Category: Ants

Invasive ants can be a major nuisance in and around your home. Depending on the type of ants on your property, the pests can cause many issues such as structural damage, food contamination, and painful, itchy bites. While there are many natural and store-bought products you can use to aid in ant control, the following scents are commonly what ants despise most.

What Ants Hate Most

1. Scented Plants

   Lavender, eucalyptus, mint, basil, oregano, and thyme are all items you can plant to keep ants away since they all contain linalool, which is an effective repellent for any pests.

2. Common Kitchen Spices

   Garlic, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper are all scents that ants despise.

3. Essential Oils

   Essential oils such as peppermint, lavender, and thyme work well to repel ants. You can use a diffuser,  set out dishes of essential oils, or leave out cotton balls soaked in essential oils to deter pesky ants.

Common Steps for DIY Ant Control

1. Because food and crumbs attract ants, keep your kitchen area clean.
2. Close off any potential access points that ants are using to enter your property.
3. Identify the invasive ant species and locate their nest.
4. Decide on a natural ant repellent mixture or scent to use inside.
5. Erase existing ant trails with your repellent mixture of choice.
6. Analyze your success. If you find your ant issue has grown more serious, you may want to consider other options.

The Problem with DIY Ant Control

Though ants may hate many smells, they will often overcome their distaste in order to reach the food inside your property. At the end of the day, such scented ant repellents will not offer a permanent solution to your ant problem. ​​Furthermore, store-bought ant sprays contain harsh and toxic chemicals that can threaten the health of you and your loved ones. Therefore, it is recommended that you hire licensed ant control professionals instead of attempting to deal with ants on your own.

Reliable Ant Control Experts in Boston

If your property in the Greater Boston area is overrun with invasive ants, then rely on the professional, environmentally friendly, and non-toxic ant control methods used by the pest control experts at Critter Control® of Boston. Our licensed and trained ant control technicians will not only eliminate all unwelcome ants, but also implement steps to prevent further pest issues in the future. Our pest control process includes inspection, removal, prevention, and restoration to return your property to its original, pre-infestation state.

Whether you have an existing ant problem or want to prevent one from ever starting, you can count on us for safe and effective services. To schedule an inspection for your home or business and receive a free estimate for our ant control services, call us today at 617-975-0440.

If you have noticed large ant hills in your yard or outside your home, then it is important not to ignore them as outside ants can easily make their way into your home and become a major pest issue that grows into an overwhelming infestation overnight. In addition to being a nuisance pest, certain species of ants can cause structural damage by chewing through the wood in your home. Depending on the type of ant you are dealing with, they can also contaminate your food and leave painful bites on your skin.

Here are some DIY and professional ways to permanently get rid of ants outside your home.

DIY Ways to Get Rid of Ants Outside

The first step to get rid of ants outside is to make your home less appealing to them. Ants love damp areas, so be sure to repair any leaks or wet, damaged areas around the exterior of your home. Ants also use leaves, branches, and woodpiles to act as a bridge into your residence, so trim back any overgrown vegetation that is touching your house.

There are also several natural household items that help repel ants, such as vinegar, mint leaves, and cinnamon oil. Another way to prevent ants from coming into your home is by lining entrances and ant access points with a toxic solution of borax mixed with powdered sugar that can kill ants in their tracks.

Professional Ways to Get Rid of Ants Outside

Although there are several methods you can attempt to prevent the spread of ants inside your home yourself, such DIY methods are inefficient at permanently removing the pests. If you are dealing with a serious ant infestation, then it is recommended that you hire pest control professionals. While some ant exterminators rely on harsh chemicals to quickly remove ants, such tactics can lead to health issues for you, your family, and your pets. Therefore, the most effective method to combat ants is to rely on the safe and effective ant control experts at Critter Control® of Boston.

Efficient Ant Control Services in the Greater Boston Area

If your property in the Greater Boston area is overrun with nuisance ants, then rely on the professional ant control experts at Critter Control® of Boston. Our licensed and trained pest control technicians use non-toxic and eco-friendly ant control methods to deter, remove, and eliminate invasive ants and other pests from around your Boston property. Our removal process includes inspection, removal, prevention, and restoration to ensure a thorough ant removal process.

Whether you have an existing pest problem or want to prevent one from ever starting, you can count on Critter Control® of Boston for safe and effective services. To schedule an inspection for your home or business and receive a free estimate for our ant control services, call us today at 617-975-0440.

Outside of an ant farm, ants are invasive pests that you don’t want crawling around inside your Greater Boston area property. The best way to get rid of ants is by dealing with them immediately before they can pose a significant threat to you and your homes, such as painful bites, food contamination, and structural damage. Here are a few ways you can get rid of ants in your home.

4 Ways to Get Rid of Ants

1. Keep your home tidy

   Ants instinctively search for food and water sources. That is why they often target pantries, cupboards, food containers, and kitchen counters. To keep ants away, it is important to keep up with proper housekeeping by frequently sweeping the floors, wiping down counters, washing the dishes, and vacuuming.

2. Maintain a clean exterior

   Ants thrive in damp places. They make their nesting grounds in parts of the home with excess moisture, like around gutters, downspouts, and exterior faucets. These small insects also use any debris around your property as a bridge to get inside your home, so it is essential to move wet leaves and tree limbs away from your windows and doors.

