Most people have seen the army ants in movies, who invade and kill people while consuming everything in their path. They are found in tropical areas throughout the world, and they can storm any location with they will have thousands of adult ants just like you seen the movie.
The army ants are nomadic, and they won’t stay at one location for a long time. You will find that the Ants form a temporary nest just above the ground whenever they travel. They will collect the food and go to the homes through the help of these cracks. The army ants do not possess too much threat to anyone.
In countries like the United States, the army ants don’t cause too many issues to the small animals or the livestock as the tropical varieties are considered more dangerous. The army ants are believed to feed on other ants, the problems that they cause depend on contamination and spreading bacteria to the food.
A sting from army ants can also result in an allergic reaction in multiple cases. Even though the Armenians live in humid climates, but they can also go to the agriculture environments. An area that is densely forested and has food to collect can find that the army ants prefer living there.
The army ants can also diminish the food sources of other animals like reptiles, birds, and beetles. The army ants can kill various types of animals, and you can learn everything about them right here.
Check our ant article about How to Get Rid of Sugar Ants Naturally
What’s an army ant?
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As mentioned previously, army ants feed on other ants and insects, including beetles, commonly their size. They can even feed on some littler creatures like frogs, snakes, and lizards. They have enormous mandibles that act like scissors that they use to kill their prey.
While killing up their victim, they spread a dissolving acid that is utilized to meltdown flesh and muscles into a liquid matter. When the ant colony moves out to forage, if the laborers discover food, they’ll dispatch the data through an aroma back to the nest, enabling the colony to assemble and prepare to move.
The main guard against an army ant assault is remaining still. Because army ants are about blind, they depend on light and dimness from movement to identify prey. There are at least more than 200 diverse species of army ants, and they are typically found in the tropical rainforests of South America.
One of the most studied species is Eciton burchellii. These ants rest in a bivouac, which is a brief nest comprised of ants. The sovereign and the colony discover their resting spot in the focal point of the ants’ nest before moving around evening time searching for its next area.
When the day starts, these ants spread out and raid nearly anything in their way. They, in some cases, travel more than 200 yards when they’re raiding. The lead laborer ants leave a chemical trail for the others to follow. Smaller specialist ants lead the colony, while the other ants secure their fringes. When they need another food source, the whole colony may transfer to another nesting site.
Signs of an army ant infestation
Behind apparent signs of an infestation is left by army ants. It is easy to tell whether you’ve them or not due to the giant trail and colony of ants.
Here are a few typical signs of an infestation:
- Debris or perhaps detritus clutter
- Ant colonies in your soil or trees
- Observable army ant colony foraging for food
Are army ants dangerous?
There are numerous social insects, mainly wasps, and ants that actively chase prey for food. The greater part of these does as such as people, catching small prey, and returning straightforwardly to the nest. But a few ants can beat vertebrate and big invertebrate prey.
These are the mass foragers, driver ants, and the army ants. These ants move over the ground in vast swarms or columns and repress prey, such as large scorpions and lizards, which other ants can’t.
They also eat up numerous small arthropods and drain a prey territory so rapidly that they should frequently move, starting with one nest site then onto the next.
While it is conceivable that penned animals might be killed, the ants are not commonly dangerous. The swarm front or chasing column moves forward just generally gradually, and it is easy to step out of the way.
How to get rid of army ants naturally?
These are some of the natural ways to get rid of army ants from your house.
- Chalk
One of the home remedies to dispose of ants is to use chalk. Chalk has calcium carbonate, which can help in keeping ants away. Spray powdered chalk in the areas that are the entry points of ants or draw a line of chalk at the passage. Keep ants off your house, draw chalk lines with the goal that these bugs don’t enter. While it is not satisfactory as to why this line prevents the ants from coming inside, but it is undoubtedly compelling. Ensure you make the line in a way that is far from any child in the house.
- Lemons
Place lemon peels or squeeze a lemon in the place where the ants get entry. You can also wash the floors with water, which has a little lemon juice added to it. Ants don’t care for the smell of lemon juice so that they will keep away. Anything bitter and sour may keep the ants away, but any sugar is ants’ best companion. So guarantee you don’t hold anything sweet that may attract the ants in some way or the other. Keep your kitchen slab completely clean and place the peels in that spot.
- Oranges
Oranges are the same as lemons; they keep the ants away from visiting your house. Make a paste of a warm water cup and a couple of orange peel, which will dispose of ants. Spray the paste around the entry points of ants and wipe it a short time later. You can likewise place orange peels on the kitchen slab or any place you figure these ants may enter. It acts as a natural repellent for ants that may keep them as well as keep them away. Along these lines, carry the orange rinds to some use and guarantee no ants visit your house any longer.
- Pepper
Ants are truly enamored with sugar, but they dislike pepper. Sprinkle some pepper at the areas from where ants enter your house. It will help to dispose of ants. Ants hate cayenne pepper or dark pepper. You can likewise make a solution of pepper, water and spray it near the entrant areas. The pepper wouldn’t kill the ants but discourage them from returning to your house. Ensure you clean the area where you want to spray the pepper solution.
- Salt
Spreading salt near nooks and corners from where ants enter the house will help to keep ants away. Table salt is one of the the cheapest and best ways to dispose of ants naturally. Use ordinary table salt, not health-boosting rock salt. You should bubble water and include a large salt measure to it, stirring it until it breaks down. Fill a spray jug and spray where you think ants tend to enter from.
Now you know about army ants and how you can get rid of army ants naturally, so you don’t need to worry. You can use the normal methods to get the most patients so that there are no problems. Everything will be perfect, and you can get the complete assurance you won’t face any issues with the army ants nesting.
