BRITAIN’s recent heatwaves had many of us firing up the BBQ and soaking up the rays.
But indoors, a creepy-crawly army may have been deploying a hostile takeover of your kitchen.
Even a tiny drop of honey on the side of a jar can trigger an invasion Credit: Getty
If you want to wipe out a whole colony, the ultimate weapon is ant bait gel Credit: Getty
Ant infestations often rise at this time of year, as millions of the tiny insects stage a invasion.
But if your sugar bowl has turned into an all-you-can-eat buffet for a thousands-strong colony, don’t panic.
Why does summer heat drive ants indoors?
You might think ants love the sunshine, but the summer actually sends them into survival mode.
When the sun bakes the soil outside, it completely dries up their natural water sources.
Just like us gasping for a cold pint, these bugs get desperately thirsty.
Your home, with its damp sinks and cool floors, suddenly looks like a five-star luxury resort to an ant.
Worse still, summer is peak breeding season, and with thousands of new arrivals, the colony needs massive amounts of energy to survive.
And your kitchen counter may be the easiest place for an ant to find a sugary snack.
Once a single ant finds a dropped crumb of cake or a splash of squash, they leave a chemical scent trail telling their thousands of comrades that dinner is served.
What actually gets rid of ants – and what’s a total myth?
Social media is flooded with hacks and old wives’ tales claiming to banish bugs overnight. But most of them are a total waste of cash.
One of the biggest myths of all is pouring a kettleful of boiling water down an outdoor nest, which rarely works.
It only kills the unlucky ants at the very top, leaving the queen safe and sound deep underground to breed another day.
Another involves leaving out cucumber slices or mint leaves – which might smell pleasant to us humans, but can wreck havoc on and ant’s sensitive sense of smell.
But while ants might not love the fragrance, if they’re hungry enough they will march right past them.
If you want to wipe out the whole colony, the ultimate weapon is ant bait gel.
Instead of killing them instantly, these clever traps contain a slow-acting poison mixed with sweet bait.
The worker ants eat it and carry it back to the heart of the nest, feed it to the queen, and the entire colony is wiped out from the inside within days.
For a quick home remedy that actually works, try spraying white vinegar mixed with water directly onto their trails.
It breaks down their scent markers, leaving them completely lost and confused.
How to keep your home pest-free for the rest of the season
Once you’ve cleared the current invaders, you need to put your home on lockdown for the rest of the summer.
- Starve them out: Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight, and wipe down your counters with soapy water immediately after cooking. Even a tiny drop of honey on the side of a jar can trigger an invasion.
- Protect your pets: Bowls of wet cat or dog food left out on the floor are an absolute magnet for pests. Feed your furry friends, then clear the bowls away quickly.
- Seal the borders: Grab a tube of silicone sealant and block up any tiny cracks around your doors, windows, and skirting boards.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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