In addition to numerous home remedies, baking soda is number one in ant control. Many do not know how the leavening agent works and cannot explain why the powder does not work. The behavior of the ants and their body structure provide the answers.

Baking soda only helps if the ants ingest the substance

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. effectiveness
  3. Effective home remedies
  4. remove nests
  5. species and habitats
  6. frequently asked Questions

    7. the essentials in brief

    • Baking soda doesn't burst ants, but interferes with the formation of certain enzymes and thus leads to death
    • Ants need to ingest the baking soda for it to work
    • Only ants that have eaten the baking powder themselves die from it

    Does baking soda help against ants?

    The household remedy is used to combat ants, but disappointments keep coming. Baking soda seems to work in some cases, while in other situations it doesn't produce any visible success. There are good reasons for this, because baking soda only helps under certain conditions and with targeted use. It also matters which baking powder you use.

    composition

    The raising agent consists of a CO2 source and an acidifier. Sources of carbon dioxide are sodium bicarbonate (or Natron or NaHCO3 for short) or potassium bicarbonate. Various substances are used as acid sources. Cream of tartar baking powder contains natural tartaric acid, which is produced during the production of sparkling wine. Conventional baking powders contain phosphate as an acidifier.

    How does baking soda work?

    Soda dissolves in water with a weak alkaline reaction. The heat in the oven, deep fryer or waffle iron causes baking soda to react with the acid, releasing carbon dioxide. This process somewhat weakens the alkaline effect of baking soda. The reaction can be recognized by the small gas bubbles that rise in the dough and loosen it. A shoot is achieved similar to using yeast.

    Wrong notions

    It is repeatedly suspected that baking soda causes a similar effect on ants. Baking soda is said to expand in the stomach after ingestion, eventually causing the insects to burst. However, this assumption is a myth.

    This theory may come from the deer horn salt, which was also used as a leavening agent in the past. This is a source of toxic ammonia and is therefore harmful if consumed directly.

    The 1914 "Regulations for Druggists" describes sourdough as an effective ant killer. The yeast is said to ferment in the ant's stomach, causing the insects to bloat and die. This, too, could be a possible reason why baking soda is suspected of popping ants.

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    Why does baking soda still help against ants?

    American researchers found out in 2004 that baking soda is actually poisonous to ants. They suspected that the internal pH of the ants increased unfavorably. This affects the function of certain enzymes, which is why the ants die after eating baking soda. Ants probably ingest the powder through their tracheae or when cleaning the pollinated antennae. The insects don't eat the powder without a reason. An attractive bait mixed with baking soda can entice them to eat.

    digression

    Ants are tracheal animals

    Tracheae are particularly important for life in the countryside. They are air channels that run through the entire body and supply the cells with oxygen. In some places they flow outwards. In ants, these openings are on the chest. These powerful respiratory organs can be actively closed. If they are clogged with the smallest particles, the insects can no longer breathe.

    test results

    In the experiments, the ants were forced to remain permanently on the surfaces dusted with baking powder. Red fire ants and Argentine ants were examined. Four milligrams of baking soda were sprinkled per square centimetre. After six days, about 99 percent of all insects exposed to a concentration of 152 mg of sodium bicarbonate were dead.

    The ants were also given a bait made from sugar water and varying concentrations of NaHCO3. If this was five percent, half of the insects died after six days. At this concentration the highest mortality rate could be observed.

    Application tips

    Baking soda only harms the animals that ate it themselves

    It is not certain that baking soda effectively combats the ant plague. With the remedy you can kill ants directly, but not queen and brood in the nest. If you want to make a bait, the concentration of the baking soda is critical to its effectiveness. Baking powder with potassium bicarbonate does not show any corresponding effect.

    Test the concentration from which the ants accept the bait and reduce or increase the concentration if necessary. Liverwurst or tuna baits are generally well accepted by ants. However, different concentrations of baking soda may be necessary here than in a solution with water, baking soda and sugar.

    Things to know about baking powder:

    • must contain sodium bicarbonate
    • pure baking soda works more efficiently because the alkaline effect is not weakened
    • scattered on an ant trail ineffective
    • Insects can avoid pollinated areas
    • Effects are visible when ants are sprinkled directly

    What to do against ants

    It's difficult to find effective home remedies other than baking soda that actually kill ants. Various means have a deterrent effect on ants. Such substances can be used in ant trails. They do not help if there is a nest in the building.

    Dusty barriers

    Gypsum or chalk powder and baby powder prevent ants from entering

    Ants generally avoid surfaces that are covered with dust. The particles can get into the respiratory openings and clog tracheae. Such barriers only work if there are high concentrations of particles in the air we breathe. The barrier effect quickly decreases outdoors as the wind carries away the fine dust particles. In the apartment, ants quickly find a detour around the applied line. Therefore, you should use this method at the entrance gates and make sure that the ants cannot find any other way into the apartment.

    Appropriate means:

    • plaster dust
    • baby powder
    • chalk

    fragrances

    Various strong-smelling substances confuse the ants' sense of direction. The insects use their antennae to find scent traces from their conspecifics. This is how ant trails form. When an impenetrable scent barrier covers the pheromone markings, the ants can no longer find their way. Here, too, the ants get to the old road via detours, which is why you should apply scents directly to the access gaps.

