Ants in the house - why they appear and how to get rid of them once and for all

Unlike forest ants, “nature’s orderlies,” who aerate and structure the soil, and also destroy a lot of harmful insects and themselves serve as food for birds, six-legged “invaders” in a country house, and even more so in an apartment, are completely unwelcome guests.

If you notice just one insect, it’s too early to sound the alarm - perhaps it’s an ant accidentally brought in from the street on clothes or shoes, which has no intention of encroaching on your property. However, if such meetings happen regularly, and their number is increasing, it’s time to sound the alarm; perhaps a whole family is quietly moving in with you, intending to share your living space and all the benefits of civilization.

Plants

The simplest, environmentally friendly and safest way to control insects is to use plants. Ants are sensitive to odors. This is what you can play with when using various herbs and flowers.

Lavender

It is a perennial herbaceous plant and a popular essential oil crop. The aromatic herb contains camphor and linalool (a colorless liquid with a bergamot aroma). The lavender smell is good for people, but insects don't like it at all.

To scare away ants, lavender branches are laid out near anthills, and indoors - in places where they appear. After some time, the insects, under the influence of an intolerable odor, leave their habitats.

Mint

Mint is a perennial herbaceous plant with an amazing aroma. There are several types of mint that differ in appearance and aroma - peppermint, lemon mint, home mint. Any of them can scare away ants.

The main source of the extraordinary mint smell is menthol. This odorous substance effectively repels arthropod insects. To do this, mint shoots are laid out near ant nests.

Melissa

The plant looks modest, but has an extremely pleasant smell - freshness and lemon. For ants, the aroma of “lemon balm” is extremely unpleasant.

Melissa essential oil has a negative effect on the condition of insects; they run away from it like from fire. To drive out ants, leaves and branches of lemon balm are laid out near their habitats.

Nasturtium

This is one of the most positive garden plants. It has bright orange large flowers. Nasturtium is used not only for beauty, but also to repel insects.

The flower contains mustard glucoisodes, tannins and alkaloids. Thanks to them, the flowers emit a sharp and tart smell that frightens ants. Having sensed it, the insects quickly leave their homes.

Valerian

Valerian is one of the most popular medicinal herbs used in pharmaceuticals. The essential oils contained in its rhizomes have a calming effect on humans, but on the contrary, they excite and irritate ants.

The main repellents of valerian are borneol oil esters, tannins and resins. The odors emitted by valerian drive away a variety of insects; even ants cannot resist them. The method of application is usual - the grass is laid out near insect habitats.

Rosemary

Rosemary is an evergreen shrub known as a herb used in haute cuisine. This fragrant spice has powerful medicinal properties, and its name is translated into Russian as “freshness of the sea.”

Rosemary has an unusual aroma - bittersweet, with lemon notes and the smell of pine. Such an aromatic “bouquet” is intolerable to ants. The main deterrent is camphor. Rosemary can be planted in pots and placed in areas where insects are present.

Dill

Dill is deservedly considered almost the most popular spice. Thanks to its fragrant properties, it is added to a variety of dishes and preparations. Ants cannot tolerate the dill aroma.

Dill contains essential oils that are repugnant to insects. To scare them away, dry or fresh dill (preferably large umbrellas) are laid out in insect habitats.

Potato

The popularity of potatoes is difficult to overestimate - this root vegetable is found in almost every garden. Ants are not afraid of potatoes; moreover, they easily penetrate the tubers. But the infusion of tops is unpleasant for them.

To prepare the infusion, pour 10 liters of boiling water into 1 kg of chopped tops. After 2 days, add 40 g of soap. Strain and spray plants in ant habitats. This infusion also helps get rid of cutworms, aphids and spider mites.

Mustard

Mustard is an annual plant from the cruciferous family, best known for its seeds. They are widely used in cooking as a seasoning. Mustard diluted in water to the consistency of kefir helps to expel hordes of ants from the garden and home. The solution is poured directly into the anthills.

Mustard powder can also repel insects - it is sprinkled along ant paths and around nests. Planting mustard along the beds also helps to get rid of ants from the area.

Parsley

It is a leafy vegetable renowned for its aromatic, flavor and medicinal properties. If parsley grows in the garden, it can be used to repel insects.

Parsley leaves contain the aromatic substance myristicin, which repels insects. To drive them away, picked parsley is placed in the habitats of the ants.

