Skip to main content

Green Home Pest Control Methods

Ant poisons and ant baits are extremely toxic substances. For homes with pets, small children, or those that just care about the environment, these methods of getting rid of ants may not be viable options. There are non-toxic home pest control methods, however, that are safe for kids, the environment, and pets and get rid of an ant infestation.

 

Common Types of House Ants and Where They Nest

  • Pharaoh Ants – Pharaoh ants are tiny. They can range in color from yellow to red and have black and white markings on their abdomens. Pharaoh ants are a common house pest and will build their nests in the walls, behind appliances or underneath carpeting.
  • Carpenter Ants – Carpenter ants are either black or black with a red head. These ants nest by burrowing into moist and rotting wood to build their nests. When carpenter ants infest a home, they are most commonly found around windows and doors where wood has been exposed to the elements and become soft enough to burrow into.
  • these ants release a smell if smashed

    Odorous House Ants

    Fire Ants – Fire ants are aggressive swarmers and as such, are the most dangerous variety of h ouse ant. They will nest nearly anywhere in a home. Fire ants range in color from red to dark brown and are most common in the American South.

  • Argentine Ants – Argentine ants are light brown in color with a large, almost clear, abdomen. They are sometimes referred to as “honeydew ants”. Argentine ants are a home pest to be reckoned with since their massive colonies can grow into the millions within the walls of a home.
  • Odorous House Ants – Odorous house ants are brown or black in color and all of the colony’s workers are the same size. They give off an odor if stepped on. Odorous House Ants typically live at ground level within baseboards or underneath carpeting. An individual with an Odorous House Ant infestation will frequently see the ants crawling about the home as this variety of ant is very active.

 

Non-Toxic Methods of Ant Control

All ants navigate by the use of pheromones. Disrupting the ants’ navigation system will often result in the ants becoming lost and not able to find their way back to their colony. A colony losing large numbers in this manner, or having trouble foraging due to navigation issues, will often move to a safer area. Some common, non-toxic household substances that disrupt ant navigation and also prevent future ants from navigating through the same area are:

  • Baby powder
  • Chili powder
  • Cloves
  • Mint oil
  • Simple Green spray
  • Vinegar
  • Cinnamon
  • Pepper

These substances can be sprinkled or sprayed along baseboards, in cupboards and pantries, behind appliances, and anywhere else an individual believes ants may be crossing. None of these substances, however, will actually kill the ants. It will just frustrate them and force them to move find a more convenient home.

To further disrupt and confuse house ants, an individual can leave lights on at night that are typically turned off, or place a reading or desk lamp on the ground near high activity areas throughout the night. This will throw the ants off as the change in light and slight change in temperature will throw off the ants’ instinctual foraging patterns.

 

Ant Infestation Prevention Methods

  • Keep all counters and floors clean and free of food – especially before going to bed at night.
  • Sweep daily and mop regularly. This will dispose of any small pieces of missed food.
  • Caulk any areas ants may use to enter the home. An opening as small as 1mm is wide enough for an ant.
  • Keep trees and bushes trimmed. Ants can crawl up trees and along leaves to gain access to open windows.
  • Replace all aged and deteriorated weather stripping, as ants will find tiny holes to gain access. Some ants will actually burrow through rotted weather stripping.

The post Green Home Pest Control Methods appeared first on Downtown Homestead.



from Downtown Homestead http://downtownhomestead.com/green-home-pest-control-methods/
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Air Condition Your Garden

July, it is the time of the year when air conditioning is as important in the garden as it is in the home. You, as the temperature rises, can cool off with an electric fan, a cool drink or by hiding away in a cool spot. Your plants are not quite that lucky; yet certain gardening techniques can be employed to help your plants through the summer months. The benefits of air conditioning in your garden will show up in the form of increased production, greater resistance to disease and pests and, in general, a more attractive vista. An improper over-heated environment during the warmer months often leads to wilt, dropping of buds and yellowing of foliage. Aeration of the soil is concerned with its exposure to the air. If this is lacking then your plants very likely will suffer this summer. Believe it or not but there are millions of tiny spaces between the soil particles and this is where air resides. Soils that become water-logged force out this air, a condition that leads to souring of ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Plumbing Noises In Your Home: Your Pipes are talking to you

To diagnose plumbing noises, it is important to determine first whether the unwanted sounds occur on the system’s inlet side-in other words, when water is turned on-or on the drain side. Noises on the inlet side have varied causes: excessive water pressure, worn valve and faucet parts, improperly connected pumps or other appliances, incorrectly placed pipe fasteners, and plumbing runs containing too many tight bends or other restrictions. Noises on the drain side usually stem from poor location or, as with some inlet side noise, a layout containing tight bends.   Common Plumbing Noises Hissing Pipes Hissing noise that occurs when a faucet is opened slightly, generally signals excessive water pressure. Consult your local water company if you suspect this problem; it will be able to tell you the water pressure in your area and can install a pressure reducing valve on the incoming water supply pipe if necessary. Thudding Pipes Thudding noise, often accompanied by shuddering pipe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Save Your Own Set of Seeds

Saving seeds doesn’t have to be a frightening task and can even be absolutely easy, according to Fred Bove of the San Francisco Permaculture Guild . Instead of waiting for the last riffraff plants to flower, he instructs to look for the biggest, most colorful specimens that were among the first few plants to become ripe. He urges to resist harvesting the first beautiful flower, vegetable or herb of any one planting, and allow full maturity. “You want to save the best characteristics (of any plant) and pass them on,” explained Bove. Depending on the plant, you may want to select for size, flavor or how quickly it takes for the crop to reach maturity. “That way, you’re promoting the desired characteristics in the next generation of seeds.” The next important challenging task is identifying a seed that’s ready for saving. There are different ways to save seeds, depending on the variety. Plants in the apiaceae family, which includes parsley, fennel and cilantro, will bloom and form umbr...
Post a Comment
Read more