How to get rid of sugar ants in the house (and keep them out)

Step by step: how to get rid of sugar ants in the house

Safety first. Read and follow the label on any ant bait. Put bait stations where children and pets cannot reach or chew them, such as behind appliances or inside cabinets with child locks, and never put baits on counters where food is made.

1. 1

   Follow the trail to find where they come in

   Before you wipe anything, watch the ants for a few minutes with a flashlight. Follow the line back from the food to where it disappears: a window frame, a gap behind the sink, an outlet or a crack at the baseboard. Note that spot; you will seal it later.

2. 2

   Set liquid baits right on the trail

   Place one or two liquid bait stations directly beside the trail, close to the entry point, not on top of the ants. You should see ants crowding the bait within an hour. Leave them alone, because every ant that feeds carries bait back to the colony.

3. 3

   Wipe the trail everywhere else with soapy water

   Spray soapy water on ants that are away from the baits, such as on counters and the floor, and wipe them up. Soap removes the scent trail that leads other ants to food. Do not wipe the trail between the entry and the bait.

4. 4

   Take away every food and water source

   Move sugar, honey, syrup, cereal, pet food and fruit into hard sealed containers or the fridge. Rinse soda cans and recycling, empty the trash, and fix dripping faucets. Sugar ants that find nothing else to eat take the bait faster.

5. 5

   Check the baits daily and refill them

   Replace bait stations when they are empty. If ants ignore them after a day, move the station closer to the trail or try a different bait. Expect fewer ants after 5 to 10 days.

6. 6

   Seal the entry point

   Once the trail has stopped, clean the gap and seal it with caulk. Seal cracks around pipes under the sink, gaps at window frames, and holes where cables enter.

7. 7

   Keep the kitchen ant-proof

   Wipe counters and the stovetop each night, sweep crumbs under the toaster and around the dog bowl, and do not leave dishes in the sink overnight. Keep plants and mulch at least a foot away from the outside walls.

What are sugar ants?

“Sugar ant” is a nickname, not a species. It usually means any small ant that trails to sweets, most often odorous house ants or Argentine ants. The difference matters less than you might think, because both are controlled the same way: baits and sanitation.

• Odorous house ants are tiny (about 1/16 to 1/8 inch), dark brown or black, and smell rotten when you crush one. Penn State Extension says they eat most foods in homes but prefer sugary ones, and outdoors they feed on aphid honeydew and flower nectar.
• Argentine ants are light to dark brown and form long, busy trails. UC IPM calls them the most common ant in and around homes in California.
• Carpenter ants are much larger, often 1/4 inch or more, and leave sawdust-like debris. They are not sugar ants and need a different plan.

Why baits work better than sprays for sugar ants

Baits kill the colony; sprays kill only the ants you can see. UC IPM explains that baits mix a slow-acting insecticide with food, so workers carry it back and the whole colony, including queens, can be killed. It also warns that spraying ants indoors will not stop more from coming in.

Penn State adds that baits with hydramethylnon, fipronil or boric acid are slow enough that workers share them before they die. Whatever you choose, NPIC advises trying a lower-toxicity product first and reading the label before you buy.

When to call a pest control company

Call a licensed pest control company if ants keep coming back after two rounds of baiting, if you find ants nesting inside walls or under floors, or if you see large ants with sawdust nearby. Ask them to use baits and spot treatments rather than monthly perimeter sprays, which is the approach UC IPM recommends.

If you would rather avoid insecticides altogether, our guide to getting rid of ants naturally covers barriers and cleaning-only methods, and getting rid of ants outside covers treating the colonies in the yard before they reach the kitchen.

Mistakes to avoid

• Spraying insecticide on the trail right next to your baits, which kills the ants before they carry bait home.
• Wiping away the trail between the entry point and the bait station.
• Pulling the baits after one day because you see more ants, when that means the bait is working.
• Leaving pet food bowls, fruit bowls or sticky soda cans out while baiting, so the ants have better options.
• Sealing the crack before the colony is dead, which just sends the trail to a new gap.