Ants are fascinating insects that play important roles in our ecosystem. However, when they invade our homes or gardens, they can quickly become a nuisance. Many people turn to household items such as salt to get rid of ants, but does salt actually work? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the science behind salt and ants, the effectiveness of salt as an ant killer, and alternative ant control methods.
The Science Behind Salt and Ants
To understand whether salt kills ants, it’s important to first understand the science behind how ants breathe. Unlike humans and other animals, ants do not have lungs. Instead, they breathe through small holes called spiracles located on their exoskeleton. Oxygen enters the ant’s body through the spiracles and is then distributed to its cells.
Salt may be harmful to certain species of ants because it may cause dehydration and harm to their respiratory system, but there is little concrete evidence that proves beyond a doubt that salt kills ants.
Does Salt Actually Kill Ants?
While many people believe that salt is an effective way to get rid of ants, the truth is that salt may only temporarily repel certain species ants, rather than kill them.
Ants live in a colony often consisting of thousands of ants. The queen lives in a chambre in the centre of the colony and she gives birth to new worker ants continuously. If you want to get rid of an ant problem, you need to get rid of the queen. If you don’t kill the queen, then your ant problem will persist.
Salt will not kill the queen because if ants don’t like salt, they won’t bring it back to the nest for their queen to eat.
Boric Acid: The Best Alternative to Using Salt for Ant Control
If you’re looking for a more effective DIY way to get rid of ants, then use boric acid. Make a concoction of boric acid, sugar and water. Soak small cotton balls in the mixture and leave the balls in strategic locations for the ants to find. The ants will be attracted to the sugar, and will bring it back to their colony for the queen. The boric acid will kill the queen ant and the colony will soon cease to exist.
If your business has an ant problem, contact Merlin commercial pest control for fast, discreet and reliable elimination of ants. We’ve been getting rid of ants for over a decade and we’ve got nationwide coverage across the UK and Ireland.