Cilantro

A popular herb whose seeds are known as coriander. The spice is widely used in cooking, soap making, and the perfume industry.

Many people hate the smell of cilantro, and ants don't like it either. The leaves of the plant smell like crushed bugs. To ensure that the ants leave the anthill forever, freshly picked leaves are laid out around it.

Anise

Another fragrant plant and spicy spice, widely used by culinary specialists. It is added to strong drinks and desserts. The umbrella plant repels insects with the pungent smell of anise.

Anise seeds are used to prepare a decoction. They are poured with boiling water - about 1 tbsp. l. for 250 ml. The finished broth is sprinkled around the room or poured into an anthill.

Fennel

This herbaceous plant from the Celery family is often confused with dill. Fennel smells and tastes like anise, but its taste is sweeter and more pleasant.

Fennel contains a lot of essential oils that are unpleasant to insects. It is used in the same way as other herbs - placed around habitats.

Types and features

Despite the natural habitat of ants - nature, some of them successfully adapt to the conditions of a house or apartment.

Let's look at the main varieties and their features:

• Redhead is a small red-colored insect, the length of which does not exceed two millimeters; They are distinguished by the presence of a small head, a rapid reproduction process, and indiscriminate eating, but they prefer sweets; It is worth noting their slow movement; their colonies can reach sizes of 400 thousand individuals. They can live in the kitchen, under the baseboard, in cracks or cracks.

• Red is a dangerous arthropod that can carry infectious diseases. They are considered quite resistant to the influence of many poisons. They are omnivores, but their preference is high-calorie food; they can live without water for about three days, without food for about six days. They like to settle in wooden products after making holes in them.

• Black, brown - a large insect, about four millimeters long with a dark body covered with hairs; they prefer carbohydrate foods in food. Bathrooms and balconies are chosen as housing.

• Yellow (also called pharaoh) is a small parasite that multiplies quickly. It is distinguished by the formation of a pair of nests at once. For parasitism, I choose a warm and humid place - under wallpaper, in floor coverings, inside household appliances.

Essential oils

Essential oils have a powerful, concentrated aroma. Even for people it is too strong - not everyone can withstand it. What can we say about insects? Their sensitive sense of smell does not allow them to coexist near such odors.

Lavender

It is not fresh or dry lavender that is much more effective in fighting ants, but lavender oil extracted from it. It is especially often used to expel insects from premises.

How to prepare ant repellent:

1. Pour 250 ml of alcohol into a bowl.
2. Add 10 drops of lavender oil and twice as much mint.
3. Dilute the mixture in 200 ml of water.
4. Pour the resulting mixture into a liquid sprayer and spray the ants’ habitats.

The treatment can be repeated several times. This is one of the safest and most effective repellent compounds.

Kedrovoe

Typically, cedar oil is used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Ants are unlikely to appreciate this natural product. The pine smell is unpleasant to them and forces them to change their place of residence.

The use of essential cedar oil is simple - dilute a few drops in water, pour it into a sprinkler and treat the habitats of ants.

Coniferous

To prepare a repellent composition, in addition to pine oil, you will need alcohol and water. For humans, the smell of pine needles is pleasant, but the ants will hurry to leave.

How to prepare a pine repellent:

1. Dilute 20 drops of essential oil in 100 ml of alcohol.
2. Add water and pour into a spray bottle.
3. Spray all areas where ants appear.

Juniper

The peculiarity of juniper oil is its burning taste. The vapors from this oil are toxic to ants. Insects, inhaling them, begin to suffocate and strive to leave the room or anthill treated with dissolved oil.

How to prepare the solution:

1. Pour 30 g of alcohol into 250 ml of water.
2. Add 10 drops of juniper oil and stir.

Spray the resulting solution into places where insects gather/reside. It is recommended to carry out the treatment periodically, but preferably every day until the ants leave completely.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon oil shows itself excellently in the fight against ant hordes. A special anti-ant spray is prepared from it.

The composition is prepared from water, dishwashing detergent and 10-15 drops of cinnamon essential oil. Mix 3 parts water, 1 part detergent and cinnamon oil in a bottle. The finished composition is sprayed over insect habitats.

You can additionally add a few drops of another essential oil, such as tea tree, cedar or citronella, to the mixture for better effect.

Anise

Anise oil has a pungent odor that repels insects. It is used like the previous oils - a solution is prepared, and then the places where insects appear are sprayed.

