If infestation persists, dust voids with cyfluthrin, silicon dioxide, deltamethrin, 5% carbaryl (Sevin) boric acid or permethrin dusts (Bayer®, Concern®, Enforcer®, Zep®, Garden Tech®, Victor®, Ortho®).

Outdoors:  Use same baits as for indoors.  Apply bait hydramethylon granules (Combat®) or use a 3.75% pyrethroid spray (Spectracide Pro Residual®).

9. Carpenter Ants:  Nests found indoors:  Spray with aerosol bifenthrin (Ortho Home Defense®) or with permethrin or cyfluthrin bait (Eliminator®, Spectracide®, Zep®).  Nests found outdoors: Spray with aerosol bifenthrin (Ortho Home Defense®) or drench with permethrin or cyfluthrin bait (Eliminator®, Spectracide®, Zep®).

Nests not found indoors:  Dust indoor voids with deltamethrin (Enforcer®, Ortho®, Zep®) or spray with permethrin or cyfluthrin bait (Eliminator®, Spectracide®, Zep®). Outdoor nests not found: use hydramethylnon bait granules (Combat®). hydramethylnon or sulfluramid bait stations (Combat®, Raid®) or apply a perimeter spray of permethrin or cyfluthrin bait (Eliminator®, Spectracide®, Zep®).

10. Fire Ants:  Treatment methods: (1) hydramethylnon , spinosad or pyriproxyfen bait granules   (Amdro®, Combat®, Eliminator®, Spectracide ®) applied to individual mounds as required, (2) apply above bait granules in spring and fall to the entire area with subsequent treatment of individual mounds as required, or (3) spread above bait granules in late afternoon to the entire yard and 10 days later apply a granular insecticide containing permethrin, carbaryl, fipronil or lambda-cyhalothrin (Green Light®, Ortho ®, Over-N-Out®, Real Kill ®, Spectracide®) to the entire yard.  Indoor treatment not required. 
11. Pharaoh Ants:  These ants are difficult to eradicate from structures; the nests are rarely found.  Sprays and dusts rarely are effective since the ants will move and break up into sub-colonies.  Nesting and foraging will be near sources of moisture (sinks, house plants), dead insects, sweet and greasy food items.  Sanitation is a prime management strategy.  Use boric acid or methoprene baits, replacing the baits frequently to keep them fresh and moist as long as the ants forage on them.
12. Termites:  Seek professional services.  Special equipment and licenses are required.

FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY FOR ALL CHEMICAL TREATMENTS.