How to remove red ants from an apartment

Reasons for appearance

Ants often appear in an apartment, country house or house. At the same time, residents have no idea where the insects could have come from. They can move into a home on their own or be brought in from the street and brought from warm countries. The appearance of insects in the house is influenced by a number of reasons:

1. Availability of food supplies necessary for normal life.
2. Warm and suitable conditions in the apartment. Ants cannot stand the cold, so they tend to settle in a cozy place.

Getting rid of red ants is difficult, but necessary. Insects can spoil food by reaching the most secluded places. Moreover, pests are carriers of worms and various fungal and other diseases. Comprehensive control will completely help remove ants.

How to fight

It is impossible to get rid of red or red ants in an apartment by killing only those representatives that appear. More than 90% of insects do not go out in search of food and continue to live safely in the anthill. Eliminating the ant queen will cause the entire column to die out. It is impossible to get to it, so you have to resort to the use of chemicals and folk remedies.

Read this article on how to permanently remove red ants.

Aerosols

This type of poison is recommended for use in the fight against scouts. Aerosols are effective only against individuals emerging from the anthill, but are not capable of killing the queen. The most popular of them are the following drugs:

1. “Raid” is a spray that can be used to treat hard-to-reach areas. Harmful to insects and people. Do not use with closed windows or in unventilated areas. Processing is carried out several times. The cost is from 180 rubles.
2. "Raptor" is an aerosol that effectively kills insects and does not harm people and animals. Has a pleasant smell. Can be used in any room. The price varies from 120 to 250 rubles per bottle.
3. Combat is an effective product with a pleasant aroma. It quickly disappears from the room. Does not harm household members. The cost ranges from 200 rubles.
4. Super Cobra. Aerosol with a mild action, effective against many insects. The cost of the drug ranges from 150–200 rubles.
5. Dr.Klaus acts on ants and their larvae. It is one of the most effective remedies. The cost of the drug reaches 500 rubles per bottle.

Aerosols are produced in bottles, which can be made of plastic or metal. Any aerosols should be stored in places inaccessible to children, away from heating appliances. Heating the bottles and exposing them to open flame is not allowed. It is recommended to dispose of used cylinders separately from food waste.

The poison must be sprayed at a distance of 30 cm from the surface.

Gels

You can permanently get rid of small ants in your apartment using a gel. The toxic substance does not cause suspicion among insects because it has a pleasant smell and taste. The ants carry the gel to the nest, where the larvae and the queen feed on it. The most effective gels are:

1. "Raptor" - can be applied in hard-to-reach places, since the bottle is equipped with a convenient spout. The price is 250–300 rubles.
2. “Raid” – effectively copes with ants, has a pleasant aroma. The cost is 150–250 rubles.
3. “Global” (Exil) - applied to areas where insects most often move. In this case, the period of exposure of the gel is no more than ten days. The cost ranges from 300 to 400 rubles.
4. "Fas" - has an intestinal contact effect. It copes not only with ants, but also with other crawling insects. Price – from 100 rubles per tube.
5. “Clean House” – the drug begins to act within two days. One package is enough for several treatments. The cost depends on the size of the package and starts from 100 rubles.

The gels are convenient to use, they do not have an unpleasant odor and help get rid of ants and their queen. The product also has a number of disadvantages:

1. The poison does not begin to act immediately. Most gels show effectiveness 14 days after application.
2. The product is applied to open areas and may be accessible to other animals and children.
3. Some drugs are addictive in insects, so they must be alternated.

Powders

Powders are used as poison, which enters the respiratory tract of ants and causes their death. Poisonous substances are poured onto insect paths. Having walked over the powder or chalk, the insect not only inhales the poison, but also carries it on its paws to the nest, where the rest of the column members and the queen are located. The most popular means:

1. “Mashenka” is a chalk containing poison. They delineate the habitats of ants. It works effectively and quickly. The cost is 20–30 rubles.
2. "Globol" with the active ingredient chlorpyrifos. Reliably and quickly kills insects, causing paralysis when inhaled. The cost is 300–400 rubles.
3. “Fas-Double” is a dust powder that effectively copes with crawling insects. Valid for 2 days, duration of exposure – up to 3 weeks. The cost is 100–300 rubles.
4. “Clean House” is a cheap but effective powder. One package of the drug is enough to treat the entire apartment. Causes the death of ants in 3–5 days. Complete destruction occurs after 21 days. The cost of the powder is on average 25 rubles.