How to prepare anise solution:

1. Dilute 10 drops in 20 ml of alcohol.
2. Add 200 ml water and 1 tbsp. l. detergent.
3. Spray evenly in areas where insects are located. If there are ants in the area, pour the solution directly into the anthills.

Prevention measures

List of preventive measures to prevent annoying insects from appearing in the apartment after the treatment:

1. Cleanliness and order in the apartment must always be maintained. There should be no leftover food on the floor or tables in the kitchen. Animal feeding bowls should be washed regularly.
2. The trash can must be emptied and garbage must not be stored for a long time.
3. Store food in tightly closed cabinets, and it is not recommended to leave it open.
4. Inspect baseboards, walls and doors. If cracks are found, they should be sealed immediately.
5. Outline the ventilation hole with a pencil to prevent insect infestation.

Attention! Maintaining basic order will help prevent re-invasion of pests.

Outwardly, ants seem harmless and do not cause any harm, but this opinion is wrong. Insects can become carriers of infectious diseases, so you should be wary and observe the rules of basic hygiene, and when unexpected guests appear, you must take all measures to scare them away from your home.

Food

Ants are very sensitive to strong odors. To repel them, you can use products with piercing aromas. They are completely safe for humans and are always at hand, so fighting ants costs pennies.

Garlic and onion

Vegetable crops are known for their odors, which cannot be confused with anything else. Both onions and garlic exude phytoncides into the space, which are harmful not only to microorganisms, but also to insects.

How to make garlic insect repellent:

1. Peel two large heads of garlic and mash in a mortar.
2. Pour 1 liter of water over the crushed slices.
3. Strain the garlic solution, pour into a bottle and place in a dark room. Treat insect habitats with the resulting product.

Second “garlic” recipe:

1. Peel 5 garlic heads.
2. Add 10 ml sunflower oil.
3. Infuse the composition for 2 days in a cool and dark room.

An anti-ant agent can also be prepared from garlic arrows using the same recipes. Instead of heads, take an equal number of arrows by weight.

Onions are also suitable for controlling ants. You can prepare an infusion from onions or onion peels. Crushed heads (3-4 pieces) or husks (200 g) are poured with water (1 l) and left in the dark. Strained compounds are sprayed on the places where insects appear.

Vinegar and essence

If you have table vinegar and vinegar essence in your kitchen, you can quickly prepare an anti-ant “cocktail.”

Preparation procedure:

1. Mix vinegar and water (1:1).
2. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and treat the insect habitats.

If an essence is used, it is diluted to 9% composition to protect yourself from possible burns.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is used for more than just baking. Its original smell is unpleasant to ants. The fight with cinnamon is extremely simple - the powder is simply scattered along the ant paths. Whole cinnamon sticks can be placed in cracks and crevices.

Coffee

You don't need to waste coffee to repel ants. It is enough to use the spin cycle after brewing. Insects are adversely affected by the caffeine contained in coffee, including drunk coffee.

How to repel insects with the smell of coffee:

1. Place the remaining brewed coffee near the ant nests.
2. Sprinkle the squeeze on the paths along which the ants crawl. Insects die from the intoxicating aroma of coffee.

To achieve the effect, the coffee press is placed in the places where the insects are located every day.

Ground red pepper

Another effective remedy is ground red pepper, which is usually used to coat lard.

How to drive out ants using red pepper:

1. Pour 50 g of pepper powder into 1 liter of water.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 1 hour.
3. Drain the broth into a large container.
4. Add 1 tbsp. l. liquid or grated soap.
5. Infuse the composition for 3 days.

Millet

Gardeners often use millet to prepare poisons for insects. It is also useful for killing ants. Instead of millet, you can also use semolina.

How to prepare poisonous bait from millet:

1. Mix half a kilo of cereal with 100 g of powdered sugar.
2. Scatter millet in insect habitats. The eaten grains swell in the stomachs and kill the ants.

The grain that the ants begin to drag into the anthill, swelling with moisture, blocks the passages. This leads to the death of the queen queen - the worker ants cannot bring her food due to blocked paths.

Lemon

Another effective remedy for ant infestation is citrus fruits. True, this product is more suitable for indoor use. It is irrational to spend citrus fruits on fighting insects in the garden.

Along with lemons, oranges and limes have a deterrent effect. Insects don't like their sour smell. Ant trails are rubbed with lemon juice or citrus slices are placed on them.

