What are ants?

There are over 12,000 identified ant species, with an amazing diversity of shapes, colors and behaviors. Ants can be found on every continent except Antarctica, from the tropics to the polar regions.

Ants live in colonies that can reach millions of individuals. The colony is made up of different groups with specific roles:
The queen is the only fertile ant in the colony and can live up to 20 years. She is responsible for laying eggs and ensuring the survival of the colony.
Males are responsible for mating with the queen and die shortly after that. Workers are sterile ants that perform a variety of tasks, from collecting food and building the nest to taking care of the larvae and defending the colony.

Additionally, the ants communicate with each other through pheromones, specific chemicals that give them information about food, danger, routes to the nest and other important aspects of the colony’s life. They also use tactile and auditory signals to coordinate.

Where can ants be found?

Being attracted to food scraps, sugar and other food sources, ants can be found invading kitchens through cracks, vents or from around household appliances. They can infest bedrooms, living rooms and other common areas (restaurants, hospitals, offices, warehouses) in search for food scraps or food sources. They can also be attracted to the high humidity in bathrooms and are most commonly seen around sinks, toilets and bathtubs.

Ant prevention – inspection, cleaning and monitoring

Inspection

Conduct a thorough inspection of the home, indoors and outdoors, looking for anthills, ant trails and potential entry points. Pay special attention to damp areas, cracks, holes and areas with dense vegetation.

Cleaning

Clean up food scraps immediately and hermetically seal groceries to eliminate the ants’ access to food. Vacuum carpets and rugs regularly, wipe frequently used surfaces and remove any food scraps or liquids that may attract ants. Fix leaks, wipe puddles and keep humidity low in bathrooms and kitchens.

Monitoring

Monitoring is essential to detect the early signs of an ant infestation and to take immediate action. Place traps in areas frequented by ants and monitor them regularly to check for their presence and identify the source of infestation.

Adhesive traps for monitoring should be placed in locations such as: storage cupboards, under the sink, between the fridge and the stove, or glued to the wall or floor in the kitchen/bathroom. They can be mounted in dark, damp areas as well as outside buildings or houses. The traps have an attractant that lures ants which pass through the area and traps them on the adhesive surface.

They are mainly used for maintenance or for monitoring infestations. They are therefore not used for control.

Quick action is essential when an ant infestation is detected. Thoroughly vacuum any places where ants may be hiding and then sanitize them thoroughly.

Next, it is essential to carry out extensive treatments, which should be applied to the entire apartment building. A localized approach may be ineffective in the case of a severe infestation, as ants can easily move through walls, pipes and common spaces.

What insecticides and solutions can be used to control ants?

You may consider the use of gel, powder, liquid or aerosol insecticides.

Ready-to-use insecticides

RTU (ready-to-use) insecticides are ideal for pest control, allowing a quick and simple application. No preparation of the working solution is required, saving time and reducing the risk of exposure to dangerous concentrated substances.

RTU gel insecticides/with attractants

An important feature of attractant-based insecticides is the “cascade death” effect, which ultimately leads to the elimination of the entire ant nest.

How does it work?

The insecticide contains food attractants that lure ants within a few meters. The ants consume the insecticide and become infected. Within 24 hours, the infected ants will die. The cascade effect: ants feed on the droppings and remains of other dead ants, spreading the insecticide and amplifying the lethal effect.

! If you choose to apply this pest control treatment against ants, we recommend that you do not spray other insecticides on the surface you wish to treat. They could reduce or even cancel the effect of the attractant contained in the insecticide gel.

Recommendations

To improve the efficacy of the treatment, leave the dead ants where they are. Apply the insecticide in the form of gel “beads” at 1-2 m distances in areas where the pests hide, such as drainpipes, door frames, electrical meters, dark corners, cracks in the walls or floors.

Moreover, for insecticides in gel form, the use of bait stations is recommended.

Bait stations

The role of bait stations is to protect the bait from external factors and to prevent the active substance from coming into contact with non-target animals or humans. It is important to mention that they do not replace treatments for ant control and do not trap insects inside the container. In terms of size and design, they can be made of different materials, including plastic.

