How to control ants in and around the home (carpenter ants, fire ants, sugar ants, pavement ants)?

Borax disrupts the ant's digestive system slowly enough that workers carry the bait back to the colony and share it mouth-to-mouth with other workers, larvae, and the queen. This eliminates the entire colony rather than just visible foragers. Keep boric acid concentration below 5% — higher…

Before buying any product, identify which ant species you have. Observe their size, color, trail behavior, and where they concentrate. Sugar ants (2-3mm, attracted to sweets) respond to liquid borax baits. Carpenter ants (6-13mm, found near wood) need protein baits and possibly professional…

Store all food in sealed containers. Clean up crumbs and spills immediately — pay special attention to countertops, under appliances, and dining areas. Take out garbage daily. Fix water leaks under sinks and around pipes. Do not leave pet food and water out overnight.

Apply a non-repellent perimeter spray around the foundation exterior, focusing on the base of walls, around door and window frames, and where utility lines enter. Use products containing fipronil (Termidor) or imidacloprid — not pyrethroids, which repel ants and scatter colonies.

Contact a licensed pest control professional when you find evidence of carpenter ants — frass (sawdust-like debris), hollow-sounding wood, or large ants (6-13mm) seen regularly indoors, especially at night. Get quotes from 2-3 companies.

Mississippi State and UF/IFAS Extension developed this method because treating individual mounds is ineffective — when large colonies are eliminated, small developing colonies thrive in the vacated space. Broadcast baiting reaches all colonies, including hidden ones, achieving 80-90% control.

Inspect the home's exterior and seal cracks and gaps around doors, windows, pipes, utility lines, and the foundation with caulk. Use silicone caulk for wet areas and polyurethane caulk for exterior gaps. Pay special attention to where utility lines and pipes enter the structure.

Apply a thin, barely visible layer of food-grade diatomaceous earth using a bulb duster along ant trails, around cracks, in wall voids, and at entry points. The layer should be so thin it is difficult to see — heavy piles are counterproductive as ants will walk around them.

Place pre-filled bait stations along ant trails, near entry points, and where you see the most activity. For sugar ants, Terro liquid bait (borax-based) is highly effective. For broader species coverage, Advion gel bait (indoxacarb) works against both sugar-feeding and protein-feeding species.

Mix a small amount of boric acid (under 5% concentration) with peanut butter or canned tuna. Place the mixture in shallow containers near areas of carpenter ant activity — look for frass (fine sawdust-like debris) near baseboards, window sills, or door frames.