Yeast

The essence of the effect of yeast comes down to the ability of yeast fungi to ferment and expand.

The procedure for preparing the yeast composition:

1. 1 tbsp. l. baker's yeast pour cold water. There should be enough of it to form a substance with a consistency similar to sour cream.
2. Stir and add 1 tsp. honey/jam.
3. Place the “yummy” food on pieces of cardboard and place it in places where insects gather.

How to destroy a nest

No matter how hard you try to crush the ants that are running around the table, no matter how much you poison them with chemicals, their number will still grow, which can be explained by the fact that the queen will continue to lay eggs regularly.

To get rid of pests, you first need to get rid of the females, and this can only be done by finding a nest of arthropods.

Finding a colony is quite difficult and not always realistic; during the search it is worth considering the following points:

• Warm places. Most individuals prefer warmth and moisture, which is why you need to start your search from the kitchen or bathroom.
• Difficult to reach area. The nest can be formed under the tiles, in a socket. In some cases, the anthill may even be located outside the apartment, for example, in the ceiling, between floors - here the task certainly becomes unrealistic.
• The surveillance process. To determine the location of the colony, you just need to follow the groups of arthropods; they themselves will lead you to their own shelter.

If you have difficulty searching, you can arm yourself with silicone sealant or mounting foam - have you seen how ants disappear into the cracks? Seal them right away, so they won’t be able to get to the house.

Chemical substances

Along with special anti-insect preparations, it is possible to use various chemicals that are not directly intended to combat ants. They are effective, but require increased caution when using.

Gasoline or kerosene

Petroleum product - gasoline or kerosene, mixed with water. For 1 liter of water take only 1 tbsp. l. fuel. Habitats are treated with liquid. It is prohibited to pour gasoline and kerosene under plants - they will die.

Another option for using flammable substances is to lay out rags soaked in gasoline or kerosene around the garden. Place them in places where ants are present.

When using gasoline and kerosene, be aware of the high hazards of these flammable substances and take increased precautions.

Ammonia

Insects find the ammonia smell unpleasant. You will need a regular ammonia solution, which is sold in pharmacies. Usually this drug is in every home medicine cabinet.

How to prepare the solution:

1. Dilute ammonia in 1 liter of water.
2. Treat all areas where insects appear with the solution.

This method of control is more suitable for indoors and for cases where there are very few ants.

Detergents

To kill ants, you can use household chemicals and detergents - powders, shampoos, soaps, etc. All of them irritate ants, so they can be used to create repellent solutions.

Example of using detergents:

1. Dilute 500 ml of cheap shampoo in 10 liters of water. Pour in 500 ml of sunflower oil.
2. Add a bottle of vinegar (500 ml) and pour the solution into the anthill.

Instead of shampoo, you can use laundry soap or dishwashing detergent.

Insecticides

The most effective insect repellents are chemicals called insecticides. There are plenty of them on the market today, there are plenty to choose from. These include powders, gels, and liquid preparations.

Popular anti-ant agents:

• Absolute. The result is given in two weeks. After 2 months, re-apply to consolidate the result. The gel is brown with a sweet and pleasant smell. The active ingredient is chlorpyrifos.
• Clean house. Gel filled into a syringe. User contact with the substance is excluded. The result comes in 3 days.
• Muratox. A universal remedy that acts not only on ants, but also on mosquitoes and fleas. Release form: powder. The product is diluted with water. The drug is not phytotoxic - does not harm plants.
• Battalion commander An American remedy that affects the gastrointestinal tract of insects and causes their death. It is the most popular anti-ant insecticide in the CIS.
• Delicia. A German drug, expensive and effective. Release form: powder. The active ingredient is chlorpyrifos. It destroys protein in the body and causes death.
• Karbofos. Cheap and effective domestic product. A powerful insecticide that kills pests in 3-4 hours.
• A great warrior. A domestic product produced in the form of gels and traps. Designed to protect the area from a wide variety of insects. The active ingredients are diazinon and chlorpyrifos. It affects the central nervous system, causing paralysis and death within 3-4 hours.
• Dr. Klaus. Russian insecticide that affects the central nervous system of insects. In the shortest possible time, the drug causes paralysis and death. The substance does not act immediately; the insect manages to get into the nest and infect its fellows there.
• Fas-Double. A powerful remedy. It has pronounced toxicity. It affects the respiratory organs of insects, causing their death within 24 hours. Work with this product wearing safety glasses and gloves.