Powders are convenient to use. The product has a low price and is highly effective. The main disadvantage of the poison is its accessibility to children and animals. It must be used strictly according to the instructions. During the period of exposure to the drug, it is better to take the animals to another room.

Attention! The use of powder and chalk on tables, shelves and other work surfaces is not allowed.

Aquafumigator

Aquafumigators are special devices. They allow you to quickly poison ants by affecting the insect’s nervous system. Preparation for processing:

1. Remove flowers, toys, food, animals, fish, birds from the premises. Take the children and other family members out.
2. Close windows and doors.
3. You need to pour the water in the bag into a plastic jar.
4. Remove the wrapper from the plastic container.
5. Place it in water (in a few seconds steam will begin to form; at this time you must leave your home).
6. Treatment is carried out within three to four hours. For best results, you can leave the room closed for 12 hours.
7. After use, it is necessary to ventilate the apartment and thoroughly wash everything and wash the clothes.

The main advantage of aquafumigators is efficiency. After using steam poison, the ants lose orientation, become inhibited and die. The steam penetrates into the most inaccessible places, so the queen of insects is also poisoned. The cost is 200–500 rubles depending on the manufacturer.

The disadvantages include the following:

• complexity of preparatory activities;
• the need for general cleaning after using the product;
• high toxicity.

Behavioral traits and biology

Red ants are considered the most characteristic inhabitants of the forest zone. Insects are easy to identify by their quite slender abdomen and a combination of black and red color elements. Hardworking representatives of the species build huge anthills, which people are accustomed to often observing in the forest zone. Nests up to two meters become not only a home, but also a storage area for supplies. The necessary microclimate in the internal areas of the anthill makes it easy to grow the required number of larvae. The uterus is considered the key to the long life of the colony, gives birth to new representatives of the species and reaches a size of 1.5 cm.

The article about ants contains not only a description that will help distinguish the pest from an ordinary insect. The inhabitants of the forest cannot be destroyed, since they are a kind of orderlies, they eat harmful larvae and plants, protecting about 1 hectare of territory.

Aphids make up most of the insects' diet, and ticks and various beetles live next to them. Red forest ants are one of the most popular and widespread species in Russia. The number of its representatives is gradually declining due to difficulties in reproduction and careless human behavior towards anthills.

The queens do not create new separate colonies after the summer and breeding period, but always return to their anthill. After the death of the old female, a new, fertilized female takes over. Due to these features, colonies exist for a long time. A specific method of reproduction does not benefit the rapid resettlement of such species of ants in Russia. There is only one queen in the nest, which ensures the productive life of all inhabitants.

The only way a red wood ant can get into your home is if you brought it on your clothes after a walk. There is no need to be afraid that the insect will radically settle on your territory, cause trouble and require the use of a large number of insecticides.

Traditional methods

The existence of people and ants in the same house is unacceptable. Therefore, the fight against insects has been going on for a long time. People have been able to find products and recipes that effectively repel and poison ants, without being categorized as chemicals. Traditional methods are still relevant today because they are less dangerous and toxic.

Boric acid

Baits are made from boric acid. There are several options for its use:

1. Mix honey or sugar syrup with boric acid in a ratio of 1 to 1. Spread a thin layer of the mixture where ants appear in the apartment.
2. Mix a tablespoon of acid with ½ cup of jam or marmalade. Pour a little of the resulting poison onto small saucers or lids. Place bait around the perimeter of the apartment.

The ant loves sweet foods, so it quickly finds a trap. By eating a little jam or honey, the insect begins to become poisoned. The pest takes part of the bait to the nest, where the larvae and other members of the colony feed on it. The use of boric acid allows you to get rid of the queen and working squad of ants.

