How to Get Rid of Sugar Ants?

Sugar ants have generally orange or black colored bodies and are 2 to 15mm in size. As the name suggests these small creatures are attracted to sweets. It is actually the species of Camponotus consobrinus. You can find their colonies in between rocks, soil and around the twigs of trees. If they locate a food item in the house, then they can really cause trouble. But don’t worry here are some natural remedies to get rid of sugar ants.

Types of Ants:

• Argentine Ants: You can find these ants easily in a wet environment near a food source. Sweet food is preferred more by them and these kinds of ants leave pheromone trails. In this species, the queen also assists in foraging of foods. Though these ants are harmless, but they contaminate the food.
• Carpenter Ants: You can find these ants in the wooden furniture in your house. They feed on sugary foods and insects. They remove the wood to dig tunnels due to which the wood becomes weak.
• Odorous House Ants: You will find their colonies in exposed soil, in wall and floor cracks and debris. These contaminate the food. They eat dead insects and sugary foods.
• Pavement Ants: You can find the nest of pavement ants under the cracks of the pavement. You can also find their colonies beneath the slabs and driveways. These ants eat everything, including sugary foods and insects.
• Red Imported Fire Ants: These are vegetarian ants and have a powerful sting. They adapt themselves according to the climatic conditions. You can find their nest in wall cracks or in the mounds of soil.

Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Sugar Ants:

1. Combination of Borax and Sugar:

This mineral is mined in the deserts of California. Borax is non-toxic and hence humans and animals are safe. This is very poisonous for sugar ants. Sugar ants are so famished that the spot the delicacy. Most of the stores keep borax in the laundry section so if you don’t have you can purchase it. This is one the best remedy to get rid of sugar ants as it is a slow killer. It kills the sugar ants slowly and allows the spread of poison from one sugar ant to another. You can kill colonies of sugar ants with this method.

How to Make the Decoy?

Search for the paths of sugar ants. Mix some borax and sugar together to form a jelly-like consistency. Block the paths of ant with this jelly.

2. Cloves to Repel Sugar Ants:

This is a common spice that is found in every kitchen. Many people love the smell of cloves but the same smell is loathed by the sugar ants. The powerful smelling compound present in cloves makes it an excellent remedy to repel sugar ants. This is an easy and time-saving method. You can keep the cloves along with the baseboards or under the counter. These are the common places of sugar ant infestation.

3. Combination of Boric Acid and Mint Jelly to Kill Sugar Ants:

Boric acid is a nontoxic chemical that can be used to kill colonies of sugar ants. This is just like a bait trap when combined with mint jelly. If you do not have boric acid at home, you can buy it from the nearby hardware store. You can also use maple syrup, honey or peanut butter instead of mint jelly to prepare a trap for sugar ants.

How to Make the Trap?

The reason behind making the trap is to keep your pets and children safe. For making the trap you need a small box with pin holes and a cracker. You will keep the cracker inside a small box. The mixture which you will prepare will be kept on this cracker. Some of the ants will be killed in the trap only and others will take the mixture back to their colony where other ants will also be killed. This method will be more successful if you keep the trap in the room during the night because that is the main time when sugar ants go for hunting.

How to Make the Decoy?

You can prepare a decoy by mixing 2 tablespoons of boric acid in 8 ounces of mint jelly. Store the prepared mixture in the jar. Now spread a layer of this mixture on the cracker and keep it in the trap. In the morning you will find some dead ants in the trap and other sugar ants of the colony will die when they eat this decoy.

4. Vinegar to Get Rid of Sugar Ants:

The sugar ants leave behind pheromones which you can clean easily with the help of white vinegar. The acetic acid present in white vinegar makes it one of the best natural cleaning agents. It is a great deodorizer and hence will leave a pleasant smell. But remember one thing that you don’t have to use apple cider vinegar because sugar ants are attracted to its sweetness. This is one of the best remedies to get rid of sugar ants.

5. Soapy Water to Kill Sugar Ants:

This is one of the easiest and effective methods of killing those stubborn sugar ants. Sugar ants follow a chemical trail which you can destroy easily with soapy water. For this, you just need a spray bottle, a good dish soap, and water. Mix water and dish soap to form a foam. Fill this liquid in the spray bottle. Now, whenever you see the trail of sugar ants just spray this liquid on them. After a few minutes, you will not see them again. Try this effective method to get rid of sugar ants.

6. Corn Meal to Get Rid of Sugar Ants:

Cornmeal is one of the hard food for ants. It is difficult for the sugar ants to digest corn meal. When sugar ants eat cornmeal and are unable to digest it, their bodies expand due to which they die. This is one of the safest methods as it not poisonous to humans and animals. Sugar ants also carry the corn meal to their colonies. This increases the chance of killing the colonies of sugar ants. You can also add sugar to cornmeal to make an attractive decoy.

7. Lemon Juice to Kill Sugar Ants:

The citrus smell of lemon is intolerable for sugar ants. This is why it is a good choice to kill and repel sugar ants. Fill a spray bottle with the combination of lemon juice and water. Spray this liquid in the ant infested areas. You can also make a spray by using the peels of lemon. You just have to boil these peels in water for about 15 to 20 minutes. Store this liquid and use whenever your house is infested with sugar ants. Try this easy remedy to get rid of sugar ants.

8. Baking Soda to Get Rid of Sugar Ants:

Baking soda has numerous of benefits. This is also a good choice to get rid of sugar ants. The reason behind this is that baking soda has powerful properties which are life-threatening for sugar ants and their colonies. You can mix sugar in baking powder and keep this mixture outside to kill ants. Baking soda with water is also a good choice for killing sugar ants.

Tips to Prevent Sugar Ants:

• Keep the open bottles of juices in the refrigerator.
• Use a vacuum cleaner to clean the carpeted floors.
• Try to use strong garbage bags and keep them outside the kitchen.
• After cooking, clean the slab with white vinegar.
• Sweep the floors and clean it regularly.