Is it possible to get rid of arthropods indoors without poison?

If your home has received new uninvited guests, do not despair, since now there are various methods that will help get rid of pests. You can use chemicals or use good old folk methods.

But, despite the chosen method, you need to prepare yourself for a long period of war, since, according to statistics, killing ants at home can take 2-4 weeks.

Folk remedies

Gardeners have accumulated many recipes for pest control. They are simple, affordable, effective and safe. Below are the most popular folk remedies for ants.

Ash

Wood ash is not only an excellent fertilizer, but also a good remedy for ants. It is used in liquid and dry form. Ash also helps to expel aphids from plants, whose colonies are “grazed” by ants.

Ash solution recipe No. 1:

1. Dilute 3 kg of ash in 10 liters of boiling water.
2. Infuse the mixture for 2 days in a dark room.
3. Strain the infusion.
4. Add 40 g of soap and mix thoroughly.
5. Spray the area where ants and aphids reside with the prepared solution.

Ash solution recipe No. 2:

1. Dilute 300 g of ash in 1 liter of boiling water.
2. Keep the solution on low heat for 30 minutes.
3. Increase the volume to 10 liters.
4. Add 40 g of soap, mix and use for spraying.

It is recommended to dig small ditches along the perimeter of the garden into which ash is poured. The top is sprinkled with soil. You can also simply scatter the ash around the area.

Shading

Ants love warmth, so they build anthills so that they spend the maximum amount of time in the sun. And the main entrance is located on the sunny side. This feature can be used to drive away insects.

An area 1 m wide - the one where the anthill is located - is shaded using covering material. Insects, dissatisfied with the changed conditions of existence, will be forced to leave. True, it’s not a fact that it’s far.

Syrup

This method of killing insects is considered one of the most humane. All places where arthropods appear are treated with a sweet composition. Ants love sweet foods, but concentrated sugar can kill them.

How to make syrup:

1. Add sugar 1:2 to water. The syrup should be thick.
2. Pour the sweet liquid into shallow containers and place them near the anthills. Or pour it directly into the entrances.

The disadvantage of the “sweet” method is low efficiency. Insects die gradually, and not all of them.

What harm can unpleasant “neighbors” bring?

Ants can be found both in the wild and in apartments, and in most cases the insects invade in whole groups.

If you notice several scouts, you need to immediately begin to fight them, having time to remove the pests before they build a colony. Otherwise, you may face the problem of serious damage to your home, equipment, and family health.

Uninvited guests can appear for various reasons. It could even be an accident - after being in nature, they can be brought into the house with clothes or on the fur of a pet.

In some cases, arthropods can sneak from a neighboring house to look for an additional source of food. In addition, there is a possible risk of encountering them by lifting them through plumbing pipes from the basement.

What else are ants afraid of?

Those who do not want to bother with spraying, laying out and scattering anti-ant agents use more global means. They do not require regular use, and at the same time radically solve the problem of the presence of insects.

Cold

The option is suitable for indoors. Ants, like all insects, cannot tolerate low temperatures; they quickly die at low temperatures.

In winter, the heating in the house is turned off if possible. They open windows and doors and literally freeze the ants out.

This method has disadvantages:

• If the heating is not turned off and the nest with the queen ant is located near the radiators, the cold may not reach her.
• If you turn off the heating, you have to drain the water, otherwise the pipes will burst due to frozen water in it. Another thing is antifreeze. If it is poured into the system, the heating can be safely turned off.
• If we are talking about an apartment building, the frozen ants will quickly be replaced by new ones - from neighboring apartments.

When freezing insects at the dacha, it is recommended to first wash it and remove the food. Then, along with ants, you will be able to get rid of moths, bedbugs and cockroaches.

Ultrasound

Some gardeners prefer to use technological advances to combat insects. Many of them, including ants, react negatively to ultrasound.

Devices that propagate ultrasonic waves can expel insects permanently. Ultrasound has a destructive effect on the central nervous system, causing discomfort in insects.

There are different types of devices offered on the market:

• powered by electricity and operating within a radius of 100 m;
• battery-powered, which are convenient to use at home and in the country;
• combined models - they operate on battery or mains power.

Traps

The action of these devices is based on luring insects with attractive smells and tastes. The simplest and most effective type of traps are containers filled with a strong-smelling poisonous powder or liquid.

