A flying ant infestation in your home is an unfamiliar intrusion for most. Ants aren’t commonly associated with flight, so many homeowners are taken by surprise when they discover these winged insects in their living spaces.
While you might think a super breed of ant has suddenly taken over your home, flying ants are not a separate species or variety of ant. Nearly all ant species (family Formicidae) produce flying ants at certain times of the year. These unique ants are known as alates and they fulfill several vital biological roles, such as establishing new colonies.
One of the fastest ways to swat down flying ants is with an electric bug zapper racket, but keep reading to learn how to get rid of flying ants.
- Ant colonies produces winged ants to find a place to start another colony and to mate.
- It’s difficult to prevent ants from entering your home, the most important thing is to stop ants from setting up shop long term.
- Ants don’t cause a lot of damage, and most of the flying ants die on their own anyway.
What Is the Biological Purpose of Flying Ants?
Ants are eusocial insects, which means they live in a large, cooperative colony. Ants do not think as individuals the same way people do, so when the colony has needs, the ants collectively spring into action. One name for this behavior is “swarm intelligence.”
When swarming season hits, usually in spring or fall, the colony produces winged ants, also known as swarmers, to find a place to start another colony and to mate. Winged ants are reproductively mature ants, not a species of ant in themselves. These flying insects are mostly male ants (drones), but the colony will also produce reproductive female ants (queens) to mate with the males.
When the time comes to swarm, the ants’ first priority is mating. The initial swarm is sometimes called the nuptial flight, or even “flying ant day” in some places because swarms tend to be highly active for only a short period.
Once the ants have mated, they seek out a new place to start a colony. The queen’s wings fall off as she prepares to start laying eggs, and the drones die off, having fulfilled their purpose. This is how most ants (and other eusocial insects like bees and termites) produce new colonies.
While swarms are most common in spring or fall (though sometimes may occur during the height of summer), an indoor swarm may occur outside those months. This is because insects often swarm in response to temperature, and we keep our homes much more comfortable than outside.
In my experience as a pest control technician, spotting a swarm of ants indoors typically indicates a full-scale colony presence, as ants seldom travel en masse from outside to inside (though individual ants may make it through doors and windows).
Nonetheless, managing ant swarms is possible, and I’m here to guide you through the process. Generally, the swarm isn’t the primary concern; however, encountering an ant swarm indoors often signifies the presence of additional intruders. And that means it’s time to get rid of ants in your home before you need to call in a professional pest control company to solve the problem.
4 Steps To Get Rid of Flying Ants in and Around Your Home
Step 1: Confirm You Have Flying Ants
As a seasoned pest control technician, my first step in addressing flying ant concerns is verifying the presence of actual flying ants. It is easy to mistake flying ants for flying termites (which present a substantially more severe threat to your home).
Although both flying ants and termites possess four wings, three helpful distinctions enable you to promptly identify them:
- Body shape: Ants have a very thin waist, giving them an hourglass-like shape. Termites are about the same thickness across their whole body.
- Wing size: Ants have two bigger front wings and two smaller back wings, whereas termite wings are all the same size. Termite wings are also much larger, stretching over the end of their body, whereas ant wings are about the same size as their body.
- Antennae: Ant antennae are bent, and termite antennae are straight.
Other insects that are relatives of ants may also be confused for flying ants, like wasps and sawflies. However, this confusion is only likely for spotting individual ants, not whole swarms, because wasps and sawflies do not form swarms.
Step 2: Kill What You Can
The good news is that most of those annoying flying ants are doomed to die shortly. Drone ants do not live very long because their only purpose is to mate. And unless your home is very large, queen ants are unlikely to establish a second colony in the same house.
From my perspective as a pest control expert, it’s important to note that the swarm itself poses minimal harm. However, it’s undeniable that they can be quite bothersome, and there remains a slim possibility that they might establish a secondary colony. For this reason, I strongly recommend taking measures to eliminate as many of them as possible.
Sucking the flying ants up in a vacuum will get them out of your home. The vacuum itself does not kill them, however, so you should remove the vacuum bag from your house and wait a few days to empty it to let whatever ants are inside die on their own.
While a bug zapper is useful for eliminating any remaining stragglers, it’s not the optimal approach for entire swarms due to its slow operation (and the fact that it is mainly effective at nighttime). Meaning, by the time the bug zapper completes its task, the ants would likely have perished regardless.
Step 3: Kill the Source of Ants
The real issue with spotting an ant swarm is that it tells you there are other ants already living in the house. Thankfully, unlike termites, ants are more of a nuisance than a major source of damage, though certain ant species like carpenter ants can cause (or more likely worsen) damage in the home.
