Also known as alates, flying ants are the more annoying version of carpenter ants. Although biologically the same, while flying ants have wings, carpenter ants do not.
Flying ants appear at certain times of the year, mostly around springtime or summer. This is when they come out to reproduce and can often get in your way. Thankfully, they are not dangerous but can be quite a bother when they begin to infest your home.
One or two alates are nothing to worry about, but if you see them in their numbers, you may need to start worrying about how to get rid of flying ants naturally.
Luckily, there are several ways to get rid of flying ants. This includes the use of peppermint sprays, honey traps, borax, glue traps, cinnamon sprays, lemon juice, and many others.
In this article, we will discuss how to identify flying ants and use these natural remedies to get rid of them once and for all.
How To Naturally Eliminate Flying Ants?
When the season is right, regular carpenter ants become sexually mature and are ready to reproduce. In their quest to find mating partners and build their colonies, these ants develop wings and fly out in their numbers.
If you find many flying ants in your yard or around your house, they may have set up a colony nearby. This means they are not just passers-by, but they plan to stay, and it is up to you to let them know who’s boss.
Before you start employing natural remedies for your ant infestation, you need to be able to identify them first. Insects are tricky and can sometimes be mistaken for others.
Step 1: Identify if you are Indeed Dealing with Flying Ants
Flying ants bear an uncanny resemblance to termites and therefore, are often misidentified as them. If you employ all the elimination tactics for flying ants on termites, you might be wasting your time.
As such, it is important to confirm that you are indeed dealing with flying ants before taking any measures.
Like termites, flying ants have four wings and antennae. However, termites have wings of equal sizes, while flying ants have larger front wings. The alates also have pinched waists, unlike the straight-waisted termites.
Even though they resemble termites, flying ants are not as destructive as they are. Additionally, they are somewhat easier to manage than termites.
Step 2: Locate The Source Of Flying Ants
As the saying goes, if you are patient enough to follow an ant’s trail, you will find its home. If a flying ant has set up a nest close to your home, you must find that nest to remove the ants permanently.
If you try to eliminate them without destroying their nest, you might be wasting your time, as they can easily go into hiding and resurface when the threat is gone.
To find an ant colony, use sugary baits and follow the ant trail, which is usually not far off. Some common places you can find ant colonies include window sills, rafters, porches, bathrooms, sinks, or leaky plumbing areas.
Once you have found the nest, use boiling water to destroy the colony, seal off entry points into your home, and then, start elimination.
Step 3: Seal Off All Entry Points
Flying ants are not typically indoor pests. However, once they make a home in the surroundings of your house, they may trickle in through cracks to find food and sometimes warmth.
You must conduct a thorough home inspection to identify all the possible openings through which these ants might have entered your home. These openings could be cracks in your wall, broken window frames, or holes.
Keeping in mind the size of the ants, close off all possible entry points as best as you can using caulk, nets, or other similar materials. Only then can you begin to get rid of the swarmers naturally.
What Are Some Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Flying Ants?
If you have identified the source and closed off all entry points, you should’ve trapped the little pests, making it easier to get rid of them once and for all.
Here are some natural remedies to quickly get rid of flying ants:
1. Use A Natural Peppermint Oil Spray
Peppermint scent mimics that of certain ant predators and, thus, scares them away. You can make a natural DIY flying ant killer spray by mixing a quarter cup of dish soap in half a cup of water and then adding several drops of peppermint oil.
This mixture will dehydrate and suffocate them, instantly eliminating them.
For maximum effect, spray this mixture where their colonies are and anywhere else you can find a trail of ants. Thoroughly shake this mixture before use, which will repel them, keeping them away from that area for a long time.
Similarly, a mixture of vinegar, lemon juice, and water makes a lethal spray for flying ants. It is poisonous and helps to get rid of them by cutting off the scent of their colonies. As such, ants who are not in their colony will find it difficult to locate it and will eventually die off.
2. Cinnamon Oil Spray
Another natural way to eliminate flying ants is using a simple homemade cinnamon oil spray. Apart from being a wonderful spice in the kitchen, cinnamon contains eugenol, a natural ingredient with high insecticidal properties that actively repels flying ants.
Mix half a tablespoon of cinnamon oil in one cup of water and turn it into a spray bottle for easy application. Once you shake properly, spray this mixture in the ant colony and around entry points. The eugenol in the cinnamon oil will terminate the ants and stop them from further infesting your home.
You can also use other essential oils like citronella oil, citrus oil, patchouli oil, lemon oil, and clove oil to recreate this mixture.
3. Use Diatomaceous Earth (DE) To Get Rid Of Flying Ants
Food-grade diatomaceous earth in its dry state is dangerous to flying ants. It has sharp edges that are fatal to these pests once ingested. D.E. can be used to get rid of flying ants by sprinkling it in their colony and wherever you find their trail.
You can also use it by sprinkling a thin layer around a food source like honey. The food source will attract the flying ants, while the D.E. will trap and instantly dehydrate them. When using this method, ensure that you’re using food-grade D.E., as it is safe for use around pets and children.
Additionally, do not sprinkle it in a damp area, as this reduces its effectiveness. If done properly, flying ants will die as soon as 20 minutes after they come in contact with D.E.
4. Use Boric Acid And Honey Baits To Get Rid Of Flying Ants
Boric acid or borax is lethal to ants. As such, it is an effective way to eliminate them quickly without making a mess. A boric acid and honey trap allows you to bait the ants using the honey and then terminate them using boric acid.
A good way to do this is by mixing one tablespoon of boric acid with one cup of water and a half cup of honey. After stirring, dip cotton balls in this solution and place them near the ant colonies, window sills, and other places you see ant trails.
You can also sprinkle boric acid around a honey jar to attract flying ants. However, the former method is preferred as boric acid can be toxic to humans and pets in high doses.
5. Baking Soda Is Toxic To Flying Ants
Another natural way to get rid of flying ants is by using baking soda. This kitchen ingredient is lethal to ants and will kill them if they ingest it.
The best way to get them to ingest it is by mixing it with equal parts of powdered sugar. Sugary substances have always been an ant’s weak point. As such, when they are attracted to the sugar, they will ingest it along with the baking soda, which will kill them off.
An additional advantage to this method is that the ants often take some of their food back to the rest of their colony. So, if there are any ants you may have missed during your home inspection, they will eventually return to their colony, ingest this mixture and die.
What Are Some Other Ways To Get Rid Of Flying Ants?
Besides the natural methods mentioned above, you can also get rid of flying ants by using some of the methods listed below;
1. Vacuuming
Use a vacuum cleaner to suck them off and empty them far away from your home. However, this method may not be as effective as some ants can escape and reproduce, building another colony again.
2. Insecticides
You can also use commercial-grade insecticides or pesticides containing diatomaceous earth to eliminate flying ants from your property.
When using this method, ensure all your food is covered to avoid contamination. Additionally, thoroughly air out your house after fumigation to avoid leaving the air contaminated.
3. Traps
Another method of getting rid of ants is using glue traps, boiling water, or jars of honey, which they fall and die in.
If none of these methods seem to get the job done, do not hesitate to contact the exterminators, as they will take care of your pest infestation more efficiently.
Conclusion
To eliminate flying ants, you must first identify their colony and seal off all entry points. After that, make a mixture of peppermint oil, dish soap, and water, which will suffocate the ants and keep them away.
You can also use boric acid and honey traps, glue traps, cinnamon oil spray, baking soda, lemon juice, or vinegar.
To prevent them from making a reappearance, sprinkle spices like cinnamon and cloves around entry points.