    What Ants Don't Like:

    • cinammon: confuses ants when the powder is spread thickly on the ant trail
    • eucalyptus oil: can be used as a cleaning agent to remove markings
    • lavender: fresh herbs in front of entrances drive away ants

    Fight flying ants

    Flying ants in the house can indicate an indoor ant colony

    You can easily protect yourself against winged ants from outside by hanging fly screens in front of the windows. It is more problematic when the insects appear behind the closet with wings or crawl out of cracks in the ceiling and floor. They indicate a nest in the partitions and beams. The males swarm out to find mates from other colonies. Ants avoid inbreeding and do not mate within a colony. Let the ants escape from the apartment and pay attention to the existing nest.

    Flying ants are a problem when they crawl out of walls.

    remove nests

    Nests and scent markings must be removed to ensure that no further ants settle in the house after successful control. New colonies quickly discover the optimal nesting opportunities via pheromone traces. Since there is no competition from the old people, the new colony has no obstacles in its way and they take over the nest.

    tips

    Don't let it get that far and seal cracks in the facade and gaps in doors and windows.

    relocate nests?

    It is often recommended to relocate the ants with a flower pot. However, this method does not work for most species. It can be used on terrestrial insects after the burrow has been rendered uninhabitable by heavy rainfall.

    Fill a clay pot with crumpled and slightly damp newspaper and place it over the nest on sunny days immediately after the rain. The ants will begin to relocate their brood to the drier environment. Place the pot at least ten meters away so the ants can't track their way back.

    renovation necessary

    Replace infested roof beams with new ones. Some ant species settle in built-in wood that has already been damaged by moisture, fungi and insect pests. Thermal insulation can also offer ideal conditions if it has been affected by moisture. Such materials can no longer fulfill their actual function to the full extent and should also be replaced for this reason. Be aware of possible sources of moisture in the kitchen and bathroom and eliminate them. Ants prefer moist environments.

    Common species in their habitats

    Ants are part of nature. No garden is free of ants and so the insects quickly find their way into residential buildings. Buildings that are surrounded by densely overgrown beds or that are near a forest are particularly at risk. Ants in the house and garden are a symptom and indicate very specific factors.

    tips

    At the German Ant Protection Agency you will find addresses of experts who can help you identify them.

    earthlings

    Some species of ants build their nests underground in the substrate. They feed on the honeydew that root lice produce. An infestation of ants in the lawn indicates that the grass roots are infested with lice. If the insects find plentiful food sources, they can also settle in the flower pot or in the greenhouse. The insects get into the apartment unnoticed when the buckets are brought into the apartment from the balcony for the winter.

    scientific size of workers appearance of workers
    Yellow Meadow Ant Lasius flavus two to 4.5 millimeters varies between pale yellow and brown-yellow
    Black garden ant Lasius niger three to five millimeters dark brown to black
    Yellow thief ant Solenopsis fugax 1.5 to 3 millimeters light yellowish

    wood and tree dwellers

    Many species of ants live in rotten wood

    Many species have specialized in living in dead wood. They are tied to trees and settle in already damaged wood. If the garden has old fruit trees, the insects will find optimal nesting opportunities and food at the same time. They feed on aphid fruit and honeydew.

    It is not uncommon for such species to nest indoors. Built-in wood looks attractive when it is affected by moisture and is already damaged. Ants prefer environments with a humid microclimate, otherwise their brood will dry out. That is why they like to build their nests in partitions in the kitchen or bathroom.

    scientific size of workers appearance of workers
    Brown garden ant Lasius brunneus 2.5 to four millimeters Body reddish brown, head and abdomen darker
    Black carpenter ant Camponotus herculeanus usually nine to twelve millimeters black, legs dark red
    Shiny black carpenter ant Lasius fuliginosus four to six millimeters deep black, shiny
    Red garden ant Myrmica rubra four to six millimeters reddish brown, dark brown on the head

    frequently asked Questions

    What is behind the myth of baking soda against ants?

    Baking powder expands when heated in the dough, causing gas bubbles to form. It is often assumed that a similar effect occurs in the ant stomach. This assumption is not true. Rather, baking soda seems to be responsible for the death of the ants. Researchers theorize that this causes a change in pH in the hemolymph. Certain enzymes are no longer functional, causing the ants to die.

    Why don't any home remedies against ants help me?

    On the one hand, the insects are very picky and will not eat all the sweet poisons that are offered to them. They also look for alternative detours when a substance hinders their ant trail. The concentration of certain resources also determines success. If fragrances or stomach poisons are not concentrated enough, they will not be effective. If the funds are dosed too high, the deterrent effect is given. However, ants also avoid eating poison if the substances are too concentrated.

    How can I protect myself from ants?

    Take preventive measures and close all entry points. If there is already a nest in the building, more complex measures are necessary. It doesn't help if you just fight the ant plague. Consider all of the options for redevelopment. Most of the affected building materials are already damaged. Moisture exposure, harmful insects and fungi have done the preliminary work for the ant nest.

    Why do ants keep coming back?

    Insects rely heavily on smells. This is how they find mating partners, other peoples and food sources. If an ant colony has been eradicated, traces of scent usually remain. This attracts more ants, which settle in the old nest if there is no competition. Ant trails are also used again and again if the pheromone markings have not been thoroughly removed. This also applies to detours. The insects first use remote routes before finding the shortest route.

    Why do I have to identify the species of ants to fight them?

    Each species has different habitat preferences. Not all ants nest directly in the house once an ant trail has formed. There are both terrestrial and wood-dwelling species that prefer different food sources. Also, not all ants respond equally well to the different pesticides. The brown garden ant is often unimpressed when typical pesticides are used.

Category:

Animals in the garden