3 Ways to Help Control Ants in Your Home and Garden
Most of us come across ants at home and in the garden and they can be particularly prevalent during the hotter summer months.
As well as entering our homes foraging for food, ants can often disturb plant roots when building their nests in the garden.
Ants also have a strange working relationship with aphids, whereby the ants protect the aphids from potential predators (like ladybirds and sawfly larvae) in return for the honeydew or nectar which the aphids secrete. Aphids are then free to suck sap and weaken the plants.
What’s the best way to deal with them when they are causing a problem?
Granules or liquid which contain 'spinosad'
Granules are fatal to the ants after being ingested and also on contact. The clever thing about these insecticides is that they are formulated to attract ants (using a sugary 'carrier') which the ants then transport back to their nests. Once in the nest, they will effectively terminate the whole colony - the queen, workers and larvae.
Nippon Ant Powder or STV Zero In Ant Powder can be used directly on the nest outside, or puffed into awkward areas, like small cracks in brickwork, to stop ants from gaining access to your home. Nippon Ant Liquid can also work well, with just three to four drops on a clean surface such as a piece of plastic, glass or metal next to the nest is proven to be effective.
Contact spray
If you want a sure-fire way to destroy a nest, or something to use inside your home, then spray is the best option.
Nippon Ant Spray or STV Zero In Aerosol Spray can be directed on nests or nest entrances to target the colony. It also be used to lay a barrier around door frames and windowsills to prevent ants getting into your home – and the Nippon Ant Spray is even safe to use in food preparation and storage areas.
Traps
If you’re worried about children or pets coming into contact with insecticides, then traps are the best way to go, as the bait is enclosed and cannot be touched. The Nippon Bait Station or STV Zero In Bait Pest Control are both ideal. Place your traps indoors and outdoors, close to where you see ant activity and within around 3-6 days, the nest and colony will be terminated. One trap usually works for one nest - so you may need more traps if you have more than one nest. Looking for a reusable option? Try the Nippon Ant Control System.
You can find our full range of Pest Control solutions online.
Although ants can be a problem, they can also be beneficial in that they are predators so do eat a lot of other insects that are considered pests by us.
Always read the instructions when using any chemicals to deal with ants. If you are unsure, read the online product description carefully, or if you're in store, ask one of our team for advice.
