Help: ants with wings everywhere: what to do?

Winged ants most often appear suddenly and in large numbers. Although they are not dangerous, they can become so bothersome that you want to fight them.

The most important clue of all

If winged ants appear, don't panic. Such an infestation looks far worse than it is. There is no need to apply poison or call in a pest controller. There are no ants in our climate that can be dangerous in any way. Ants in the house also do not damage the masonry or the roof, they do not eat wood.

Where flying ants come from

There is no separate species of flying ants, even if the sheer number in which they occur suggests otherwise. Instead, flying ants are male and female specimens of perfectly normal garden ants that are on their wedding flight. Usually they are also accompanied and looked after by a few ants without wings. After the wedding, the females found a new state while the males die.

Where flying ants can appear

Winged ants can appear anywhere that wingless ants are also found. This means that they are represented in the garden, forest and field as well as when the conditions are favorable for them insects, in the house. Usually a swarm of flying ants occurs in certain weather conditions. For example when the weather is warm and humid or a thunderstorm is imminent. If there are many ants busy on the outer wall of the house and individual flying ants can be seen, it is essential to look carefully inside as well.

Home remedies for fighting the insects

It is better for nature to avoid poison and so-called bait boxes. This method kills entire ant colonies. Instead, try a home remedy. As far as flying ants are concerned, they disappear on their own after a short time as soon as the wedding flight is over, so you don't have to fight them. At most there are many dead ants that are simply swept up and removed.

Breaking the ant route

This method is the most important of all. The ant colony is supplied with food through the ant trails. Wherever possible, a recognizable ant route should be interrupted by suitable measures. Chalk lines, for example, are suitable for this, but also other materials that ants either do not like or cannot overcome. If it can be seen where the ant road leads, the target can also be removed so that it ends in nowhere. Don't just move food to another open place to do this. It doesn't take long for the ants to find their target again.

Note: Seeking ants that seem to run around aimlessly always remove them before they can even form a road.

Use fragrances

Ants react very sensitively to smells and quickly lose their bearings with the corresponding scent variants. That's why fragrances like lavender directly on or on an ant road against the insects. Lavender plants in the garden keep ants from making new nests nearby. lavenderOil in a fragrance lamp ensures that you are not disturbed by flying ants in the house. It can also be trickled onto the ant trail or nest.

Acid foods

As much as ants like sweet foods, they dislike acidic foods such as lemon juice or vinegar. This can be used to wipe ant trails on objects and surfaces. Clean work surfaces in the kitchen with vinegar cleaner.

Less advisable methods

If you want to drive away ants but don't really want to harm them, keep your distance from boiling water, the use of raising agents (baking soda, staghorn salt, baking powder) or special poisons. Poisons in particular can also be dangerous to other living beings, including your own home remedies. Birds, for example, are sensitive to insect sprays. Ant baits could be eaten by dogs or cats. In any case, poisons should not be used in the vicinity of food, i.e. in the kitchen.

Note: Leavening agents seem harmless, but precisely because of their driving force they cause an agonizing death of the insects.

Important method in the garden

Ants are always present in a natural garden, and small numbers of them do no harm. The situation is different when they start to care for aphids and to protect them against predators.
In such cases, it is important to get rid of the aphids yourself first. This is achieved on the one hand by promoting beneficial organisms and on the other hand with non-toxic methods such as spraying water or plant manure. Some plant manure even help against ants themselves, such as wormwood.

Ants in the lawn

Winged ants can also appear in green spaces, where they quickly glow the blades of grass and then fly off. Is an ant colony in the race is present, it makes most sense to cut it out together with the layer of soil underneath and move it to another place in the garden. However, the ants can simply remain in place when the green space is not used to sit. Even if the sudden appearance of the winged insects can be frightening, they do not harm the lawn and are soon gone again.

Prevent

Preventing an ant infestation is not that easy, in the garden it is almost impossible. Ant colonies can settle anywhere and, under suitable conditions, they can also multiply. In addition, you cannot prevent swarms of ants from other gardens.
It is easier to avoid ants in the house. The use of insect screens for windows and doors is helpful. If many ants are spotted outside, windows and doors can remain completely closed for some time. Flying ants are usually gone as quickly as they came. preventing them does not prevent them from appearing, but ensures that they cannot get into the house.

Further preventive measures against a general infestation with ants:

• Reduce aphids in the garden as much as possible
• Do not leave any food, especially sweets, open in the house
• close possible hiding places
• Frequently wipe surfaces in the kitchen with a damp cloth
• Seal pet food securely
• Clean food bowls regularly
• do not leave full food bowls outside for long

frequently asked Questions