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Nuisance Ants
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Please Read: This site contains information about using pesticides. Pesticides can be dangerous if used improperly or carelessly. Always follow label instructions. The pesticide product label is the final word on the safe and legal use of pesticides. Questions about pesticide toxicity can be explored at the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC). Control suggestions are intended for users in the state of Oregon, USA. Others should consult with local experts before relying solely on this information. |
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| Ants that invade our homes are called by various names. Kitchen ants, nuisance ants, sweet ants, sugar ants and some names that I can't repeat here. These should not be confused with carpenter ants. Nuisance ants generally nest in the soil and enter houses in search of food or water. Carpenter ants nest in cavites that are sometimes carved out of our homes. Carpenter ants forage outside for food whereas nuisance ants sometimes forage inside our homes. Nuisance ants generally do little or no structural damage whereas carenter ants can do substantial damage over time. Finally, carpenter ants are generally larger and more robust than their soil-nesting cousins. Nuisance ants enter houses in search of food and water. When found scouts return to the nest and lead nestmates to the resource using chemical trails. Ants enter through cracks and other openings that may be very small. Sealing a house against ants is almost impossible. Control is generally aimed at elimination of the nest through poison baiting. I do not suggest using aerosol sprays as these are messy and hard to use correctly. Poison baits come in many forms. The trick is to find a bait that your particular ant will accept and then to be patient. Baiting may take up to 3 weeks to be effective.Try several different commercial baits and observed whether or not the ants are attracted to the bait stations. If your stations are being ignored try another type of bait. If ants are entering the bait stations and carrying bait away chances are it will eventually be effective in eliminating the colony. With liquid baits you won't be able to see bait being carried off. In this case station visitation should be used to judge bait attractiveness. Good luck. |
| Useful Links |
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National Pesticide Information Center Iowa State University Entomology Internet Resources OSU Extension & Experiment Station Communications (Publications) |
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Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 Contact: Neil Bell, Community Horticulturalist, OSU Extension Service, 3180 Center Street NE Room 1361, Salem, OR 97301; 503-361-2671; e-mail: neil.bell@oregonstate.edu or contact: Jack DeAngelis, Extension Entomologist (ret.) at getinfo@livingwithbugs.com. Copyright 2005 Oregon State University Disclaimer |