3. Use natural solutions

   A common ant deterrent is a mixture of vinegar and water that you can spray on ant trails to remove the scent they leave behind. Since ants have a keen sense of smell, you can also keep them away by placing cayenne pepper in areas where they congregate.

4. Make or use ant bait

   You can make an ant-eliminating mixture yourself or buy it in stores. To create a deadly ant bait, mix Borax and powdered sugar in a bowl. Ants will take the poisoned sugar back to their colony where the solution will kill them and, hopefully, a large chunk of their population.

The Risks of DIY Ant Removal

Although these remedies can help get rid of ants in your home, they only provide a temporary solution. Furthermore, many of the chemicals found in store-bought ant sprays are harmful to your family and pets. Instead of wasting your time and money on temporary relief, rely on the permanent ant removal specialists at Critter Control® of Boston.

Get Rid of Ants with Critter Control® of Boston

Whether you have an existing ant infestation or want to prevent one from ever starting, our ant removal professionals can help.

At Critter Control® of Boston, our licensed and trained pest control technicians will deter, remove, and eliminate invasive ants from your Boston property using eco-friendly and non-toxic ant control methods.

To schedule an inspection for your home or business and receive a free estimate for our safe and effective pest control services, call us today at 617-975-0440.

Ants can appear out of nowhere, and it’s hard to get rid of them once they’ve made their way you’re your home. However, there are a few remedies to getting rid of these pesky pests for good. Here are a few tried and true methods to help get rid of ants.

Get Rid of Ants With These Five Tips

1. Keep Your Kitchen Tidy
   

   A house ant’s goal is to find a food source and lead others to it by leaving a scented trail. The most common things ants look for are crumbs, spills, or other messes left out in a kitchen or dining room. Ants will be less of a problem if you regularly sweep and vacuum as well as thoroughly clean countertops and floors. Properly sealed and stored trash and animal food will also help to keep ants away.

2. Protect Your House
   

   It’s just as important to keep your home’s exterior as clean as your interior. Water-damaged parts of your home, such as clogged gutters and siding, are safe havens for ants. Make sure your roof is in good order by checking for leaks or missing tiles. Seal any cracks you find, and make sure gas lines are sealed tight so ants can’t get in.

3. Clean Up Your Backyard

   Ants like damp places that provide easy access to food. Backyard debris, such as leaves, woodpiles, and tree limbs can be a home to these pests and help grant them access inside your property. Regularly trim back bushes and trees, and clean up leaves to keep ants out.

4. Use Home Remedies

   If the ants are persistent, there are several natural solutions you can try to remove them. Vinegar will block the invisible scent trails ants use to communicate. A recommended solution is equal parts vinegar and water. Cinnamon oil has also proven effective in getting rid of ants. Simply place a cotton ball soaked in cinnamon oil around entry points and areas you’ve seen the presence of ants.

5. Call an Ant Control Professional
   

   If none of these remedies work, the most efficient way to get rid of ants is by hiring a pest control professional. Instead of using harsh chemicals, the pest control specialists at Critter Control® of Boston use safe and non-toxic methods. Our four-step process of removal includes an inspection, removal, prevention, and restoration process to permanently keep your Boston home or business ant-free.

Your Source for Effective Ant Control Services in Boston

If you’re dealing with nuisance ants in the Greater Boston area, rely on the professionals at Critter Control® of Boston for safe, effective ant control services. Our licensed and trained technicians are experienced in handing ant infestations of all sizes both swiftly and effectively. To schedule an inspection for your property, call us today at 617-975-0440.

Ants are a nuisance pest that are particularly difficult to get rid of in residential homes. Their small size can get them into any small opening on your windows or walls. Ant infestations often happen in kitchens, bathrooms, and basements due to the areas’ proximity to food and moisture sources that attract ants. Here are a few removal tips to keep ants away from your Boston home.

3 Boston Area Ant Removal Tips

Here are three things you should monitor to keep ants away from your home:

1. Water sources

   Ants are attracted to accessible water sources. To prevent moisture from building up in your home, make sure your gutters and downspouts are working well and regularly check for leaks in your plumbing system. Ants will be less inclined to invade your home if there is less moisture present.

2. Food sources

   Keep all food sealed and put away—even your pet’s food. If you leave food on top of your kitchen counter for too long, chances are ants will sense it and be drawn to it. Make sure to clean and sweep your counters and floors of any crumbs and keep a tight lid on your trash—especially if there’s food in there.

3. Entry points

   Ants are tiny and can get into your home through any small hole. Seal any cracks or holes you find on your doors and windows, especially along the window frames. Inspect the exterior of your property for any long bush branches or overhanging tree limbs that touch your home. These act as a pathway for ants to cross to get into your home.

Effective Ant Removal Services

While the tips above can help prevent ants from getting into your Boston home, they are not a guaranteed solution to an ant infestation. If ants have invaded your home, the best way to get rid of them is to call the experts at Critter Control® of Boston. Our environmentally friendly and effective ant removal services are free of harsh and toxic chemicals and safe for you, your family, and your pets.

Your Greater Boston Area Ant Removal Experts

If you’re dealing with ants in your Boston area home, rely on the efficient ant removal services at Critter Control® of Boston. Our licensed and experienced pest control technicians will quickly and safely remove nuisance ants from your property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our services, call Critter Control® of Boston at 617-975-0440 today.