Infestation Of Flying Ants

Identify the Insects

This can be an especially tricky task given that they are often mistaken for termites. But there are some key differences. In addition to large front wings, flying ants will develop small hind wings, elbowed antennae and small waists that concave at the thorax, with female winged ants appearing significantly larger than male ants. Flying ants’ bodies can be black, brown or red.

Suck Them Up

If there are large, visible swarms of flying ants in your home, the easiest way to remove them is with a vacuum cleaner (both full-size or handheld will work just fine here). Vacuum the critters anywhere you see them, and be sure to replace the vacuum bag immediately.

Get Things in Mint Condition

Peppermint works as a natural ant repellent because its scent is reminiscent of a predator’s. You can get rid of flying ants by mixing one part liquid dish soap and two parts water in a spray bottle and adding several drops of peppermint oil to the mixture. Shake the bottle, and then spray the flying ants wherever you see them. The soap will dehydrate the insects, while the peppermint oil suffocates them.

If you don’t have any peppermint oil on hand, fear not. There are lots of essential oils that are known to repel ants. Tea tree, cinnamon, clove, cedarwood and patchouli oils could all work in place of the peppermint oil here.

Use Pesticide to Move the Pests Aside

If the idea of making your insect repellent is, well, repellent, to you, you can use a commercial-grade pesticide instead. Spray pesticides will kill any visible flying ants, though you’ll still have to do some more work to deal with the colony itself (see below). Be sure to wear goggles and use caution when spraying a pesticide indoors.

Stick It to Them

Another effective tool for eradicating swarms of flying ants is commercial glue traps, also known as sticky fly traps, which can easily be found at your local hardware store. Simply place several around your home according to package instructions, focusing on areas where you’ve noticed the common insects congregate. The flying ants will fly directly into them, and the glue will stop them in their tracks.

If you want to go the DIY route, you can make your own glue trap by laying out strips of duct tape around your home with the sticky side facing upward. In order to most effectively attract the ants, try sprinkling a bit of sugar or drizzling a little honey on top of the sticky part.

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Decolonize Your Home

In order to destroy the flying ant colony, you’ll need to find it. You can do this by following the trail of ants to their place of origin. It’ll be obvious when you’ve located the colony: it’s a large swarm of flying ants. As soon as you’ve done so, destroy it. The most effective way to do this is with boiling water. Heat some water, and then pour it into the hole at the top of the flying ant colony. Repeat until all the ants appear to be dead.

Seal the Deal

Flying ants tend to enter homes through cracks in walls, so you’ll want to seal these in order to decrease the chances of the insects returning. Grab some caulk and a caulking gun, and seal any cracks you see in the walls, baseboards, windows and floors.

Give Your Home a Spritz

As an additional protective measure, you might want to spray your home with a repellent every now and then to reiterate to the critters that they’re not welcome. Boric acid is great for this. Mix a cup of water with a tablespoon of boric acid powder (which should be available at your local hardware store or online) in a spray bottle and shake it well. Then spray the general areas where you’ve noticed swarms of flying ants in the past.

You can also make a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar (any type will work for this) and follow the same instructions.

Pick Your Poison

Another use for Borax is poisoning the flying ants. Rather than killing them on the spot, Borax will attack the insects’ systems gradually after ingestion. This means they’ll bring the poison back to their colony for the other ants to eat, killing off any future unwanted guests.

Make a Borax trap by mixing a tablespoon and a half of Borax with one and a half cups of water and half a cup of sugar. Stir the solution well, and then dip cotton balls into it. Place the cotton balls anywhere you’ve noticed flying ants, as well as near any cracks or crevices that might serve as entrances for them.

Alternatively, you can use a store-bought liquid bait trap for this purpose. There are several on the market, so just be sure the one you choose uses Borax as an active ingredient for best results.

It should be noted that you may not be able to locate your flying ant colony. If that’s the case, it may be because the colony is located under the foundation of your house or within the walls. If you can’t find your colony and continue to notice flying ants, you may want to call in a professional exterminator for backup.