Pests
Ants
Solution
Ant Control Strategies
There are many small things you can do to make sure you don't get an infestation of ants. If you already have them around, here are some ways you can easily take care of them.
Prevention and Maintenance
Good Housekeeping
All stored foods that are attractive to ants should be kept in tightly sealed containers. All wastes from the preparation and cleanup of meals should be transferred immediately to an outdoor garbage can.
Reduce Access and Entry
Once you've made food and water unavailable, you need to prevent ants from entering your home. Seal or caulk entry spots, such as cracks in the foundation or siding, around doors and windows, along baseboards, walls, and cabinets. Spray Ortho® Home Defense Max® Perimeter and Indoor Insect Killer around openings in the house that you can't seal. If you find ants in the house, you can spray them with Ortho EcoSense™ Brand* Indoor Insect Killer. Another option is to use an ant bait. Ortho® Ant-B-Gon® Bait is approved for use under sinks, cabinets, and refrigerators.
Treating Ants Outdoors
Ants become a problem outdoors when they protect insects that damage plants, such as aphids,
scales and mealybugs from attack by their natural enemies. Certain ants stroke aphids to
increase their production of honeydew, or carry them to uninfested plants to supply them
with ample food. Control ants in your garden with products such as
Ortho® Bug-B-Gon MAX® Lawn & Garden Insect Killer Ready-to-Spray or Ortho® EcoSense™ Brand* Outdoor Insect Killer For a barrier treatment around your home's foundation, try
Ortho® Home Defense® MAX™ Insect Killer Granules.
*Not intended to imply environmental safety either alone or compared to other products.
Ants Defined
Ants are common pests in homes throughout the world. They are not known to carry disease, but they are a nuisance, largely because of the food they contaminate and the annoyance caused by their presence. Ants feed on a wide variety of foods, including sweets, starches, greases, and plant and animal materials. There is practically no food that is not eaten by one species or another of ant.
