You should also remove any tempting food sources and keep your kitchen in particular as clean as possible. Start with half a cup of distilled water and half a cup of white vinegar. What impresses me the most about essential oils is that there are SO many uses for them. Peppermint Oil Spray for Ants - Keep Ants Away Without Pesticides. For a natural homemade ant repellent, consider using peppermint essential oil. Shake thoroughly and spray the mixture around your kitchen baseboards. Tea Tree: The strong smell repels ants, while the natural astringent kills them off. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. While there are numerous home remedies to get rid of ants, the following is considered to be the best homemade ant killer by our readers. Chemicals used during extermination procedures can prove toxic and harmful if not used correctly – which can be extremely dangerous to pets, children, or even your health. Hi there! Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/05/040510014001.htm. Thanks to the advances in research, scientists have helped identify certain essentials oils that contain natural insecticidal qualities that can be used as a non toxic ant killer. Some species, like carpenter ants, will also nest inside wooden structures. Retrieved from: Science Daily. D-limonene dissolves the waxy coating of the ant’s exoskeleton. Cinnamon won't kill the ants, but it is a deterrent. Essential Oils for Fertility – Pregnancy, PCOS, Progesterone & Male Infertility, Best Essential Oils for Sore Throat & Strep Throat- Home Remedies without Antibiotics, Top Essential Oils to Induce Labor – Aromatherapy for Labor & Birth, Best Essential Oils for Pain Management – Back, Nerve, Neck, Shoulder & Knee, Top 12 Essential Oils for Acne, Pimples, Blackheads & Blemishes, Top 5 Essential Oils for Vertigo & Dizziness- Natural Vertigo Relief, Essential Oils | How Do Essential Oils Work? Citrus oils: Orange and lemongrass are popular options. Many common essential oils help repel ants – any one of the following oils is a fantastic natural solution to an ant invasion! Citrus oils contain one key ingredient that is toxic to ants, but harmless to humans – d-limonene. It’s a strong essential oil, so avoid using clove oil undiluted. In a 2014 study, researchers investigated the potential insecticidal benefits of cedarwood essential oil. Lemon or Orange Essential Oil Citrus oils contain d-limonene, which is toxic to ants. You’ll even find recipes for aggressive fire ants and safe options for use on pet-friendly yards. Both contain a substance called d-limonene that kills fire ants on contact (. Cedarwood for ants is also effective against aggressive types, like fire ants, which can be difficult to kill (, A common insect repellant, studies show that the menthol peppermint is effective (, The strong smell repels ants, while the natural astringent kills them off, Orange and lemongrass are popular options. Results indicated that the ants … Flying ants appear during the mating season of ants. However, don’t apply the oils directly onto your pet’s skin and make sure to avoid spraying the oil near their water bowl. I’m super passionate about essential oils, health, wellness and making natural living easy. Terminating red imported fire ants using Cinnamomum osmophloeum leaf essential oil. Ants are one of the most common household pests and regularly appear in areas where they can easily find food and water. To get rid of ants inside or out, you have a few options: Avoid the sun if using a blend on your skin as some citrus oils can cause photosensitivity. The essential oil of P. cablin displayed toxicity against all three species of urban ants, with the lowest LD₅₀ being observed for D. thoracicus (2.02 μg oil/mg insect) after 48 h of exposure compared to C. melanoticus (2.34 μg oil/mg insect) and C. novogranadensis (2.95 μg oil/mg insect). A spray mixture made with powdered cinnamon or essential oil will work just as well. Eller, F.J. (2015). For users dealing specifically with fire ants, you may want to consider using orange essential oil as a natural ant killer. The essential oils of H. pectinata were toxic to the ants in both exposure pathways. Clove: Another excellent oil for ant control, clove oil interferes with the pheromone trails ants lay and even kills them. Citrus Oil (Lemon or Orange Oil) Citrus oils (Lemon or Orange Oil) contain d-limonene, which is toxic to ants and some other insects. As an alternative, many people turn to creating a homemade ant repellents as a way to control small infestations. Essential oils: You can use essential oils such as peppermint, citrus oil and tea tree oil to make an ant-repellent spray.Purchase a clean spray bottle and fill it with 1/4 cup of water, 15 drops of tea tree oil, 15 drops of peppermint oil and seven drops of the citrus oil of your choice. Get FREE weekly updates, right to your inbox. Orange or Lemon Essential Oil Citrus fruit contain a compound in their peel called d-limonene