Flying ants can be occasionally seen in Singapore’s tropical climate, especially during the warm days of the rainy season. These ants are not dangerous for humans or pets, but their swarms can annoy homeowners. Understanding their behaviour and treatment methods can help you to effectively get rid of and prevent flying ants at your home.

Table of Contents

• Can Ants Fly?
• What Do Flying Ants Look Like?
• Why Do These Ants Fly?
• Are Flying Ants Dangerous?
• What Causes Flying Ants in Your House?
• How to Prevent Flying Ants at Your Home
• Ways to Get Rid of Flying Ants
• When to Call a Professional Pest Control Company

Not all ants have wings and can fly, but all species of ants have flying “types” of ants within their colony. Flying ants, also called “alates”, are usually the reproductive members of the colony that develop wings during their mating period. When the colony is ready to expand, these flying ants emerge to mate and establish new colonies.

Flying ants are typically black or brown with slender bodies. They look similar to winged termites, but some distinct features that can help you tell them apart. Unlike termites, ants have two pairs of wings that differ in size: large forewings and small back wings. Their bent antennae and narrow waist differentiate them from termites.

Flying ants’ primary purpose is to reproduce and establish new colonies. It is an important part of the ants’ lifecycle. During warm and humid days, flying ants take flight in swarms to mate. Usually, the male flying ants die immediately after mating, and the fertilized females, known as queens, land to start new colonies.

Generally, flying ants are not harmful to humans or pets. If a species of ants doesn’t bite or sting, their flying alates won’t bite or sting either. And if they do, it’s highly unlikely that alates will bite or sting you while flying.

However, when flying ants swarm in large numbers, they can still be intimidating or annoying to people and their presence may indicate an underlying ant infestation. Also, on rare occasions, people may experience allergic reactions to ant bites.

If you notice the sudden appearance of flying ants, it often indicates the presence of an established ant colony nearby. These colonies can exist in different locations, including the ground, structure of buildings or trees.

Usually, their emergence is triggered by favourable environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and daylight hours. Several factors can attract flying ants to your house, including:

• Lights – you can notice flying ants swarming near windows, doors, or outdoor lights.
• Food sources – if you have any food or sugary drinks out, it will attract flying ants.
• Cracks in walls or foundations can also help flying ants find their way into homes.

Depending on the species, flying ants can cause serious damage to your house and property. Here are some ways to prevent flying ants at your home:

Seal Entry Points: Make sure all cracks, gaps, and openings in walls, windows, and doors are sealed so that flying ants can’t get inside your home.

Store Food Properly: Ensure that all food is sealed and stored properly, and eliminate food crumbs or spills that can attract ants.

Maintain Cleanliness: Regularly clean surfaces to remove any ant trails.

Remove Standing Water: Address any moisture issues as flying ants are drawn to damp areas.

Trim Vegetation: Keep trees and shrubs trimmed away from your home to reduce entry points for ants.

Use Essential Oils. Some natural deterrents and essential oils with strong scents can draw the flying ants away from your house.

If you are seeing flying ants in your house, there are a few things you can do to get rid of them.

1. Vacuum up the flying ants and get the vacuum bag out of the house, so that they can’t find their way back.
2. Try using fly traps to eradicate the flying ants inside your home.
3. Use pesticides or natural ant control remedies, like mixing dish soap and peppermint oil. This will help you to get rid of flying and crawling ants.
4. Find the ant colony by following the trail of ants to their origin place and try to get rid of it.

By following these steps and knowing when to seek professional help, homeowners can reduce the presence of flying ants in their homes.

If you can’t get rid of flying ants, or if you have a severe infestation or persistent problems, consider contacting a professional pest control company. Trained experts can assess the situation, identify the source of the infestation, provide targeted treatments, and offer long-term solutions to prevent future infestations.

Author: Soleha Nisaa

We often get asked about simple DIY ant control methods. In some cases, natural ant repellents can be useful, but if you are looking to quickly and efficiently get rid of your ant problem, natural remedies are not recommended. Trained pest treatment professionals offer durable ant elimination treatments.

With that said, let’s take a look at some natural ant repellents.

Table of contents:

• Common home remedies for ants
• Does peppermint oil repel ants?
• Does lavender oil repel ants?
• What’s the best way to get rid of ants naturally?
• How to prevent ants
• What if natural methods don’t work

Here is a list of 9 commonly mentioned natural ant repellents:

• Pepper
• Peppermint oil
• Lavender oil
• Neem oil
• Tea tree oil
• Lemon
• Coffee
• Cinnamon
• Vinegar

The scent of peppermint is not a pleasant one for many bugs including ants and mosquitoes. Peppermint oil extract offers a powerful, condensed form of the mint plant that acts as a natural ant repellent.

There are compounds available in peppermint that appear to repel ants, mainly menthol and thymol. The smell caused by the oil can also confuse ants, irritate them and they can even die because of exposure.

