Ghost ants are a non-native species that have adapted well to the Southeastern U.S. They have no stingers and are so tiny that you will not feel anything when they bite. However, when these minuscule insects invade your kitchen, they become a giant nuisance.

In this quick, easy guide to ghost ant control, I’ll show you:

• How to get rid of ghost ants quickly
• How to prevent ghost ant colonies from forming
• How to identify a ghost ant infestation
• How to figure out why you have a problem in the first place

If trying to exterminate ghost ants on your own becomes too challenging, I recommend Orkin, Terminix, and Aptive. These exterminators have some of the best-trained professionals that can use traps, baits, and other chemically treated solutions that are often more effective than standard DIY methods.

For Terminix quotes, you can reach them at 866-577-5051 or with this form.

For quotes from Orkin, call 866-701-4556, or fill out this form.

For a free quote from Aptive, call 855-521-7075 or visit the company’s website.

How to Get Rid of Ghost Ants

The majority of ant species are not harmful to humans, especially ghost ants. However, when you spot them running across your kitchen counter, you have a right to be upset. As a pest control expert with years of experience, I’ve seen it all. Here are the steps you’ll want to follow before calling in a pest control company. 

1. Inspection

Due to their small size, ghost ants are challenging to spot. Despite that, you will undoubtedly notice large numbers of them crawling around on your bathroom sink.

It’s best to follow foraging ants to see where they’re entering the room. It doesn’t necessarily mean a new colony is forming, but it will give you a clue about how they’re getting in.

2. Vacuum Removal

One of the best and most economical DIY methods for ghost ant control is sucking them up with a vacuum cleaner. Of course, it’s what the pros use to clean out roaches as well.

It’s best to use a crevice tool to get into confined areas. Also, be sure to remove the vacuum bag immediately afterward.

3. Knockdown Sprays

Permethrin sprays are excellent for knocking down foraging ants quickly. Besides spraying directly on ant trails, these insecticides are labeled for other areas as well, including:

• Baseboards
• Nesting sites
• Outdoor areas
• Tool sheds
• Bathroom areas

Still, this method only treats surface ants, and there are probably thousands more hidden in the nest somewhere.

4. Ant Baits

To ensure eradication of the entire colony, use non-repellent bait stations in these areas:

• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Food storage areas

The only downside to using ant bait is that it is slow acting since the ingredients in these products kill ants over a more extended period than with aerosol sprays.

Other formulations are available also. For example, bait gels work well for:

• Ghost ants
• Sugar ants
• Pharaoh ants
• Carpenter ants

Granular baits are best for outdoor applications since their attractants typically target mound-building species such as red imported fire ants.

5. Boric Acid Treatments

Ghost ants often break down into subcolonies that can infest certain areas of your home, including wall voids. To eradicate them from these areas, try using boric acid dust.

To apply, drill 1/8 inch holes into the wall at four-foot intervals. Then, use a bellows duster with an injector attachment to release the dust into the void.

It’s preferable to incorporate only boric acid or diatomaceous earth for this procedure. Pyrethrin dusts should be avoided here since they stay trapped in the wall void for many years and could pose a health risk to home remodelers.

You can also use boric acid as a targeted crack and crevice treatment for several species of insects, including carpenter ants.

6. Ant Repellent 

Repellents typically contain plant-based ingredients like essential oils that have strong smells ants find overbearing and unpleasant. Things like peppermint, lemongrass, cinnamon, and clove oils are very off-putting for ants and disrupt their sense of smell used for trailing.

You can spray liquid repellents directly along ant trails, entryways, baseboards, and other areas where you’re seeing ant activity. The smell drives them away and masks the pheromone scents they use to invite others. Granular repellents let you spread that protective barrier across larger areas like the home’s perimeter.

On their own, repellents are a temporary deterrent at best. But they can be invaluable for immediately breaking the ant explorers’ hold and clearing them out while you locate and treat the main colony. Use them to shore up defensive lines until you can deploy longer-lasting baits or sprays.

Getting Help With Your Ant Problem

Sometimes it’s best to hire a professional to help you get rid of ghost ants. Consulting a licensed exterminator or pest management company could make the difference between success and having to live with insects in your home.

