vermin
What helps against ants? With these remedies you stop the infestation in the house and garden
What helps against ants? These tips can effectively eliminate the vermin
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Ants are quite useful for nature because they are an important part of the ecosystem. However, if they occur in the house and garden, the small insects are considered vermin. You can find out how to recognize and treat an ant drop here.
Most species of ants live in nature and should not be found in your home. In search of food, however, ants slip through leaky doors, windows or gaps in walls and thus get inside the house. The result is visible ant trails that are caused by scent markings on the food. The more attractive the food is, the more ants mark the way there and the stronger the signal scent, which in turn attracts more ants. If you don’t eliminate the cause of the ant infestation, you will make the condition worse in the long term. Read here how to recognize and counteract an ant infestation.
Why do ants come into the house?
The animals are attracted by food and will crawl through even the smallest openings to get to the food source. Ants are usually found in the kitchen, because that’s where most of the food is stored. The result is long ant trails along which the animals can make their way into the entire house.
How to recognize an ant infestation
In addition to ant trails, there are other traces that can indicate an ant infestation in the house or apartment. Flying ants can be an indication, as can visible material damage caused by carpenter ants that build their nests in built-up wood or insulating material. Therefore, also look out for crumbs from materials such as wood to identify an ant infestation. Those who do not stop the ants will have to accept long-term damage. As soon as you recognize an ant infestation, it is advisable to act quickly. However, if ants have settled in the house, you should consult a pest controller. This can determine important points such as the type of ant, the extent of the infestation and a suitable course of action.
ants in the garden
Ants can cause problems not only within the four walls of your home, but also in the garden. This is because an accumulation of scale insects or aphids on plants encourages ants to settle there. Ants feed on the sweet excretion product of the aphids. Whole ant nests are often found in flower pots or beds. This has fatal consequences for the plants, because the roots lose contact with the soil through the ants’ burrow systems. This means that water and nutrients can no longer be absorbed sufficiently and the plants die.
How to get rid of ants
There are several ways to get rid of ants. are popular and well-known ant baitwho work with attractants. This ant trap is designed to reliably destroy ants and ant nests. You can put the bait both in the house and on the terrace, balcony and in the basement. The ant bait can is also said to be odorless and effective for up to three months.
These home remedies can help against ants
If you prefer to use home remedies, you can try the following methods.
chalk
Chalk is considered an effective way to keep ants away without killing them. Draw a thick line of chalk along the routes of the ants. The alkaline talc clogs the ants’ antennae and airways and will therefore prevent the animals from crossing the chalk boundary.
Lavender, Thyme and Marjoram
Certain scents can also be a deterrent to ants. These include essential oils like lavender, thyme, and marjoram. The ants are said to dislike the smell and therefore avoid it. In the garden you can easily plant these herbs and in this way avoid ants.
This is how you can prevent ants
- To prevent ants from getting into the house, apartment or garden, you must avoid attracting the animals. Therefore, be careful not to leave any food lying around in the open. This applies to both the pets’ food bowls and the fruit bowl with fruit. Empty these regularly to regulate attractive food sources for ants.
- Used dishes should also be rinsed off and placed in the dishwasher. You must also remove leftovers of food that have fallen on the floor immediately.
- Food in the pantry or refrigerator should not be stored openly, but in airtight containers.
- Make sure that window and door seals are checked for leaks from time to time and improve them if necessary.
- Only collect rubbish and other waste in sealed rubbish bins that you empty regularly.
- You can prevent an ant infestation in the garden if you close the compost bins well. This not only helps against ants, but also against other annoying insects.
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