Yeast paste

Yeast, getting inside the ant, swells. This leads to the death of the insect. Therefore, they have long been used to combat small ants. Preparing the poison involves mixing yeast with sugar or honey. The insects eat some of the bait on the spot, and carry some to the nest. The sweet yeast eats the rest of the anthill, including the queen.

Borax

Borax works the same way as boric acid. With its help you can prepare delicious bait. To do this, borax must be mixed with honey, jam, jam or other sweets in equal proportions. The baits are placed on saucers and placed around the room. When ants eat poison, they die within three to five days.

Corn flour

This remedy is not considered effective. But many continue to use it. Cornmeal attracts insects. They eat it, but don't digest it. The ants begin to suffer from digestive problems. This subsequently leads to the death of insects. But it will take a significant amount of time to completely destroy the colony. Effectively used in garden areas.

Chemicals

This is a radical method, and it is best to use it when small red ants are literally swarming in the apartment. There are now many means for chemically killing goosebumps, which sometimes makes it difficult to choose. To make the task easier, you can consult with friends who are experienced in this matter, read reviews on the Internet, or carefully study the instructions on the package.

The most effective insecticides against ants are:

The use of chemicals is aimed at introducing poison into the nest on the legs of working individuals and subsequent poisoning of all other members of the colony (the principle of a chain reaction). But a person must also protect himself, since many insecticides can be dangerous to the health of people and animals:

If there is no effect after a chemical “attack” on the ants, only SES can provide salvation. Specialists called to your home will quickly understand where the ants are hiding their nest and will use highly professional means to combat insects.

Using strong odors

Small red ants cannot tolerate the smell of some herbs and seasonings. Therefore, many homeowners drive away insects with fragrant “layouts”. The most popular plants and seasonings with a repellent odor:

• cinnamon;
• sagebrush;
• chamomile;
• garlic;
• red pepper.

This method of control does not kill the ants, but scares them away, forcing them to leave the room. One of the disadvantages of this method is that it will take a lot of time to get rid of ants. Well, fragrant layouts do not always smell pleasant for households and animals themselves. Therefore, experts advise using herbs and spices as an addition to other types of ant control.

Difficulties in fighting ants

Fighting ants is difficult not only because there can be a lot of them in an apartment. The main problem is the amazing vitality and natural sense of these insects:

• having realized on an instinctive level that a threat is looming, the ants can move the nest to another place, and then the homeowners will again have to search for it, and this is difficult;
• the many insects that crawl out are only a tenth of their total number;
• weak agents that can kill several dozen individuals are not an option (for a large colony this is not a loss);
• ants develop resistance to most drugs, which forces them to change means and methods of control or combine them from time to time;
• and the greatest difficulty is to determine the location of the nest, which, as already said, is never in sight;
• at the end of the struggle, it often seems that victory has been achieved, but this is a false joy (the treatment of the room needs to continue for a couple of weeks, because the next clutches are coming, remaining and surviving in the nest after the death of the adults).

However, these difficulties can be completely avoided if you do not ignore the prevention of the appearance of red ants in the house.

Calling specialists

Ant control should be carried out everywhere. Especially when insect repellents are used. Leaving one home, they hide in neighboring rooms. When the danger disappears, the ants return to their habitable space.

You can avoid this problem by calling specialists. Pest control companies guarantee quick and safe removal of insects. In this case, households and animals are guaranteed not to be harmed, and the ants will be destroyed.

First aid for a bite

For humans, the bite of one ant is not dangerous. Even if you are allergic to formic acid. Multiple insect bites can lead to health problems. Therefore, it is important to know the rules of first aid:

1. Raise the limb up (if the bite is on an arm or leg).
2. Wipe the affected area with alcohol or cologne.
3. Apply ice or other cold object.
4. Treat the bite with aloe juice or an aqueous solution of soda and salt.
5. Offer an antihistamine in case of an allergic reaction.

It is forbidden to apply earth and clay.