Insecticides in powder form

Powder insecticides can be used in hard-to-reach places where liquid insecticides cannot be applied. These locations include cracks, holes and electrical installations. The products do not dissolve in water. It is essential to identify and target areas that have the greatest potential to harbor ant colonies. A band is applied once the infested area has been identified and the pests will come in contact with a lethal dose as they pass through the powder.

• Powder insecticides can be used as an alternative to treatments applied by spraying.
• To obtain the best effect, powder and aerosol insecticides can be used at the same time.
• It is essential that powder insecticides are applied a few days after the application of aerosol insecticides and only when the surfaces are completely dry.

In hard-to-access areas, powders can be applied with special devices.

Recommended devices for the application of powder insecticides

These are devices specially designed for the application of granular products or powder insecticides. They are used for treating hard-to-reach spaces, for example inside walls (cracks), behind panels, spaces around electrical outlets, and other very narrow spaces.

Liquid RTU insecticides

They are ideal to be used by natural persons, are easy to apply and do not require special equipment. No preparation of the working solution is required, saving time and effort.

Insecticide concentrates for coarse application/with residual effect

To get rid of ants, it is recommended to use insecticide concentrates that produce a specific knock-down effect. This effect refers to the ability of insecticides to rapidly incapacitate target pests. The insecticide acts on the insect’s nervous system, leading to paralysis or death.

Sprayers

Sprayers are essential tools for pest control, providing a precise and efficient method for applying insecticides. Their capacity varies depending on the type of device, its design, method of application (manual/motorized sprayers), or size of the treated space.

Aerosol insecticides

A more effective solution for ant control is a treatment that includes both sprays and aerosol cans. The aerosol treatment is applied indoors, after the insecticidal solution has been sprayed (when the sprayed solution dries). Pests will come out of their hiding places or from places that are difficult to reach because of the smoke, coming in direct contact with the insecticide sprayed previously.

ULV fogging is an effective control method, offering an alternative to aerosol cans. This technique involves the use of a special device that transforms the liquid insecticide into a fine mist, which is evenly dispersed in the treated space.

Insecticide concentrates that can be used with ULV fogging to achieve a flush-out effect – post coarse spraying/insecticides with residual effect

Insecticide concentrates can be diluted and applied with a ULV fogger to achieve a flush-out effect. This method of application irritates and agitates the insects that are hiding in hard-to-reach spaces, thus increasing the effectiveness of the treatment.

The application of insecticides by ULV fogging is recommended for:

• Firms: office spaces, warehouses, grocery stores and other commercial spaces.
• Hotels/restaurants: allows to efficiently treat rooms, common areas and storage spaces.

! The insecticides should be chosen taking into account the equipment used, if the insecticide is not suitable, the equipment may break down.

Protective equipment

Protective equipment has the role of protecting the person performing the treatments from dangerous substances. This category includes protective gloves, coveralls, masks, etc. The equipment is chosen depending on the type of treatment, as well as the substances used or the targeted pest.

• Chemical suit with hood

• Protective gloves

• Gas masks, glasses

Ways they can get into your home:

• Any cracks in walls, doors, windows can become pathways. The ants detect even the smallest traces of food, guiding them inside;
• They crawl through holes around pipes and cables;
• Accidental migration – ants may end up inside the house from various plants/fruit brought from the outside;
• Passive transportation – ants may hide on objects or animals, accidentally entering the premises.

Signs of an infestation

• An infestation can be detected visually quite quickly, by observing ants inside the home, especially in the kitchen or food storage areas. At certain times of the year, winged ants may also be observed (these are present during the mating season);
• Indirect signs: traces of fine sand, remains of dead insects or fragments of dragged insects, honey dew or other sticky sweet substances left by the ants on various surfaces.

For effective control of ants, it is very important to choose the type of treatment, depending on the space in which they are present (indoor, outdoor), as well as to undertake and respect specific measures (cleaning the treated space, identification and sealing of access routes, etc.).