Keep in mind that flying ants encompass various ant species, so you may encounter flying ants across multiple types. Numerous ant varieties can infiltrate homes. Examples include odorous house ants that emit a distinctive smell when crushed and carpenter ants notable for their larger size.
To begin, I recommend referring to our comprehensive guide on eliminating black house ants, as this is the most frequently encountered situation.
Once you’re aware of an ant colony’s presence, there are several locations to search for it:
- Kitchens: Ants flock to kitchens, enticed by the abundance of food and water sources, rendering it a prime area for infestation. Maintaining clean kitchen surfaces and securing food containers are effective measures to thwart ant attraction and entry.
- Bathrooms: Bathrooms, boasting elevated moisture levels, offer ants an alluring habitat, positioning them as another probable spot for locating ant activity. Routinely examining for leaks, rectifying moisture concerns, and providing proper ventilation will discourage ant infestations in this area.
- Basements: Basements, often characterized by dampness and clutter, provide ants with favorable nesting conditions as they seek refuge. Dehumidifying basements and decluttering the space diminishes its allure to ants.
- Indoor Cracks: Throughout your home, indoor cracks and crevices can function as ant entry points and hideouts. Sealing these crevices with caulk and applying weather stripping to doors and windows effectively repels ants.
- Outdoor Vegetation: Ants may construct nests near outdoor vegetation, such as plants and trees, which offer concealment and sustenance. Regularly trimming vegetation and establishing a clear barrier between plants and your home minimize ant access.
- Foundations: A critical step involves inspecting the foundation walls of your residence, as ants capitalize on these areas for indoor access. Sealing foundation gaps and forming barriers with gravel or stone effectively prevents ant entry.
- Damp Areas: damp areas like crawlspaces and attics entice ants thanks to their elevated humidity levels, which render them potential breeding grounds. Enhancing ventilation and curbing moisture in these spaces discourages ant nesting.
- Under Sinks: Ant colonies can take root under sinks, capitalizing on shelter and proximity to water sources. Regularly checking under sinks for moisture issues and promptly addressing leaks can dissuade ant infestations.
- Decay Zones: Vigilance around decaying wood or tree stumps is essential, as these zones attract ants seeking nesting opportunities. Removing decaying wood and maintaining your yard mitigates ant infestation risks.
If you are lucky enough to find the ant colony easily, I suggest spraying it with an insecticidal spray designed for indoor use with ants right away. It’s also a good idea to double-team the colony with the vacuum as well.
For a smaller infestation, another strategy is to make a DIY borax ant killer (the active ingredient in many ant sprays that is very toxic to ants but harmless to humans). Placing some of this close to the nest will help to take down the colony.
If you kill the colony yourself, it’s especially important to kill the queen. She looks similar to the other ants and is significantly larger. If you don’t kill the queen, the colony may recover from your attempted extermination. This is why killing only the ants you see does not work in the long term.
Step 4: Know When to Call In the Pros
Unfortunately, ant infestations that reach the swarming stage are often hidden within the confines of your home. These insects have a penchant for living within walls, behind tiles, beneath paneling, and virtually any available crevice they can access.
If you’re having difficulty pinpointing the infestation’s source in your home, it might be concealed in an inaccessible area. At this point, I strongly recommend reaching out to a pest control specialist to assess the situation and provide expert assistance.
Natural and Commercial Solutions for Flying Ants
When dealing with flying ant infestations on your own, you have both natural and commercial options at your disposal to effectively address the issue. Just remember, once you’ve spotted flying ants in your home, there is almost always more of an issue than meets the eye. Further, DIY pest control solutions don’t come with the same types of guarantees offered by professional exterminators.
Natural Remedies
Several natural ingredients are effective at repelling or eliminating flying ants, such as:
- Vinegar: Create a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. Spray it in areas where flying ants are seen. The strong scent of vinegar disrupts their pheromone trails and deters them from entering your home. A squirt of dish soap may also help.
- Essential Oils: Peppermint, lemon, and tea tree essential oils have strong scents that flying ants dislike. Mix a few drops of peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle and spray it around entry points and infested areas.
- Diatomaceous Earth: This natural substance is abrasive to insects but harmless to humans and pets. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around ant entry points, nests, and infested areas. It damages the ants’ exoskeletons, leading to their eventual demise. Boric acid is another alternative.
Commercial Solutions
If the natural remedies don’t work out, you may opt for commercial flying ant control products. These products are specifically formulated to target and eliminate flying ant infestations:
- Insecticides: Look for insecticides labeled for flying ants. Follow the instructions carefully and apply the product to areas with ant activity. Insecticides work by directly affecting the ants’ nervous systems and can provide quick results.
