Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Find the Source
• Method 2 of 4: Using Natural Remedies
• Method 3 of 4: Using chemicals
• Method 4 of 4: How to Prevent Ant Infestations

Ants are annoying insects that can infest your home and garden. Killing only the ants you see will not solve the problem of eliminating the colony itself. To do this, you need to kill the queen ant (queen). To kill a queen, you can find a nest and kill it there, use an anticidal agent or bait, or use a natural remedy such as borax or boiling water.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Find the Source

1. 1 Find the queen ant. How difficult it will be for you to identify a queen ant depends on the species of ant. The easiest way to find out which ant is the queen is to find an ant with wings. The queens of most ant species develop wings at some point in their lives.
   • When ants shed their wings, the place where they were attached is very easy to spot.
   • Queens have a much larger thoracic region (middle part of the body) than other ants.
2. 2 Find the nest. To kill the queen, you need to find a nest of ants. The location of the nest depends on the ant species. Some ants build their nests in the wooden floors of the house. Others do it in garden sheds, dirt soil, or in the garden. Some ants live in higher elevations throughout the yard.
   • Don't kill the ants until you find their nest. Trace them to the nest.
3. 3 Destroy the nest in search of the queen. The queen can sometimes be found near the nest. Topple the nest or destroy it to make the queen crawl out. If you see the uterus, kill it.
   • When doing this, be careful not to get bitten. Never use this method with fire ants.

Method 2 of 4: Using Natural Remedies

1. 1 Use boiling water. Rinse off the colony with water to kill the queen naturally. First, take 8-12 liters of boiling water. Pour it directly onto the nest. This will kill any ants exposed to the boiling water, including the queen.
   • Don't do this with fire ants. If one of the ants accidentally climbs on you, you may be bitten.
2. 2 Try borax. To kill ants, as well as a queen ant, you can use a solution of borax or boric acid and something sweet. Take 180 ml of thick sugar syrup or honey, heat the selected product in the microwave and mix with 60 g of borax. Stir until smooth to create a liquid ant bait. To make a hard bait for larvae, take the same ratio of crushed sugar and borax and mix well.
   • Leave large drops of bait in the middle of the ant trail, whether on a wall, handrails, or sidewalks. When approaching the nest, place liquid and hard baits along the ant trail. If there are several trails, leave baits on each of them.
   • Do not leave borax in the garden or in the soil. If you have ants in your garden, leave the mixture on a stand to protect the soil and plants.
   • Borax can be purchased at hardware and hardware stores.
   • Borax is toxic, so make sure children and pets do not touch it.
3. 3 Try cornstarch. Cornstarch is another natural way to kill a queen ant. Sprinkle the starch around the nest or nest. The ants will collect the starch and take it to the colony to eat. Due to the fibers in the starch, the ants will swell and die, including the queen if she eats it too.
   • This may take some time, but this method is more effective, including in the long term.

Method 3 of 4: Using chemicals

1. 1 Get insect repellent. If you know where the nest is, take an insect or ant repellent and kill all the ants along with the queen. Read the package label and look for the following ingredients: bifenthrin, permethrin, or deltamethin. Follow the directions for use carefully, as these products are extremely toxic.
   • Be careful with the use of pesticides in your home. Keep them away from children and pets.
2. 2 Try cleaning products. If boiling water isn't enough, pour the cleaning products you have in your kitchen onto the nest. Try adding dish soap to the boiling water. Pour this solution onto the nest.
   • If you need something stronger, try pouring out the detergent or bleach mixture.
   • Do not use detergent or bleach in areas with pets or children.
3. 3 Use ant bait. Ant bait is a type of insecticide that is poisonous to ants. The bait contains sugar and poison. It attracts ants, so they take it to their nests to eat.
   • The bait with poison is transferred to the nests, where it is then eaten by ants. If an ant dies, the other ants will eat it and swallow the poison that killed the first ant. The ants will then spread the venom throughout the colony, including the queen.
   • The entire process can take up to three weeks.
4. 4 Hire a professional. If you were unable to kill the queen and get rid of the ants on your own, call a pest control. He will be able to kill ants and prevent insect infestations. Calling a pest control officer can cost you a lot, so try other methods first and only then seek professional help.

Method 4 of 4: How to Prevent Ant Infestations

1. 1 Clean up the house. Ants are attracted to sugar and everything sweet. If your house is a mess and there are food particles everywhere, especially sweet crumbs, this can lead to an invasion of ants. Ants can also be attracted to water, especially if you live in dry climates. Cleaning your home will eliminate the reasons why the ants and the queen will decide to enter your house.
   • Take your time and do a thorough cleaning of the house. Clean under and behind furniture. Pay special attention to the kitchen, dining room and children's bedroom. Look under the refrigerator, cupboards, and pantries for sweets or sweet spills that might attract ants.
2. 2 Destroy the path. The ants leave behind a trail of scent so other ants in the colony know where to go. Wiping the floor with plain water will not help you. Take vinegar and wash it off the path that ants follow in search of food or their nest.
3. 3 Scare off ants with natural remedies. If you want to keep the ants away, use natural remedies. Pour coffee grounds onto windowsills and doorways. Also take cinnamon, crushed eucalyptus, chili, cayenne pepper, diatomaceous earth, or camphor oil and leave them near any openings through which ants enter your home.
   • Scare ants away from cabinets and pantries by leaving garlic in them.
   • Plants can also be placed in the house to repel ants. Mint and lavender will help rid your home of these insects so you don't have to use chemicals and endanger the plants in your home.