Flying ants – How to get rid of them?

Flying ants are nothing but regular normal ants which have become sexually mature. The ants form wings and begin flying for the purpose of mating.

What causes flying ants in your house?

The sight of winged ants flying around the house and in the yard in the summer is not a cause of worry. However, if they are present inside the house, then there may be a possibility of carpenter ants having made a nest near or inside your house. In the cold months of winter, they seek out food, shelter, and water, and during such times your house can be very inviting.

How to get rid of flying ants?

It is important to identify the insect inside your home, before you get down to the process of eradicating them. You need to verify whether the pests are flying ants or termites. In case they are termites, it is vital for you to contact an exterminator to get rid of them.

Flying ants have slightly bent antennae and their waists are thin. Their wings are also of two different sizes; the hind set of wings is smaller as compared to the front set of wings. Termites have a wider waist, straight antennae, and wings which are of equal length and size.

Presented below are the measures that you may take to eliminate flying ants from your house:

• Dish soap: You may a solution of dish soap and water to effectively kill the flying ants. You may fill a spray bottle with the solution and spray. The soap causes dehydration of the ants and kills them. It’s a non-toxic method and you do not need to worry about its exposure to pets or kids.
• Commercial aerosol spray: Purchase a can of commercial aerosol bug poison spray from the market and use it to kill the ants. Since it is poisonous, you need to take care when using it. It is also important for you to verify whether the spray is safe for indoor use.
• DE/diatomaceous earth: It kills flying ants and eliminates them via dehydration. DE powder has sharp borders which cut across the body of the insects. If the ants eat the powder, it will cut and shred them from the inside. Place the powder near different food sources that attract ants. The insects will walk across it and get shredded. Ensure that the powder does not get wet, as wet DE will not have effective sharp edges. Also, make sure that it is food-grade diatomaceous earth.
• Borax and sugar trap: Borax is toxic for most insects, including flying ants. Mix borax with any sweet-scented bait like sugar, make a paste and spread it on a piece of paper, and leave it near areas visited by the insects. The ants will be attracted to the sugar, eat the paste, and die.
• Find the nest and eliminate it: In case there is an infestation of flying ants in the house, then the above methods can prove to be very time consuming. In such instances, it is better to find the nest and kill the colony. This will provide a permanent solution as it will not just kill flying ants but also ants without wings.
  • You can track and find the nest by following the trail of ants. You may leave some bait near the nest so that all other ants get attracted to it. Then, kill them all and destroy the nest with a commercial pesticide.
• Seal and close all points of entry: In case you cannot find any nesting places inside the house, then it may be possible that the flying ants are coming from outside. Hence, close and seal any gaps, holes, and cracks which may offer entry to them. Silicone caulk may be used to seal any cracks in the foundation and other areas.
  • Use vinegar or water and soap solution to clean all the ant trails. This will remove the pheromone-laden paths and hamper the ants from finding their way back inside your home.
• Use bug zappers: Purchase a bug zapper from the market. These zappers attract flying ants and kill them. Hang the zapper in open areas where you usually find flying ants, out of the reach of kids and pets. Read the instructions carefully before using the device so as to prevent its accidental hazardous misuse. The electricity produced by the zapper cannot inflict severe damage on kids or big pets like cats or dogs. However, the shock it produces can cause intense pain.

• Boiling water: If there is an anthill in the yard or garden, then kill the flying ants with boiling water. Boil some water and pour it on the anthill. It will kill most of the ants, while some may scurry away due to the threat of boiling water. Ensure that the water is boiling hot and not just hot or warm.
  • You may also place a flower pot upside down over the anthill and then pour the boiling water from the drain hole present in the bottom. This will ensure that all ants die and that you do not get bitten by any ants that may escape when there is no pot covering the anthill.
• Sticky tape: You may place sticky tape all around a food source. The flying ants will get attracted to the food, land on the tape, get stuck on it, and not be able to fly away. It is important for you to place the tape upside down with the sticky portion facing upwards so that the ants get stuck on them. It is also necessary to keep the tape as close to the food source as possible, else the ants will not land on it. It may be noted that this is not an efficient way to eliminate flying ants, but is an inexpensive and non-toxic option, and definitely worth trying.
• Peppermint oil: Peppermint essential oil suffocates flying ants and kills them. You may mix water, peppermint oil, and water in a spray bottle and create your own natural non-toxic peppermint spray. Use the bottle to spray and kill ants that are resting or flying around.