Ants In The Winter: How To Get Rid Of Them Naturally

There are approximately more than 12,000 species of ants in the entire hemisphere, although not all of these transmit diseases by bite if they can be dangerous. This shows you that free entry is not the best idea, especially when there are older people and children at home.

You must know the habits of ants as their way of living in huge colonies. When they are looking for food, they leave a trail of pheromones as a sign of the way to the source, allowing them to return to the same place.

In this guide, we will discuss about:

What the ants do in the winter
where the ants go in the winter
How the ants live in the winter
How to get rid of ants in the winter
And more

After reading our article, you can manage, control, and eliminate ants in the winter.

What Do the Ants Do In Winter?

As winter approaches, ants drastically change the way they live by slowing down. These insects slow down in feeding and seek shelter until the cold season is over. Ants generally compromise their activity in half and stay in their shelters.

Where Do the Ants Go In The Winter?

Like most insects, ants are exothermic, which means that their environment’s temperature influences their bodies’ temperature. This is why brutally low winter temperatures affect ants’ body temperature as it drops dramatically below, making it difficult for them to move.

In the winter, ants seek to entrench themselves in relatively warm areas like tree bark and wait until winter passes. In general, ants in the winter move towards the deepest part of the anthill and cover vegetable debris access.

Do the Ants Hibernate During The Winter?

Hibernation is a vital resource for most animals and insects that live in places where cold winters are present. As they hibernate, their vital functions such as heartbeat and breathing slow down to conserve energy amounts.

Given the low abundance of food in winter, hibernation is a basic necessity for ants. Months before winter, ants consume huge amounts of food that eventually turns into fat and endows them with strong energy.

Do the Ants Die During The Winter?

During the colder winter months, the ant will be completely inert. You cannot perform any movement for lack of heat necessary for the biochemical processes that allow them to perform. When these moments elapse, they assume a wrinkled fetal position as if they were dead, but they are not.

How Do the Ants Live In The Winter?

Months before the arrival of winter, the ant reduces its activity by eating and filling itself with food as much as possible.

Ants in winter are also known to build locks to restrict entry to the anthill. The Queen prepares to lay her eggs, and sometimes, the larvae are overfed to pupate before the onset of winter.

Is It Common To Have the Ants During The Winter?

In the tropics’ countries’ winters, the ants are generally destroyed by the flows caused by the rainwater. In countries with extreme icy and cold winters, ants hibernate to protect themselves from low temperatures.

Can the Ants Store the Food For The Winter?

The summer months are good times for ants to reproduce, eat, and store food for winter. They are based on exploring areas attracted by the smell of food scraps. In the first instance, they work individually; while this process occurs, they leave a trace of pheromones that attracts other ants.

It is very curious that when ants survey a pheromone trace, they renounce the path they were carrying to continue on that other path. Collective work is essential for the ants, mainly in the summer since, at this time, they are dedicated to keeping supplies.

Common Types Of the Ants To Encounter In the Winter

There are more than 12000 species of ants; here, you will see which are the most common:

Leafcutter ant

It is not a single species, but 47 in total are considered “leaf cutters” and inhabit tropical areas. They have their differences in the pairs of spines and the exoskeleton.

Smelly house ant

It is known as the landlady because it travels the perimeters of homes to form its colony and is fragrant because of the smell it emits when it kills itself.

Fire ant

Known throughout the world as a red ant, this genus includes about 280 fish throughout the hemisphere. The main characteristic they have is that their bite is very poisonous and causes both irritation and pain. Some people are very allergic to this poison and can experience considerable immune effects.

Carpenter ant

Its name originates from the fact that they manufacture their nests using wood, so they are highly dangerous to houses made with this type of material. They are usually black or reddish, have three legs, and only a few with wings.

Argentine ant

This species is native to Argentina and can also be found in other countries such as Uruguay, Bolivia, and Brazil. It is classified as an invasive pest because it destroys colonies of native species.

Insect nests are commanded by several queens that lay about 30 eggs a day each. It copulates them with the males, it takes place inside the home, and they perish when they finish them.

Bullet ant

Bullet ant derives its name from the impact that its bite exerts, similar to the impact of a bullet. It is considered 30 times more painful than a wasp sting. After a bite, erythema may occur accompanied by pain and chills and no affected limb sensitivity.

African ant

Inhabits Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, and Togo. It is one of the most dangerous species in the world, measuring approximately 17 and 5 ms. It has triangular jaws and a strong stinger capable of piercing human skin. They possess a particularly powerful neurotoxic poison with which they manage to paralyze their victims.

How To Get Rid Of the Ants During the Winter Naturally?

You will see how to get rid of ants naturally and safely:

Lemon juice

In the ants, sprinkling them with lemon juice is a very effective method to neutralize them.

Neem oil

It is very important to follow the instructions for use. It is much more effective to apply it in the afternoon. If you use the neem, you must boil them in water for 30 minutes. You should let them sit before turning them into powder.

Garlic

You need to mix garlic water very often and then spray the site constantly with this homemade item.

Soap

Water with spray soap is a fairly effective solution against these insects to avoid infestations.

Lavender

With 500 grams of fresh lavender leaves, prepare an infusion plus a liter of water, spray the plants that are being attacked.

Orange peels

The orange peel is the same as with rice; you have to cut them very thin and put them where the ants move. She will be taken to the anthill, where said shell forms a toxic substance for them without affecting the ground.