Having smeared themselves in the poison, the insects carry it to the nest. The traps are attached to horizontal or vertical planes using Velcro.

There are branded traps on the market, imported and domestically produced:

• Bayer Garden;
• Combat Superattack;
• Dohlox;
• Deadex.

Lack of food and water

In order not to fight ant hordes, it is easier to prevent their appearance. To do this, create conditions so that insects do not try to settle on the site or in the house.

Ants primarily look for food, water and shelter. To prevent them from becoming interested in a particular object, make food or water inaccessible to them.

How to deprive insects of their sources of livelihood:

• Do not leave food residues or crumbs in the house, maintain perfect cleanliness.
• Regularly inspect water and sewer pipes for leaks and condensation. If cold water pipes are covered with small drops, increase ventilation.
• Remove plant debris from the area in a timely manner and do not throw food waste around.

Physical intervention

Ants do not like interference in their lives. If you dig up the places where their homes are located, they will leave on their own, and you won’t have to destroy them.

The most humane option for getting rid of ants is to dig up an anthill, put it in a bag and take it away from the site. Somewhere in the forest or field. This is a labor-intensive task, but there are gardeners who prefer to tinker instead of destroying insects, which are an important part of the biosphere.

If no measures are taken, ants can infest the entire area, and fighting them will be much more difficult than at the initial stage. Considering that there are a huge number of different methods and means against these insects, solving the problem is not difficult.

About the advantages of repelling methods

Ants living in homes cause significant damage to health, as they crawl everywhere, carry infections, and get into food. These seemingly innocent insects can come from anywhere, for example, from the street on shoes or with garden soil from the garden. In any case, they cause discomfort, and it will take a lot of time to remove them.

Their small size and their ability to live in entire colonies allow ants to stay in hard-to-reach places. There are several methods that you can use to ensure that they leave the premises forever.

Several repellent methods and their advantages:

1. Ultrasonic devices. Modern devices run on batteries or electricity. Their main advantage is coverage of an area with a radius of up to 100 m. High-frequency ultrasound radiation protects against insects of all types: flies, cockroaches and mosquitoes.
2. Traditional methods. For repelling, environmentally friendly products are used that do not affect the health of people and animals.
3. Keeping the house clean. Cleanliness in your living space is a means of preventing unexpected guests from appearing. It is recommended to clean regularly and not leave food and water in visible places.
4. Use of chemicals. Modern chemicals are effective, and many owners prefer their use.

Positive results can be obtained by repelling insects using one of these methods, the main thing is to do everything correctly.

Choosing an effective method for controlling ants in a summer cottage

The key condition for getting rid of the entire colony is the destruction of the queen, which lives in the bowels of the nest, spending all the time there without crawling out.

Large polygynous families may have several queens. It can be destroyed using the above methods, which involve a deep impact on their home - boiling water, ammonia, ammonia, borax, potent insecticides.

It is worth noting that eliminating the queen is not a 100 percent guarantee of destroying the colony, since a large nursery can contain several queens at once.

In addition, before death, the queen can lay eggs; from such a brood a queen can also appear, which over time will begin to increase the number of parasites.

How to prepare for processing

Do not despair if the nest was not found. Destruction of the female is possible even without this. Force worker ants to pick up poisonous substances and take them to the nest as food for the family. This principle became the basis for almost every folk trap and insecticide.

But do not forget about careful preparation for the fight, namely:

• Washing surfaces. It is necessary to wipe each countertop and table with a damp cloth to remove all crumbs, food debris, sugar, the floor should be washed with vinegar, Domestos, destroying the paved paths, and the insect disinfection process should also be carried out;
• Cleaning up food and garbage - you should hide all baked goods, sweets and cookies inside plastic bags, close the garbage bin with a lid (it is better to remove it from the premises);
• Inspection of plumbing fixtures and baseboards. You need to take care of fixing the taps, fixing the water pipes - you can’t allow water that is necessary for arthropods to drip inside the apartment, after which you need to identify every crack, sealing it with sealant.

Methods of protection

Ants play a large role in the natural ecosystem; their destruction will not benefit either humans or plants. Therefore, various methods of protection should be used that will create unbearable conditions for insects so that they leave on their own.

There are the following methods to protect the plants on your site and your home:

• the use of plants whose smell ants cannot stand;
• repelling them with essential oils;
• food use.