With the wetlands so close to our humble abode in Bothell, moisture ants can be a real nuisance. They're about the size of a normal ant, dark brown or yellow in color, with a characteristic "notch" on its back.
Although they're tiny, they can cause quite a bit of damage if they're not dealt with. Fortunately, PestNet.com has a great review of precautions and steps to take to get rid of those pesky moisture ants. Here are some of them:
Clean up shop: Moisture ants will forage indoors for food, especially if they are nesting in or near homes. Especially attracted to sweet things, they will find a spill or left out food faster than you can say “Ant!” Keep food in the kitchen in airtight containers and clean up all spills immediately. Dispose of food-contaminated rubbish in an outdoor trash receptacle.
Outside: Moisture ants love moisture! Go figure. Keep wet and loose soil, mulch, grass, and other debris away from your floor and windows. Immediately identify and report any rotting or moist wood to Bailey Farm Management. Seal off any cracks or openings through which the ant may enter with caulking, urethane foam, or lumber.
Sweet poisoned baits are a bit of a paradox, but are perhaps the best way to locate the nest of a moisture ant. Place baits around areas you think may be near nesting sites. This will trap many ants, but until the nest is located widespread eradication isn’t likely.
Liquid Insecticides should most often be applied by professional pest control companies, and is not necessarily a “green” solution but many natural or organic solutions can be purchased at garden stores. If you know positively where the nest is, try drenching it in insecticides. You should only use chemicals labeled for Moisture ants, though, or you could cause a rebound in population.
Click here to read the full article on PestNet.com.
0comments:
Post a Comment