- Baits: Flying ant baits are designed to attract ants with enticing bait that they carry back to the colony. Once ingested, the bait disrupts the colony’s function and ends it. Baits are effective for large infestations and provide long-lasting control.
When using commercial products, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure safe and effective application. Take necessary precautions to protect yourself, your family, and your pets from exposure to the pesticides as well.
Remember that while natural remedies offer a safer and environmentally friendly approach, commercial products can provide a more targeted and potent solution for severe infestations. Choose the method that aligns with your preferences and the severity of the flying ant problem in your home.
Prevent Future Ant Infestations
Even for professionals like myself, completely preventing ants from entering your home can be challenging, especially if you reside in a wooded region with abundant insects. However, the crucial goal is to stop ants from establishing a long-term presence within your home.
Here are some tips to prevent the sort of ant infestations that lead to swarms:
- Keep your house clean: Or at least clean up food messes. Food, especially sugary foods, are a big attractor for ants. And if ants from outside identify your home as a great food source, you may end up with an infestation next time they swarm.
- Look for scout ants and swarming ants: Scouts are unwinged worker ants that look for food and then alert others of its presence through a trail of pheromones when they find it. These are usually the first ants you see, so make sure to kill them right away. The same goes for any solitary winged ants you may find. One of these may be a queen looking for a new nesting site.
- Store food in sealed containers: Even if the food is not making a mess on the counter, if the ants can get to it, they will find it. Things like pizza boxes, loosely bagged cookies, and other treats, and even garbage bags can all contribute to an ant infestation.
- Seal any cracks you can find: Sealing any cracks you can find in the windows, doors, walls, or baseboards can help block swarming ants from coming inside and deciding to make a nest there.
- Disrupt their pheromones: Ants use pheromones for communication, leaving trails that guide other ants. To counter this, create a vinegar and water mixture and clean the areas where ants are entering or traveling. This disrupts their scent trail. However, if ants have already established a nest, this won’t eliminate them as they can find food and create new paths.
Flying ants aren’t a major concern and don’t cause substantial harm to you or your property. Plus, most of the ants will naturally fade away on their own after mating season. While flying ants usually indicate additional ant issues in your home, the tips I’ve shared in this article help you tackle any ant problems, whether they’re airborne or not. Remember, swift action can help keep your home pest-free and comfortable.
FAQs About Getting Rid of Flying Ants
Where do flying ants come from?
Flying ants are just the reproductively active version of regular old ants. The wings help males (drones) and females (queens) leave their old nest quickly and mate in the air. Then the queen goes off and finds a new place to make a colony.
What time of year do flying ants appear?
This varies by species, but in general flying ants will appear for very short bursts during the early spring to summer, up through the fall in some cases. In the home, swarms of ants may appear in the winter, since they swarm in partial response to temperature and it’s warm inside. In fact, seeing a flying ant in the winter is a sure sign that there is a home infestation, since ants are not active outdoors in the winter.
Do flying ants bite or sting?
This depends on the species of ant. Ants that bite may still bite in their winged form. Ants that sting like fire ants are highly unlikely to sting in their winged form, because most of them are male ants, who do not have stingers (this is true of bees and wasps as well). In general, swarming insects are very vulnerable because they do not have a colony, so they aren’t aggressive.
Do flying ants damage the home?
The flying ants themselves are completely harmless. Their only job is to mate and find a new place to nest. However, ants in general (and remember that a swarm of ants in your home means you have a colony) can cause occasional damage, though much less than other pests like termites. Carpenter ants can cause wood damage over time because they burrow through wood to build their nests. However, since they do not need to eat wood (unlike termites), the damage is slow.
How long do flying ants keep their wings?
Not long. Most swarms only last about 1 to 2 days. The male ants die soon after mating, and females lose their wings once they have mated and they establish a new colony.
What attracts flying ants?
Flying ants are attracted to the same things that regular ants are — namely sugar and food. No amount of sugar is likely to attract an entire swarm of ants to your home, so if you see many flying ants in your home, they likely came from inside.
Flying ants are sometimes attracted to light as well, but this is true for most insects. This is because insects use natural lights like the sun and the moon to orient themselves, so artificial light confuses them.
How long is the flying ant lifespan?
Flying ants have a relatively short lifespan that typically ranges from a few days to a couple of weeks. During this time, their primary goal is to mate and establish new colonies. After this brief period, they die off, and the newly mated females seek suitable locations to lay their eggs and start new ant colonies.
