Phillips Hardware Tips: Insect Survival
How to Get Rid of Ants, Wasps, Spiders and other Insects
Spring has finally sprung, our customers are gearing up for a season of outdoor fun. Whether you’re barbecuing or simply relaxing on your patio, nothing crashes a party like an onslaught of insects. However, following these tips, you can get rid of ants, spiders and other pests safely and easily, indoors and out.
Arm Yourself Against Ants
“There are two basic ways to deal with ants,” says Stew Clark, Director of Research at TERRO®, an industry leader in DIY pest control products. “The first and often only step needed to control ants is to bait the ants with liquid ant baits. Indoors, lace liquid ant bait close to areas where ants have been observed. The liquid baits are made with a natural, sweet tasting liquid that attracts ants quickly. While the active ingredient in the bait will ultimately kill the worker ant by interfering with the ant’s digestive system, it works slowly enough that the worker has time to get back and unsuspectingly share the lethal bait with the rest of the colony.
Since most indoor infestations are linked to a colony located underground outside the house, you should also bait ants outside with an outdoor liquid ant bait. When searching for ants outside, look for “ant highways” or foraging trails. These trails are simply a line of marching ants that leads from their home to yours. Often, these trails are most active during the morning or evening. Place insect bait near ant trails or where ants are numerous. After baiting, if the ants are still coming, you might need to move to a contact killer to help eliminate the ants. Look for sprays, dusts or granules that kill ants instantly and deliver long-lasting residual repellency.
Wipe out Wasps & Hornets
Wasps and hornets begin to emerge from hibernation in the springtime. Their painful stings are dreaded by many, but there are easy and effective ways to kill these unwanted pests.
Wherever insects are noticed, stand a safe distance from the nest and use a foaming wasp & hornet killer spray until the surface is moist. As the foam expands, it will completely cover the nest. The insects will fall to the ground and die. Try to spray early in the morning or late at night when they are less active and are in the nest. To prevent wasps from entering your home you should spray around areas where they can enter, including gaps around outdoor plumbing and vents, cracks or crevices in foundations and along sills and ledges.
Conquer Creepy Crawlers
Spotting a spider sends many people running. However, these creepy crawlers can easily be eliminated with contact killers, like an aerosol and ready-to-use spray.
Spiders are often found in woodpiles, heaps of dead leaves or anywhere debris builds up. Moist areas such as basements and garages are also prime areas that these pests gravitate towards. Removing debris around and in your home and keeping damp areas as dry as possible will lessen the possibility these pests entering a home. “Even the best efforts to keep spiders at bay often fail,” says Clark. “The best line of defense is to have a contact killer on hand and to periodically treat the area by spraying in cracks and crevices.”
Phillips Hardware carries all the Terro products you will need this summer to stay pest free. TERRO® is the industry leader in ant control and has been a trusted brand in pest control products for more than 90 years. Based in Lititz, PA , the company offers proven ant and pest control products including liquid ant baits, aerosol sprays, perimeter granules and ant dust products.