Ghost ants get their common name because they are challenging to see due to their pale color and small size. They are a tropical species, apparently of African or Asian origin.
In the United States, ghost ants are located originally in central and southern Florida and Hawaii. However, this type of ant cannot survive in the northern states except in greenhouses and heated spaces. Therefore, ghost ants are most commonly found in homes, and advice on how to get rid of ants.
Habits: Ghost Ants
Ghost ants are profoundly adaptable in their nesting habits, which appear similar to those of pharaoh ants. Colonies of ghost ants are considered significant and can accommodate thousands of workers and numerous functional queens scattered across multiple nesting sites. Ghost ants are very affectionate for honeydew. They also feast on dead and living insects. Inside, ghost ants exhibit a preference for sweet foods and are most usually found in kitchens.
Habitat: Ghost Ants
Outside, ghost ants build their nest in the ground. They favor cavities and crevices in lifeless tree branches and nest under boulders, inside logs, and within piles of leaves and other debris. In addition, ghost ants will readily enter constructions by trailing from nests along sidewalks, porches, and foundation walls.
Threats: Ghost Ants
Ghost ants do not bite, as they lack a stinger. However, ghost ants can become a severe nuisance because they are identified to nest in homes. Similar to odorous house ants, ghost ants spread a coconut-like odor when they get spatted.
Ghost Ant Prevention
Ghost ants invade homes by trailing on branches of trees and shrubs in direct contact with the building. To stop a ghost ant infestation, homeowners should keep shrubbery pruned, ensure units are cut back, remove leaf litter and trash, and save firewood at least 20 feet distant from home.
A careful investigation of the home is essential to resolve if a ghost ant infestation has originated. Indoors, homeowners should infrequently investigate toilets, sinks, and tubs for flows or drips. Examine carpet ends and shoe moldings and throughout windows and doors for trails of ants. Also, inspect electrical sockets and telephone jacks, particularly in the kitchen and bathroom. Outdoors, pay attention to the space along foundation walls and sidewalks by pulling back the grass. Turn over any bricks, logs, stones, firewood, or debris on the ground. Controlling ghost ants needs time and patience. Homeowners should contemplate working with an accredited pest professional to implement a preventative pest management plan or employ an actual problem.
Ant Bait: Ghost Ants
Baiting is the most authentic way to eradicate the whole colony instead of spraying with a typical repellent residual spray. When collecting ant baits, it is best to prefer both sugar-based and protein/grease-based baits. When you bait, use slow-acting bait. Quick-kill pesticides and baits will only hit the foraging ants, not providing those worker ants to take the bait back home to serve the queen, nest workers, and brood. Picking a bait requires an understanding of the nutritional demands of the colony. Ghost Ants do forage in a simple pattern so that feeding trails may be more challenging to recognize. These Ants have a significant need for water and maybe usually found in or around pantries, baths, or other damp sources.
How to Get Rid of Ghost Ants
- Outside Nesting Locations: Usually speaking, these ants like to nest outside following firewood piles, mulch, rocks, lumber, loose bark of trees. These are areas of decaying organic material.
- Inside Nesting Locations: If they are previously inside, installing a nest, look for void or in-wall areas around moisture sources like shower stalls, pipes, and sinks. Keep checking potted plants.
- Non-Repellents Outside: Unless you accept an outside non-repellent spray, like Taurus SC or FUSE Insecticide, baiting is the selected ant control treatment. The non-repellent sprays are non-detectable by ants, so they do not neglect them as typical sprays. Instead, these sprays eliminate the ants by contact and by transfer. The foraging ants track the insecticide after the nest and transfer the insecticide in the grooming method.
- Non-Repellent Inside: If you choose to spray inside, use a non-repellent spray termed Phantom Aerosol or Spectre PS Aerosol. These aerosols, including a crack and crevice tip, can be administered in tiny cracks and fissures.
- Managing the Nest Directly: If you can discover the Nest outside. You can apply a drench method of treating every nest. It would help if you got an adequate volume of finished solution to move the entire colony. Bifen IT is also a good solution. Stir in 0.5 oz per gallon of water and apply 1-2 gallons per mound area. Water under the site and drain the finish solution throughout a 4 ft diameter range.
- Spectre PS Aerosol
- Non-Repellent- Insects will not circumvent treated areas.
- Available to use-easy to use
- Will not poison baits
- Will not scatter the ants.
- Long-lasting and withers clear
- Taurus SC
- Mix Taurus at 0.8 oz per gallon of water and sprinkle a low volume diffuse up to 18 in. out and 18 in. up the outline of the house as a banded spray.
- Spray around windows, doors, pipes, vents, foundation, foundation cracks, drilled holes, or any exterior openings where the ants may enter the home.
- Treat where wires (cable, telephone, electrical) enter the house.
- Bonide – ( Imidacloprid 21.4% and Fipronil 6.6%)
- Mix 0.3 – 0.6 oz per gallon of water. Sprinkle as a low-pressure spray near the bottom.
- FUSE may be implemented twice or eight times a year, depending on the dosage concentration and intensity of bands throughout the house.
- It is only for outdoor practices.
- Sweet Feeding Cycles
- Advion Ant Bait Gel is great for Ghost Ants seeking moisture or sweets. This bait has a delayed action kill, and it exposes the entire colony to the bait. It retains its integrity over some time.
- Optigard Ant Bait Gel is best for sugar feeding cycles excludes Fire, Harvester, and Pharaoh Ants is a powerful, slow-acting non-repellent active ingredient, thiamethoxam in Optigard Ant Gel knocks out workers, brood, and queens.
- Intice Gelanimo Ant Bait is suitable for sweet cycles-not messy, perfect for Odorous Ants.
Wrap Up
Watch for their tracks and nests, both inside the buildings and outdoors. The best control arrangement is to bait if you have an inside nest, whereas sprays scatter the colonies.