Yes, it is possible to have an ant infestation even if you cannot see ant trails around the house. But for many of us, ant infestations are always characterized by ant trails on the corners and edges of our walls. Ants create their trails with the help of pheromones. If you deal with the pheromones, you can disrupt ant trails and ant colonies. Here’s everything you need to know about ant pheromone trails and how to get rid of them.
Ant pheromone trails — fast facts
First, it’s important to know what ant pheromone trails even are. Here are some fast facts.
- Ants leave behind pheromones to help their fellow ants find the food source they have just discovered. Ants are industrious foragers. They will scour the entire vicinity of their nest to look for food and water. When ants finally discover these resources, they leave pheromones behind to signal to other ants where the resources can be found. This is why ants form a trail. They follow pheromones left by ant scouts, and these pheromones lead to food and water sources.
- They use different kinds of pheromones to communicate. Ants detect pheromones with their antennae. And they use different kinds of pheromones for different purposes. They use trail pheromones to create ant pheromone trails that lead to food and water sources. They use alarm pheromones to signal to other ants that there is a danger or threat in the area. And they use sex pheromones to attract other ants for reproductive opportunities. There are other types out there with more specialized uses.
- Ant pheromones are not directly dangerous to humans. Ant pheromones are natural chemical signals. By themselves, they are not dangerous to humans. However, they can be indirectly dangerous. For example, ant pheromones can form an ant trail with a lot of ants. This can lead to ant bites and stings. Some ant bites and stings are very painful, such as those from fire ants. And some people can experience an allergic reaction to them. This can lead to itching, swelling, and in rare cases, anaphylaxis.
How to get rid of ants and ant pheromone trails
There are two general ways to deal with ant trails. You either mask the smell of the pheromones to disrupt the ant trails or get rid of the ants themselves.
1. Mask the smell of the ant pheromone trails
- Use vinegar on the ant pheromone trails. Ants utilize their strong sense of smell to detect pheromones. To reinforce the scent of the pheromones left behind by the scouts that have discovered the food and water sources, they leave behind pheromones themselves. This is why an ant trail is a concentrated deposit of ant pheromones that can easily be detected by other ants. But you can make the ant trail more difficult to detect by masking its scent with a substance with a strong odor, such as vinegar. Simply pour whatever kind of vinegar you have in your kitchen into the ant trail bothering your walls.
- Try essential oils. Essential oils have strong concentrations of extracts from different flowers, plants, and trees. Their scents are strong enough to disrupt ant pheromone trails and overwhelm the strong sense of smell of ants. Some of the most effective ones out there are peppermint, tea tree, and the citrus variety such as lemon and orange. Dilute the essential oil of your choice in water. And then spray the oil-water solution on the ant pheromone trail. But be careful in handling essential oils. Since they are highly concentrated extracts, they can irritate your skin upon contact.
- Some people find success with cinnamon. Cinnamon is another natural product you can try to get rid of ant trails. You can use it in all its forms — essential oil, powder, or stick. And whatever form you choose, it will still be effective. For the essential oil, simply use the instructions mentioned earlier. For the powder and stick, put them directly on the ant trails, and if possible, to passageways that lead to these trails.
2. Get rid of the ants themselves
- Sprinkle ant baits on the ant pheromone trails. Vinegar, essential oils, and cinnamon can’t get rid of the ants themselves. They can only disrupt them. This makes them just repellents, not pesticides. If you want to completely get rid of ant trails, you have to get rid of the source – the ants themselves. Ant baits are some of the most effective ways to get rid of ants. And this is because ants take the toxic baits back to their colony, potentially killing everyone in there, including the queen. You can buy commercially-made ant baits. But you can also make some yourself by mixing boric acid and sugar. Just be careful in using them around children and pets. They are toxic to humans and animals too.
- Locate the ant nest and pour boiling water. You can actually use ant trails against ants. Ant trails typically connect ant nests and food and water sources. If you want to find the ant nest bothering your property, simply follow the ant trail. And once you finally find the nest, you can pour boiling water into it. You can’t get any more natural than water. It’s one of the most natural and accessible ways to get rid of ants.
- Buy commercial pesticides and follow the instructions on their label. If you don’t want to go the natural route, you can always just buy commercially-made pesticides. These products are specially made to get rid of ants. They have ingredients such as fipronil, imidacloprid, or permethrin that attack the nervous system of ants. This usually leads to paralysis and death. They can come in many forms, such as baits, dusts, granules, gels, and sprays. Just follow the instructions in their packaging to make sure you are using them properly and safely.
You can also call pest control professionals
Ants use ant pheromone trails to effectively look for food and water. They detect these pheromones with their sense of smell. A great way to deal with ant pheromone trails is to mask the scent of pheromones to disrupt ant activity. However, this won’t solve your ant problem at home.
You have to get rid of the ants themselves as well. You can do this by using commercial products like pesticides or home remedies like boiling water. But if the ants overwhelm you, you can always just call pest control professionals.