It is never a good sign to have flying ants in your home and this is especially true if you happen to notice them inside during the winter months. If you see one or two winged ants in your home during the summer, you won’t necessarily have a problem. When, however, you notice them in the winter, this means that there is a large chance that a carpenter ant nest is somewhere within the building. 

How to Get Rid of Flying Ants in the House

In most cases you won’t need to do anything to exterminate flying ants as they will go away by themselves. In cases where the problem is very grave, however, you may want to take steps to exterminate the flying ants. These ants will respond to the majority of pest control methods, but you should only resort to pesticides if you have tried non-chemical methods without success. By destroying flying ant colonies near your home, you will prevent them from infesting your house in the future. The following information gives you some methods of removing flying ants in the house.
1

Inspect Your Home

Flying ants may be found inside or outside of your home and this means that you have to inspect the entire area surrounding your home when you first notice them. This will allow you to find out where they are coming from. Inside the home, flying ants prefer damp or moist environments with wood, such as rafters under the roof, the porch, window sills, leaky plumbing areas, the bathroom, or by any sink. In cases when their numbers are limited, just use an object or an aerosol ant spray to kill them. 

2

Find The Nests

Your best chance of getting rid of all of the flying ants in your house is by finding their nest. Keep in mind that there may be more than one nest, but you can use gel bait to find the location(s) of the nest(s). Ants will come out and eat the gel bait and bring some of it back to their nest. Paying attention will let you see where the nests are while the bait will eliminate other ants within the colony, including the queen. 

3

Seal Off Their Entry Points

After your inspection, you should have an idea of whether the ants are entering your home via crevices, cracks, or open windows. You can use some silicone caulk and seal up any possible entry points to limit their numbers. Spray some soapy water at their entry points to further discourage the ants. 

4

Eliminate Food Waste

One of the best ways to prevent flying ants from infesting your home is to eliminate any waste that is in your kitchen. Keep in mind that these flying ants will eat your kitchen waste, so it is essential to keep the area clean and promptly store all leftovers. Be sure to place the leftovers inside tightly covered containers. 

5

Use Boric Acid

To keep away most of the ants in the colony, spray some boric acid on each entrance point in addition to the area surrounding the entrance. 

6

Take Advantage of Peppermint Spray

If you prefer to get rid of flying ants in house the natural way, then you can purchase some peppermint oil and make a spray. This spray will suffocate the flying ants so take some and mix it with soap and water. Put the mixture in a spray bottle and you will have an all-natural aerosol insecticide that is safe to use near people and animals. Mix two parts water for one part liquid soap in addition to a few drops peppermint essential oil. 

7

Use Dish Soap

If you don’t have peppermint oil on hand, you can also use dish soap by itself as it will stick on the ants’ bodies, dehydrating them. The easiest way to use soap against ants is by filling up a spray bottle with some water before adding several drops of liquid dish soap and mixing it together. 

8

Make Your Own Trap with Sugar and Borax

Although borax is poisonous to ants, mixing it with sugar hides the poisonous scent. Combine equal amounts of sugar and borax and then slowly add in water until you make a paste. Spread the paste on cardboard and swap it out every few days. Keep in mind this mixture is poisonous for animals and humans as well so be careful.

Always remember to be careful when using ant sprays as they may make you or your pets sick. Most of the time, the flying ant problem will stop when the weather dries up. 

9

Invest in Commercial Aerosols

When it comes to commercial bug poisons, any that are labeled for use on ants should work on flying ones. The best way to catch them to select an aerosol that includes a spout that is easy to direct. Always carefully read the instructions and avoid directing the sprays at people or animals within your home. Always opt for sprays that are safe to use inside and ensure that it is legal to use the specific aerosol within your area. 

10

Find a Commercial Pesticide

When searching for the right commercial pesticide, opt for one that is labeled for use with ants and the ants will bring back to their nests as these will quickly kill the largest numbers. You will find stations, granules, and gels as well as protein or sugar-based ones so try different options. Always follow the instructions. 

Interesting Facts About Flying Ants

Flying ants tend to only appear several days each year when the weather is perfect for them. The queens will develop wings, rising in the air and the males surround them. These may travel a few feet or much farther and this serves for mating as well as forming new colonies. The female loses her wings after mating and will then search for her colony’s new location. Males fall and die after mating. Although the mating process is brief, you should kill them to prevent future infestations. 

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