Natural Ant Killer: How to Kill Ants Without Using Chemicals?

Ants are some of the most fascinating animals on Earth. Despite their small size, they are considered by scientists as important to the ecosystem and the environment in general.

For instance, ants serve as food for larger animals like some species of birds, mammals, and other insects. This means that the extinction of ants would also entail the collapse of the food chain.

In addition, their ability to dig the soil allows the entry of water and oxygen to reach plant roots.

However, ants can also be a problem for other animals, especially when invasive ant species in a particular ecosystem decimate native animal populations like small amphibians, mammals, reptiles, and even birds.

For humans, the said insects can also become "nuisance pests" with reported cases of ant infestations in homes and other establishments in the past.

Due to these inconveniences, natural ant killer methods can be considered to eliminate these pests, even without using chemicals.

How to Get Rid of Ants?

(Photo : Photo by Salmen Bejaoui on Unsplash)

There are various ways how to get rid of ants, an inquiry often brought by homeowners or individuals affected by ant infestations that they consider as severe.

In addition to Mother Nature's giant anteaters, which are one of the main predators of ants, below are some of the natural ant killer methods without using toxic chemicals:

•  Very hot or boiling water
•  White vinegar
•  Baking soda
•  Tea tree oil
•  Peppermint
•  Ground black or red pepper
•  Lemon juice
•  Cinnamon
•  Diatomaceous earth

While there are other dangerous, riskier ways of killing ants, the ones mentioned above are deemed by experts as safe not only for the user but also the surrounding environment.

In this context, many people have resorted to toxic chemical sprays and with some even using flamethrowers to kill not only ants in their backyard but also on ant mounds.

Also Read: Ants Prefer Sugar and Oil Over Other Nutrients in Tropical Forests, Study Finds

US Ant Infestations

In addition to bed bugs and other insect-related infestations in the US, 54% or more than five out of ten pest control experts report that ant infestations are increasing.

Among the pest professionals, almost 57% or nearly six out of 10 that have witnessed more infestations of the odorous house ants, according to an online ant survey by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).

The survey shows that many Americans find ant infestations as "irritating nuisance" and a "source of disgust," according to NPMA, which highlighted that ant infestations are common in the following structures:

•  Office buildings
•  Restaurants
•  Apartments
•  Condominiums
•  Single-family homes
•  Nursing homes
•  Hospitals
•  Schools
•  College dormitories

Within these structures, the ant control experts said the insects prefer residing in kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, basements, inside walls, and even inside air condition and heating units.

While ant infestations are often challenging, experts advise that one of the most crucial steps to take to prevent such infestations is maintaining cleanliness, especially removing open food source that usually attracts the ants.

Related Article: Ants and Social Interaction: 99 Million Years Ago, Ants Fought and Socialized