Here, we take a look at how to kill ants in walls. As a homeowner, you must accept the most reliable approach, as further delay can be costly.
In discussing this topic, we’ve touched on the following.
The presence of ants in walls can lead to severe structural problems that can cause significant damage to your property. When faced with this situation, there are ways to fix it.
Ants in Walls
Choosing between DIY and professional control, why you have an ant problem, the most notorious ant species, and safety risks.
Others include tips on getting rid of ants in walls, the types of walls most targeted, and preventing ants in walls. By the end, you’ll be better informed about freeing your walls of ants.
Let’s proceed with our discussion as follows;
DIY and Professional Control for Ant Nests in Walls
When dealing with an ant infestation in walls, you must choose one of two options: towing the DIY route or calling for professional control.
Getting the job done yourself can be rewarding; however, it has many drawbacks, which include not being knowledgeable enough and the risk of having a resurgent infestation.
The professional approach offers the best results and is backed by warranty.
Can Ants Live in Walls?
Have you wondered why you have an ant problem in your walls? Some reasons why ants will come around include not cleaning your home regularly.
Others are dirty garbage bins, leaky faucets, decaying wood, food crumbs left uncleared, cracks and crevices on walls and foundation, warm and moist conditions in walls, and closeness of the wall (exterior wall) to an ant colony.
Most Notorious Ant Species
When faced with ant infestation in walls, you might be dealing with one or more species. Species most notorious for wall infestation include pavement ants and crazy ants.
Other wall-dwelling ant species include acrobat ants, odorous ants, ghost ants, pharaoh ants, carpenter ants, argentine ants, citronella ants, flying ants, sugar ants, and little black ants.
Ant Infestation in Walls | Signs
To determine whether you have an ant problem in your walls, you must know the signs or symptoms of their presence and activity. Luckily, these aren’t difficult to notice.
Watching out for these signs below is how to know if ants are in the walls.
They include visible ant trails, strange smells, dust-like residue from droppings, faint cracking sounds heard mostly in hollow walls, and, more commonly, ants moving in and out of your walls.
You’ll need to be observant to see this.
Safety Risks
Not all ants pose a safety risk or are dangerous. Those species notorious for infesting walls won’t pose any danger. The most hazardous aren’t frequently found in homes.
However, utmost caution must be applied when dealing with these creatures, especially when you aren’t sure what species you’re dealing with.
Some of the most dangerous include fire ants, bulldog ants, pony ants, Florida harvester ants, bullet ants, siafu ants, bullhorn acacia ants, jack jumper ants, green tree ants, safari ants, and red harvester ants.
Out of those species commonly found nesting in walls, pharaoh ants tend to be the most vicious.
Let’s look at how to get ants out of your walls.
Tips on Getting Rid of Ants in Walls
Getting rid of ants in walls can be done in several ways, including calling for professional help.
You can apply over-the-counter pesticides or go for home remedies like food-grade diatomaceous earth, borax, essential oils, ant baits, soapy solution, and destroying ant nests around your yard.
Let’s discuss some of these approaches further.
i. Calling for Professional Help
Calling for professional help is the easiest way of containing ant infestation on walls. Pest control services have all the tools necessary for non-invasive treatment.
Plus, their treatments are guaranteed. After getting a quote, affected areas are inspected, and the most appropriate treatment is selected.
ii. Over-the-Counter Pesticides
Over-the-counter pesticides are available at hardware stores everywhere. These come with instructions and use specifications. You’ll need to find one that’s suitable to your needs.
The results depend on how accessible the ant colony within your wall is. It also depends on how well you follow the instructions.
iii. Food-grade diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth does an excellent job of eliminating ants in walls. It’s easy to use as it only needs to be sprinkled close to infested areas.
As ants pass through, this substance degrades their exoskeletons, eventually eliminating them.
iv. Essential Oils
Essential oils are used widely, including pest control. Ants hate the smell and will stay away from treated areas.
These oils include citronella, cedar wood, eucalyptus, clove, lemon, and lemongrass essential oils. Others include thyme, tea tree, spearmint, lavender, cinnamon, and patchouli essential oils.
v. Ant Baits
Ant baits serve the purpose of effective control and do a more thorough job of destroying the colony. All you have to do is get your preferred bait and follow the instructions.
Upon placing the bait close to the infested area, they haul this slow-acting bait right into their nests. As they feed, it slowly poisons members of the colony, thus freeing your walls.
vi. Soapy Solution
If you have ample access to the infested part of your walls, you can prepare a soapy solution using dish soap and water. Empty into a spray bottle and apply generously.
When covered with such a soapy solution, ants are unable to breathe. This suffocates and kills them within a short period.
Types of Walls Most Targeted
Although ants will nest in almost every wall type under ideal conditions, some are most vulnerable to their nesting behaviors. You may encounter ants in cavity, hollow, and basement walls.
Even when your wall isn’t any of these, ants can establish a colony if it offers ideal nesting conditions. It would help if you were attentive to your surroundings to identify an infestation early enough.
Preventing Ants in Walls
It’s not enough to get rid of ants in walls. Further preventive steps must be taken or implemented to ensure they don’t return. Such simple steps include cleaning your surroundings regularly.
Ants scavenge for food and leave scents behind to signal the presence of food or a suitable nesting site to other colony members. With frequent cleanup, you can keep your home safe.
Other preventive steps to consider include sealing up all cracks and crevices on walls, fixing leaky faucets, emptying your trashcan regularly, and washing it periodically.
Proper insulation of your walls will also help.
These are ways to kill ants in walls. With multiple options presented, finding solutions won’t be difficult. However, you must be able to identify the problem and apply treatment correctly.