which is harmless to humans, but toxic to ants. We’ve all had the experience of leaving out fruit or unwashed dishes overnight only to find a trail of ants swarming the scene in the morning. Before starting any sort of home remedy for ants, it’s important to properly sanitize any effected areas and dispose of any contaminated food. This is because certain plants have evolved to contain naturally toxic or unappealing scents for ants, allowing them to survive in locations where ants are extremely prevalent. Identifying possible entry points is important for preventing further infestations and the development of more ant colonies. The easiest way to use oils on ants to create a spray. Diffuse a few drops on your patio or in your home to repel insects, or spray the mixture on your skin every few hours during outdoor activities. D-limonene, one of the main constitutes of orange essential oil, is able to penetrate the hard, waxy exterior of the ants’ respiratory system. The essential oil of P. cablin was strongly repellent to the three species of ants in all concentrations tested (0.01% and 1% … Results indicated that the ants were significantly repelled by the cedarwood essential oil, and was even effective against imported red fire ants. Cheng, S.S., et al. If you are an essential oil lover experiencing an ant infestation, especially in kitchen or walls, you are probably wondering why on earth ants even exist and more importantly whether you can use essential oils to get rid of ants.. Which Essential Oils … If you’re new to diluting essential oils for topical use, you can use a Doterra ant spray called TerraShield. Ants hate pungent smells, which interfere with the pheromones they use to communicate and coordinate with each other. Based on its odour and chemical composition, vetiver essential oil can be used as a natural insecticide to help repel ants, cockroaches, termites and ticks. As a natural ant repellent, essential oils help drive away ants and may also be aromatic. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332031087_Cedarwood_oil_repellent_for_little_fire_ant_Field_Test_for_Repellency_of_Cedarwood_Oil_and_Cedrol_to_Little_Fire_Ants, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261290351_Bioactivity_of_Cedarwood_Oil_and_Cedrol_Against_Arthropod_Pests, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17369041, https://cdn-ext.agnet.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/ENTO-009-natural-organic-and-alternative-methods-for-imported-fire-ant-management.pdf, 6 Benefits of Oregano Essential Oil: Nature’s Antibiotic Helps with Yeast Infections, Parasites, Digestion & More. While there are several essential oils that may be used as a natural way to get rid of ants and other insects, based on the most recent scientific research, the following five essential oils are considered the best essential oils to keep ants away. Get our FREE Video Series here. You can also use an … Lemongrass also masks trails that ants leave thanks to a high citronella content. Did You Know: Plants and Ants have evolved together for millions of years. Pet-Friendly Ways to Get Rid of Ants in the House or Out, 5 drops of citrus oil, like grapefruit, orange, or lemongrass, Alternative Natural Ways to Get Rid of Ants. (2011). Get ‘Two Steps’ Ahead Of Fire Ants With Organic Control. Using essential oils for ants in house environments may also be a safer alternative for individuals who have allergies, weaker immune systems or have household pets. Article continues below advertisement. We want it safe for our family, that’s why Essential oils are a great alternative to kill and prevent ants and other bugs from our home, it’s not only natural and safe but it gives lots of therapeutic benefits for our bodies as well. There are several beneficial properties of vetiver essential oil, including its natural antibacterial, antifungal, insect repelling qualities. When applied regularly and monitored, using essential oils may be an effective tool in ant management. The patchouli essential oil was shown repel all three species, and had a mortality rate of over 80%. The answer is yes. Effective at repelling and killing black and red fire ants thanks to the strong odor and high eugenol content (. ). I bet you’ve seen some movies where a heroic dog tracks down a missing kid or finds drugs in a suitcase at the airport, thanks to the dog’s keen sense of smell. You can even diffuse castor oil, use it topically, and spray your pets to repel bugs. The chemotype calamusenone was more toxic to A. balzani in both exposure pathways. Eucalyptus … The reason that essential oils can help keep ants away from homes is because of their scent. The toxic and repellent properties of nine major constituents of essential oils, comprising benzene derivatives and terpenes, were evaluated against Periplaneta americana (L.). Of my first child Manage pests: pests of homes, Structures, people and! 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