If you want to give peppermint oil a try, you can place about 15-20 drops of peppermint oil extract in a plastic bottle and mix it with water. All you need to do then is spray the mixture in the affected areas. Repeat the process every few days if needed.

Lavender oil is another powerful plant extract that is commonly referred to when discussing DIY ant repellents. Lavender flowers are known for their strong scent and are often used not just as pest repellents, but also in perfume. Generally speaking, human beings like the smell of lavender. To the contrary, pests like ants, flies and mosquitoes are not too keen on its smell. In fact, many store-bought natural pest repellents already contain lavender oil.

So how to apply lavender oil? Similar to peppermint, you can use a spray bottle and add a mixture of water and 15-20 drops of peppermint oil. Next, apply to the affected areas. You can also use a cotton balls for applying the mixture.

There is no one right answer to this question. Each type of ant is different, each environment is different. And most importantly, the level of infestation plays a huge factor in whether or not natural ant repellents will work.

In Singapore alone, there are over 130 ant species. While many ants don’t like the natural pest repellents mentioned in this article, some will hardly be affected by it. Hence, you always need to keep a close eye on the presence of ants and consider contacting a pest control company in Singapore.

With that said, peppermint oil and lavender oil are two of the best known ant repellents that are worth trying out.

While this article focuses on getting rid of an existing ant infestation, some of you may wonder how you can prevent ants in the first place.

As with most pest prevention tips, the first and foremost thing you need to is to keep food sealed. Ants are like hoovers and will come where there is food available. Cut off the supply of food and the likelihood of encountering ants drops significantly.

Other things you will want to do is avoid any standing water and keeping things clean, including emptying out the bins regularly.

Finally, denying access points as much as possible helps as well. That means making sure there are no cracks, holes or gaps where the ants can enter.

Ants can be a real annoyance in your residence or at work. There are many treatment methods that include natural ant repellents. Some may work, some may not. The success depends on the size of the ant infestation and on the types of ants. In many cases you will need to contact a pest exterminator to get the job done once and for all.

Author: Soleha Nisaa

Table Of Contents

• Types of Ants in Singapore
• Signs of an Ant Infestation
• Life Cycle and Biology
• Hazards
• Tips to Prevent and Get Rid of Ants
• DIY Methods to Prevent and Get Rid of Ants
• Professional Ant Treatment

Have you ever walked into the kitchen only to find ants feasting on the cakes that you forgot to place in the fridge? Or did you find the carcasses of ants in the drinks that you were just about to finish? These scenarios are familiar to most of us. The presence of ants may be a sign of a larger ant infestation. Ant infestations are relatively harmless in most cases. Severe ant infestations may cause problems and badly affect the quality of life.

Some of the most commonly found ants in Singapore are:

• Ghost ants
• Pharaoh ants
• Carpenter ants
• Crazy ants

These ants may enter homes searching for food and shelter. Buildings appeal to ants since they offer protection from weather and predators.

Ghost ants

Ghost ants – also known as sugar ants – love moist environments. They are usually active in kitchens. For example, inside cabinets, under the sink or behind the fridge.

Characteristics of ghost ants:

• 1.3 to 1.5mm big
• Dark heads
• Translucent bodies
• They love sweet and sugar-rich foods as they contain carbs to feed the colonies

Pharaoh ants

Pharaoh ants are a real nuisance. They can be hard to handle. Pharaoh ants are relatively resistant to pesticides. If you spray pesticides, their colony will break and move into new territories. This makes it challenging to eliminate pharaoh ants. Also, pharaoh ants tend to bite when threatened.

The characteristics of pharaoh ants include:

• 2mm big
• Distinctive golden or brown colour
• They enjoy oily and protein-rich foods
• Queens can live anywhere from 4 to 12 years

Carpenter ants

Carpenter ants, as their name implies, live in wooden structures. Though they do not eat wood, they will create an area for their colony with their mouths. Hence, carpenter ants are sometimes thought to be termites.

Characteristics of carpenter ants:

• 15 to 17mm big
• Black and reddish-brown
• They love eating honeydew and dead insects
• Often found in moist-rich areas such as bathrooms

Crazy ants

Last on this list is the crazy ants. Their name relates to their defence techniques. Once disturbed, crazy ants will swiftly move in all directions. This makes it challenging to eliminate them.

Characteristics of crazy ants:

• 2 to 3mm big
• Long legs
• Black or dark red colour
• Antennae
• They love sugary foods (hence they will occupy similar places as ghost ants)

Ants from the external surroundings may enter your house occasionally as they forage for food. Thus, you should not have to worry when you see one or two ants in the house. However, there are some tell-tale signs indicating that you might be having an ant infestation around your home.

1. Live ants

One of the most apparent signs indicating an ant infestation is the sightings of a large number of live ants. They are usually present around food and food preparation areas as they forage for food.

2. Ant trails

Ants leave a trail of pheromone as they forage. This allows other members of the colony can follow. An ant trail forms as ants travel on the same path with the pheromone. Following the ant trail may lead you to their nest.

