How to Get Rid of Sugar Ants: 5 Easy Methods

Sugar ants are a common, home-invading, headache-causing pest. Known to pest professionals as the odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile), they do not sting and rarely bite but can invade homes in large numbers in search of food, especially after rainy weather. They mainly search for sweet foods and drinks like fruit, candy, desserts, and sodas.

Small in size, sugar ants are budding ants that don't pose any particular risks. However, their steady lines, large numbers, and desire for sweets can be annoying to deal with, especially if your home or neighborhood is prone to ongoing sugar ant issues.

What Do Sugar Ants Look Like?

Many types of ants might pop up inside your home (or car), which can be tricky to identify. In certain situations, a microscope and a trained eye are the only means of identification. Even if the ants you notice get into something sweet, this doesn't guarantee a sugar ant problem.

Sugar ants have the following characteristics:

• Small, 2.5-3mm in length
• Black to brown
• Have a distinct "rotten coconut" smell when crushed
• 12 distinct antennae segments

Keep in mind incorrect identification of ants is very easy. While sugar ants (also known as odorous house ants or OHAs) have these characteristics, they are easily confused with other species. Contact a local pest control company specializing in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) if you want a definitive identification. They'll be able to help identify the issue and advise on the best treatment options.

Signs of Sugar Ants in Your Home

The most apparent sign of sugar ants inside the home is active trailing. Unless active trails are noticed, missing a sugar ant issue can be easy, even when the nest is nearby or inside the house.

Inside, sugar ants like heat and can be found nesting in places like:

• Under flooring
• Near water heaters
• Around copper pipes

Consider the time of year and rate the severity of the issue. Is it frequent and severe, or just a few here or there? If you notice an interior sugar ant issue in the wintertime, this is cause for concern. This could mean that you have an ant nest that has moved inside to overwinter.

Outside, sugar ants (odorous house ants) are likely to be found nesting:

• Under stones
• Around walkways
• Beneath boards
  

5 Ways to Get Rid of Sugar Ants in Your Home

Seal Them Out

Seal up cracks that could allow pests such as ants to enter your home. This could involve caulking in areas such as:

• Around windows
• In bathrooms
• Near exterior doors
• Along baseboards

Also, ensure that exterior door sweeps and window screens are fitted well, undamaged, and well-secured.

Reduce Food Sources

An essential step in any pest control program is eliminating potential food sources. Sugar ants will go out of their way to track down the sweetest snacks. Clean up any food messes quickly and thoroughly to avoid accumulations that could attract more ants.

Sugar ants also love honeydew (the gardening term for insect excrement). This honeydew can be found on the branches of plants and trees where aphids are present. Aphids produce a lot of honeydew. If you have a regular pest control provider, ask if they perform winter-time dormant oil treatments. These treatments can reduce spring aphid populations and ant activity.

Once sugar ants (odorous house ants) have found a food source, they will signal other ants in the colony that a verified food source has been identified. If you see a dense trail of ants coming and going inside, follow them, look at what they are eating, and remove the food source.

Try Natural Baits and Repellents

You don't have to use harmful chemicals to remove ants; instead, try natural remedies.

• Vinegar: Vinegar is so strong smelling that it disrupts the ants' sense of smell and ants following scent trails. Spray on cracks and crevices or where they've been seen trailing.
• Peppermint: This natural repellent is easy to make. Mix 10 to 20 drops of peppermint essential oil with 2 cups of water. Spray the mixture anywhere you have seen ants.
• Bay leaves: Another natural repellent, you can spread bay leaves where you have seen ants. Replace them periodically since they can lose their ant-detesting smell over time.
• Diatomaceous earth: This silica is made of fossilized remains of aquatic plankton organisms called diatoms; it's a natural desiccant and dries out the ants. You can easily buy food-grade diatomaceous earth and sprinkle it along ant trails; however, avoid inhaling it or getting it on your skin.
  

Use Ant Bait

Refrain from over-the-counter sprays, but over-the-counter baits like TERRO stations are helpful. Baits may not kill an entire colony but can draw ants away from high-traffic areas.

Baits are made to be sweet and formulated to attract ants to them. Keep this in mind when deciding where to place your ant bait. Don't put them in spots where you can easily see them, like countertops or near your cooking space; instead, put them under the sink so you won't see ant trails.

Hire a Professional

Sugar ants are budding ants that might be moving on to establish another nest, so hiring an experienced professional is essential if your ant problem is severe. Chemical treatment might be needed. A professional can help positively identify the ants you're dealing with and know exactly what products to use.

What Causes Sugar Ants in Your Home?

Sugar ants might be popping up in your home for many reasons. These could include:

• The arrival of warm weather
• A nest nearby (outside or inside)
• An attractant (food source)
• Recent rainy weather or garden watering

If sugar ants have suddenly popped up inside, be patient and wait a day or two to see what the activity does. If they bother you, use ant baits to draw the ants from high-traffic areas and observe whether the activity dies down.

Common Sugar Ant Hotspots

Since they are attracted to food, grease, and humid areas, sugar ants are likely to be found in your kitchen and bathroom. In your kitchen, crumbs and spills are easy places for sugar ants to gather so look for them on counters, near the sugar, and in the pantry where food is stored in a container. Give your counters a thorough cleaning and move appliances such as toaster ovens and coffee pots away from the wall and electrical outlets, as sugar ants are known to congregate there as well. Lastly, keep an eye on the garbage area for any lingering crumbs and bits of food that may have fallen outside or at the bottom of the bin.

For humid areas, the bathroom is a hot spot, especially under sinks, near drainpipes, and behind the toilet. Look for any standing water in the sink, tub, or pooled on the countertop as this can be a water source for ants. Some ants may even be attracted to the sugars in toothpaste and mouthwash, or residue from cough medicine that may have spilled in your medicine cabinet. Lastly, check your window frames and baseboards for gaps and cracks, as sugar ants (and other pests) can easily enter through here.

Sugar Ant vs. Pavement Ant

Ant identification can be tricky. Sugar ants are regularly confused for various ants, including pavement ants. Both are small and brown, making it challenging to positively identify them unless you know exactly what to look for. Pavement ants are also budding ants.

One way to tell between these pests? Nodes. Nodes are small lumps on the back (abdomen) of ants. Sugar ants have a single node, whereas pavement ants have two. This is the easiest way to tell these lookalikes apart, but they are tiny and difficult to see. It's always best to get a second opinion to be 100% sure.

Tips for Preventing Sugar Ants

To prevent sugar ants in your home and keep them at bay, there are some measures you can take when storing food and cleaning your space.

• Store food in airtight containers (especially foods that contain a high amount of sugar).
• Sprinkle coffee grounds in areas where ants have been seen as the smell of coffee will drive them away.
• Keep your pet's feeding area clean.
• Check for leaks in pipes and plumbing and cracks in doors and windows regularly.