The Sneaky Way Ant Traps May Be Attracting Other Unwanted Pests To Your Home

Discovering a line of ants marching through your kitchen can be unsettling but it's not unlikely if you live in an area where ants are common — which is just about everywhere on the planet. Ants are constantly searching for food, and if they believe that they'll find some in your home, these pests may pay you a visit. Ants can bite and sting, damage your home, and spread bacteria, so you'll want to get rid of them as quickly as you can. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done — getting rid of a serious ant problem can be a difficult task. 

If you're battling an ant infestation, you may have considered setting out some store-bought ant traps. However, although these may be effective at getting rid of ants, you should be aware that they could potentially attract other unwanted guests, trading one problem for another. Many chemical-based ant baits are attractive to cockroaches and flies and will kill them in the same way as ants. But when it comes to these traps, the primary thing to worry about is that ant baits have a sweet smell that is known to attract mice and rodents. To prevent this, you'll want to think carefully about your use of ant traps and may want to consider other ways to get rid of ants instead. 

Even if ant baits might attract mice, it's still possible to use them. However, you'll want to be mindful about how you do so. First of all, think carefully about where you place ant traps. You'll want to be sure to put them in locations where there's actually a lot of ant activity. Think about where you have seen ants crawling around and try to discover their entry points. Avoid placing ant traps in areas where mice are more likely to be found such as warm, dark areas and cluttered spaces.

An additional step you can take to prevent mice while using ant traps is to place mouse traps in areas where mice are more likely to be. Mouse traps will be more likely to get the attention of mice and may prevent them from taking an interest in your ant traps. In addition to this, you could also try getting rid of mice humanely by introducing scents to your home that mice dislike, such as peppermint oil.  

Remember that there are more ways to deter ants from your home than just using ant traps. You may want to avoid using ant traps altogether or use various methods in combination with them. To get ants out of your house, you need to take care to seal all possible entry points. You also need to clean regularly and ensure there aren't crumbs or food lying around that ants may be drawn to. 

Certain smells can deter ants and throw them off the scent of anything in your home they're trying to reach. They can be deterred by the smell of black pepper, cayenne pepper, peppermint, lavender, and citrus. You may also want to create a barrier of diatomaceous earth in spots where ants are entering your home. Diatomaceous earth is a secret weapon for controlling ants and will pierce their exoskeleton, dehydrating and killing ants who come into contact with it. Another option is to use borax mixed with sugar and water. This can slowly disrupt their digestive systems and spread to the entire colony.