To get rid of ant trail leading into your home is usually the first step to get rid of ants. Ants naturally tend to rely on the scent left by their scouts to guide them from their colony to specific areas in your home in search of food. The trails leading into your home is made of pheromone: a natural scent the ants release along their route.
You’ve probably encountered ants moving in some organized line. They tend to actively following one leader. A close look at their movement, you will notice that they seem to be following an invisible path. Ants follow a certain path that is only meant for their tiny senses. Other ants will follow a pheromone trail that was left by other ants. All this is to find food or water source.
What are Pheromone Trails?
They can also be referred to as ant Scent lines. Ants tend to release a mixture of chemicals that they leave behind as they walk. This is what is referred to as pheromone trails. The trails can lead the ants to source of food or water and also use to as territorial mark for other insect of different species. The trail is basically one of the ways ants communicate with themselves.
That is why it is always important to get rid of pheromone trails when try to get rid of ant infestation in your home. So how do you get rid of ant scent trails? The best way to get rid of pheromone trails is by messing or disrupting their senses. You can do this by introducing another strong scent that covers the previously left trail.
Some of the recommended ways is to first clean the pheromone trails with soapy water. Thereafter, you can apply repellents such as cinnamon, vinegar etc. around the paths and entry points of these ants. This will deter the ants from coming into your home.
Ant invasion generally has a lot to do with weather. Different seasons you’ll see ants moving into your home in search of warmth or a little breeze but mainly food. Some ant invasion can be difficult to eliminate with basic repellents. It is for this reason you’ll be forced to find their colony and kill all of them. This guide will focus on the ways to get rid of pheromone trails.
How to Get Rid of Ant Pheromone Trails – Step by Step
Ants are naturally attracted to foods we leave behind in the kitchen or couch. This is how you get an ant invasion at home. Here are some of the steps and deterrents for getting rid of ant pheromone trails.
1. Clean your home with Soap and water
The first step to get rid of ant invasion is to maintain hygiene in your home. Clean the ant scent lines with soap and water. You can add some deterrents such as lemon, orange, and cinnamon in the water. Spray this mixture in along the ant trails. The strong scents in the water is enough to scare the ants from their path.
2. Vinegar
Vinegar is one of the most item used at home for various reasons. How to use vinegar to get rid of ants’ scent lines:
- Mix vinegar with water in equal amounts.
- Gently stir to make a spray
- Spray the mixture along the ant pheromone trails
- Do this thrice for effective results.
Remember vinegar is acidic and can destroy some surface that is why it is important to dilute with water. Some tabletops, floors, tiles or even window seals can be affected by strong vinegar solution. It is a strong deterrent that tend to disrupt the ants and keep them away.
2. Cinnamon
This is another natural deterrent to get rid of ants scent lines or pheromone trails. It works fine just like vinegar. Sprinkle cinnamon on the ant trials. Make sure you sprinkle enough to cover the entire ant path. Unlike vinegar, cinnamon isn’t dangerous even when consumed by pets and kids.
3. Draw Chalk over the Ant Trail.
One of the other way to get rid of ant trails and avert a possible ant invasion in your home is by drawing chalk over the ant scent trail. The ants cannot dare cross over the line and for this reason, make sure the pheromone trail is also covered by the line of chalk. This is destroy their path line in an effort to get into your home in search of food.
4. Peppermint Oil
If you’ve think of destroying pheromone ant trails, think of what peppermint oil can do. It is has been categorized as one of the best solution for ant problems. It can be used to deter the ant scent trails thus keeping the ants away. Other than getting rid of the pheromone ant trails, your house is left smelling amazing.
5. Lemon Juice
The idea of getting rid of ant scent trails is to introduce another scent that confuse the original released scent by the ants. This is where lemon juice come in handy. Fresh lemon juice has a string scent that can deter the ants and mess up their scent line. Spray your floors and surfaces with lemon juice to repel the ants and keep the away for good.
6. Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds work best when dealing with ants’ problem. The coffee ground smell is strong enough to deter the ants and disrupt the pheromone ant trails. Sprinkle the coffee grounds over the ant scent trails. The ants will find it uncomfortable to follow their already made trail avoiding it altogether.
7. Chilli Powder
Chili powder has the same effect as most of the deterrents discussed above. Always take precaution when using especially around kids and pets. When it gets into the eyes, it can be irritating. Sprinkle the chilli powder over and along the ant scent trail to deter the ants from invading your home and disrupting their movement pattern.
8. Spices
Spices of all kind can be good in getting rid of ant pheromone trail. The smell of spices when sprinkled over and along the path of these ants tend to mess up their senses thus getting rid of their scent trail. Make sure you sprinkle all over the floors, surfaces or ants’ entry points. Leave it for a while before cleaning it up later.
9. Mint
Just like most of the above discussed ant pheromone trails deterrent, mint works equally fine. The smell of mint is enough to deter the ants from their trail. Grounded, crushed or preserved mint is just fine to do the work. Whatever form you opt for, it will still give you the desired results.
10. Baking Soda
Another effective and simple remedy to remove the ant scent trail is using baking soda. A mixture of baking soda and water paste can be used to remove the ant trail. Apply the paste along the trail and leave it for sometimes. Alternatively, baking soda in dry form to sprinkle along the trail. Remember to sprinkle in all ant entry points such as cracks and crevices.
How Long Do Ant Pheromone Trails Last?
How long an ant pheromone trails last depends entirely on the type of ant species you’re dealing with. Some ant species tend to leave pheromone trails that can last for a couple of days, while others will release a pheromone trail that can only last for a couple of minutes let’s say 10 or so.
A good example will be the carpenter ants, their pheromone trail should be dealt with since it tend to last for a few days. It probably explains why carpenter ants are the most annoying ants to get rid of. Other type of ant species such as the pavement or fire ants leave their pheromone trail for only 10 minutes.
In general, different ant species tend to have different durations of the pheromone trails. It is important to understand the type of ant species you’re dealing with. This will help you understand how to deal with their pheromone trails.
How to Prevent Outside Pheromone Trails
Ant infestation doesn’t just happen indoors but it could be outside too. This means your focus shouldn’t be limited to ants’ invasion in your house but outside too. One of the most applicable method outside would be the use of hot boiling water.
As soon as you find the ant trails outside, pour the hot water along the trail including their nest. This will not only kill the ants on the trail but also get rid of their pheromone trail. Other than hot water, ant baits work fine. This is effective when you have no clue where the nest is. The ants will carry the bait into the colony and the entire nest including the queen will die from eating it.
