Severe ant infestation in a rental property

[y_p_w]

It's pretty bad and the tenant has tried using DIY stuff like sprays. However, I think it's gotten really bad because of the high temps and they found a source of food indoors. Not sure that it will get much better when the temps cool down.

Other than normal sprays and bait traps, is there really anything other than going to a professional? I understand the best thing is to get the queen so that the colony dies out. But it's the weekend and it's kind of hard getting anyone to come in.

 

[spasm3]

I use professional products that are way more effective than your local store products. You might want a pro though to avoid any liability from renters.

I use Termidor, or Taurus SC( generic version of termidor) on the exterior. I follow up with Onslaught Fastcap in a couple of weeks.

I don't spray indoors.

 

[Leo99]

My house gets ants every spring. They try a new route to gain entry each year. They are tenacious! LOL. I try to be patient and put down the bait so that they'll take it to the nest and kill the queen. My wife isn't patient will spray the Raid on any ants that she sees. We learned to keep the bait traps out all year long and prepare for battle each spring. Since it's a rental property, I'd be proactive once you get this under control and put out baits and keep them out.

 

[NorthstarredToyota]

This works great for California ants:

https://www.amazon.com/30-Grams-Plu...qid=1728258878&sprefix=asvion+,aps,179&sr=8-3

Advion Ant

Kills slowly, gets taken back to queen(s), which wipes out colonies.

Takes a day or two but works great.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

cats, centipedes, spiders, and Terro

 

[HemiBenny]

We get ants moving in during the spring every year. The rains make them search out “higher ground” I suppose. I’ve always used Terro liquid ant baits and it seems to work. After a couple of days, the ants making a visit to the liquid bait dwindle to nothing and they disappear.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

This is the most effective stuff I've and a whole lot cheaper than a professional exterminator!

https://www.target.com/p/terro-6pk-...7068&msclkid=cf2e29cc20ee1dc063e94ecf04452208

 

[y_p_w]

I looked it up and Terminix has an online quote for about $260 for a single visit to handle multiple bugs, with a 30 day guarantee that they won't come back. I think the tenants are aware that they trying to get away from the outdoor heat, where it's been hitting near 100ºF recently.

 

[demarpaint]

This is the most effective stuff I've and a whole lot cheaper than a professional exterminator!

https://www.target.com/p/terro-6pk-...7068&msclkid=cf2e29cc20ee1dc063e94ecf04452208

Over the years I had good luck with that. The key is to resist the urge to spray, you want the ants to take the bait back to the colony, spraying defeats the purpose of the bait.

 

[HemiBenny]

Over the years I had good luck with that. The key is to resist the urge to spray, you want the ants to take the bait back to the colony, spraying defeats the purpose of the bait.

When I put the bait out, it’s amazing how the ants go straight to the bait and start taking it back to the colony, meaning the queen is being fed this bait. They stop roaming all over the counters and are solely focused on the bait.
There’ll be hundreds of them on that one bait trap and I’ll just let them have at it. A couple of days later, they’re all gone.

 

[opus1]

I've used this stuff with success as well as the Terro Gel mentioned above.
Maggie's Farm

 

[99Saturn]

I use professional products that are way more effective than your local store products. You might want a pro though to avoid any liability from renters.

I use Termidor, or Taurus SC( generic version of termidor) on the exterior. I follow up with Onslaught Fastcap in a couple of weeks.

I don't spray indoors.

+1 Have done perimeter sprays around entire foundation for carpenter ants, always solves the problem in a couple of days for the season.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Advance 375A select by BASF, use once a year around the house and I never see ants. The years before using it the ants were non stop no matter what off the shelf product I used.

Advance 375a Select Granular Ant... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003EAP02G?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

We get April and October ants when heavy rains come in. I spray around the perimeter of the house with malathion and the ones that still sneak inside are lured into HotShot bait traps. I've tried several brands of traps and our ants seem to prefer the HotShots.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

First, find out what kind of ants you have.
Some ants like sweets, some like organic material.
Any poisons, baits should list your ants on back label (don't create a false sense of security).

For me, I like to create a 'NO MAN'S LAND around the house.
Just a five-foot area that ants won't cross.
You have to be proactive and do this 'before' they get into your house.

Then I also put out the bait-stations along the perimeter of property.
This the ants will take back to the nests.

My method is a pro-active approach that has worked very good for me.
I think most people only deal with insects when they become a problem.

 

[k1xv]

IF You can find where the colony is, drench it in a generous volume of boiling hot water. That will kill all the ants in the colony that the hot water reaches, including, hopefully, the Queen,.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Like others we've had decent luck with Terro liquid baits, but I also spray the perimeter of the house with an outdoor insect killer. IIRC it's called Home Defense of something like that from HD.

 

[The Critic]

Termidor SC and a lot of patience.

 

[wpod]

Amdro

 

[y_p_w]

They didn’t have the stakes, but I suppose this is good enough. The instructions say the drops just need to be placed on cardboard, and the box has six pre-scored pieces.