3. Presence of sawdust

The presence of sawdust may indicate the presence of carpenter ants. Carpenter ants do not consume the wood that they infest. Instead, they expel the wood from the tunnels they make, leaving behind piles or trails of sawdust.

Similar to insects like mosquitoes and butterflies, ants undergo a complete metamorphosis. Their life stages consist of:

• Eggs
• Larvae
• Pupae
• Adulthood

Ants are also social insects that practice a caste system. Thus, the normal function of a colony is maintained through the division of labour by different castes. An ant colony consists of a queen, alates, workers, pupae, larvae and eggs.

Reproducing

The queen is the largest individual in a colony. Her primary function is to reproduce and grow the colony. The queen only mates once but continues to reproduce throughout its entire lifespan.

A male’s sole function is to mate, and it dies after its task is accomplished.

The alates are the winged individuals that fly off to form new colonies. New colonies can also be created through a process known as budding, whereby the queen ant leaves the nest to start a new colony in another location.

Workers

The worker is the most common caste which encompasses the ants that we see in the surrounding. The tasks of the workers include:

• Foraging for food
• Feeding the workers
• Guarding and tending to the nest

Some species of ants have workers that are dimorphic. This means that the workers are further classified into:

• Major workers: larger
• Minor workers: smaller

The larvae are fragile and legless, so they need nursing from the workers.

Ants are not important vectors of diseases, so they pose little medical concerns. However, the presence of ants still poses risks to homeowners.

1. Nuisance

The sight of ants around your house may be unpleasant. Ants are an eyesore to people who hate insects. They may also climb onto your body unnoticed and cause irritation.

2. Structural damage

Severe infestation by carpenter ants may hollow out wooden structures, causing the structures to weaken. In turn, this increases the risk of collapsing.

3. Occurrence of other pests

The presence of ants may cause other entomophagous pests such as spiders and geckos to thrive. Ants serve as a food source for these pests. Thus, the increase in the food supply would undoubtedly benefit their predators.

6 ways to prevent and get rid of ants in Singapore:

1. Identify and close entry points

How do ants find their way into your home? Understanding this will allow you to block ants from entering. Usually, ants enter through cracks in the walls, floors, ceilings, windows and pipelines. Even the tiniest of spaces is enough for ants to enter. Prevention is key, thus your first task is to find and seal all possible entry points.

2. Remove water leaks

Water is one of the sources that ants thrive on. Ants also nest in moist areas. Therefore, water leaks are an attraction for ants. If you see ants in your house, there may well be a water leak somewhere. We recommended you to inspect your home for leaking pipes.

3. Keep proper sanitation

All creatures need food to survive. It is important to keep your home clean at all times. By doing so, you will not attract ants. Make it a habit to clean your home thoroughly, including counters, tables, floors and especially all parts of the kitchen. Regularly throwing out the garbage also helps a lot in preventing ants.

4. Store food in airtight containers

Food storages are great attractions for ants. Their tiny bodies can usually squeeze through any narrow gaps in search for crumbs and other food rests. Thus, we recommend using airtight storage containers for your food. Also, consider storing fresh items such as fruit in the fridge.

5. Take good care of indoor potted plants

Even if you follow the first steps rigidly, there is still a chance of an ant infestation. Our next tip addresses plants. As plants need water, so do ants. Thus ants are often attracted to indoor potted plants. They may even build a colony inside a pot. Hence, carefully check around plant pots for signs of ants.

6. Trim trees and keep shrubbery away from home’s exteriors

Taking care of your garden is our final tip. Why take care of the outdoors? Because this where the ants are coming from. If you want to get rid of ants, start in the outdoors. Examples include trimming tree branches and keeping things neat and tidy.

Ants are sensitive creatures, not only able to sense sweet stuff but also capable to detect the smells they hate. Home remedies such as cinnamon, lemon juice and peppermint can act as natural ant deterrents to prevent their access to our homes. The home remedies can be sprayed at doorways, windowsills, and potential entry points to help in deterring them away.

Residual spraying is the most common method used to treat ants. However, it does not always work for all species. It is usually used when we can detect and access the ant nest. Or, the ants will not be shaken by the insecticide, which can worsen the infestation. Residual chemical can also be sprayed at the entrance or potential entry point if we want to prevent garden species from coming into our premise.

Some species of ants are hard to handle. They are eliminated but then re-appear. Some ants cannot be eradicated with insecticide spray. Thus it is important to identify the type of ant infestation.

The baiting method is preferable, especially when dealing with ants indoors. The bait that we use is a mix of an insecticide and some food attractants. It is non-repellent and slow-acting, which does not kill ants quickly. The bait will be placed at multiple locations where their activity is identified. The slow-acting nature of the bait works when the workers carry the bait back to their nest and feed it to the brood, nest mates and queen. Subsequently, the nest is eliminated.

Notice any ants? Remain calm and contact a professional to prevent further spread of ants. Our staff are licensed and certified with the National Environment Agency (NEA). Our service technicians understand the habits of different types of ants and will provide the correct type of treatment.