Be sure to use only those professionals licensed, bonded, and insured in your state. Your friends, family, and neighbors can provide referrals to obtain the best ones.

How to Prevent Ghost Ants

Once you get rid of your ghost ant problem, it’s time to prevent them from coming back. However, it can be a daunting task due to their ability to invade in such large numbers.

Still, there are some measures you can take that will help long term.

Remove Food Sources

Ghost ants are one of the few species of ants that tend aphids for their honeydew production. For that reason, spraying for aphids is an excellent idea for keeping ghost ants off of your ornamental garden plants.

Inside the home, ensure all areas are clean and free from spilled food, sodas, and table sugar. Ghost ants prefer sweet substances and will forage up to 700 feet in all directions looking for them.

Clean Up Outside

Integrated management of ants involves cutting back trees and shrubs from your home while limiting access to foraging insects. Also, be sure to move firewood piles at least 50 feet away from the house.

Decaying yard waste is a favorite nesting site for ghost ants. That being the case, removing leaf litter and grass mulch will help in the fight against insects.

Sealing pipe entry points with expansion foam is generally a good idea to keep out several types of pests. Unfortunately, it may not work well for ghost ants since they can slip through almost any crack.

Instead, use silicone caulking anywhere you find an opening. You may even have to utilize expansion foam first and then cover it with some type of sealant.

Perimeter Treatments

Chemical barriers may help close tiny gaps in your defense strategy. For example, wettable powders repel ants, but a residual microcap insecticide may work better long term.

If you are unsure what to use, it’s best to consult a professional. They can provide the initial treatment, or at least look at your unique situation and make recommendations.

Whatever you decide, it’s best to utilize an insect growth regulator (IGR) along with a spray concentrate. This is because it disrupts the insect’s lifecycle by killing the larvae while slowing the development of the pupae.

Crack and Crevice Treatments

Ghost ant workers tend to forage in the open, making it easy to knock them down quickly. But, on the other hand, you still have to keep them from coming into the home through cracks and crevices. By limiting entry points and wall voids, you can worry less about all ant species getting into your home. 

One way to do that is by applying insecticide dust to several areas, including:

• Openings in eaves and overhangs
• Windowsills
• Baseboards
• Door jambs
• Foundation cracks

There are several products available that can be broken down into three main categories for crack and crevice applications:

• Diatomaceous earth
• Boric acid dust
• Pyrethrin dust

Start with the mildest solution first. For example, use diatomaceous earth in bedroom and kitchen areas, and employ boric acid in laundry rooms and bathrooms. And finally, utilize pyrethrin dust outdoors around eves, windowsills, and foundation cracks.

Keep in mind that caulking along appropriate areas on the outside of your home can also help reduce ghost ant problems. 

How To Identify Ghost Ants

Ghost ants are tiny, measuring less than a 1/16th of an inch, and they have a dark brown head and thorax. In addition, their legs, antennae, and abdominal area are milky white and translucent, making them difficult to see.

Ghost ants do not live underground but make their nests in unusual areas, including:

• Clumps of dead grass
• Under loose tree bark
• Decomposing animal carcasses
• Wall voids
• Potted plants

Ghost ants have multiple queens that sometimes branch off into satellite colonies. However, there is rarely any infighting between each one as with other species.

Honeydew appears to be the favorite food of ghost ants. They also eat proteins and fats supplied by dead insects and plant-derived oils.

Just like the odorous house ant, the ghost ant gives off a distinct smell when crushed. The pungent odor is often described as the scent of rotten coconuts.

Signs & Causes of a Ghost Ant Infestation

Ghost ants are attracted to the honeydew produced by aphids. For that reason, you’ll notice them herding and tending these little green creatures on rose bushes and other plants.

You can also find ghost ants in these areas:

• Underneath boards and rocks
• Tree trunks, beneath the bark
• Ornamental plants
• Heated greenhouses
• Kitchen and bathroom areas

When ghost ant colonies are disturbed, the workers go into a frenzy. But normally, they forage in a calm, orderly manner.

Florida and Hawaii have the highest percentage of ghost ants in the U.S. What’s surprising is that you can also find them in heated greenhouses as far north as Maine.