Tips to Keep Sugar Ants Out of Your Car

Ants are busy little insects always foraging for food or scouting for a place to build their colony, from homes to apartments, restaurants, building structures, gardens, landscapes, and even vehicles. A common issue that many car owners face is the presence of ants including sugar ants in their cars, this may leave some of them puzzled as to how or why sugar ants are there and how they got in. You may be surprised at the answer. We will be taking a closer look at how to get sugar ants out of your car and how to prevent them from getting in your car to avoid having a sugar ants issue.

Sugar Ants Identification

There are estimated to be about 22,000 species of ants making this family vast, sugar ants are one of the more common ants that can be found in homes and gardens, to know if you have a sugar ants issue then look for the following. Sugar ants can be identified as having orange-black bodies and blackheads and mandibles, small to medium size, ranging from 2-15mm  (1/10” – 6/10” in length),  the winged male sugar ants are completely black however the female workers have orange-black bodies.

Do Sugar Ants Bite

Sugar ants will not sting or bite unless disturbed as a means of defense, “their bites are said not to be painful and will not produce any symptoms unless the person is highly allergic”.

What Attracts Sugar Ants

Sugar ants are not only attracted to sugar as the belief may have it but also to fats, proteins, and water sources.

How to Avoid Sugar Ants from Getting In Your Car

• Try to avoid consuming foods or drinks in your car.
• If foods and drinks are consumed in your car make sure after eating to immediately clean up food particles with a small car broom or brush and a dust pan or even better vacuum with a car vacuum.
• Wip up all water and drink spills, if soda, tea, coffee, or other sweet drinks spill use wipes or a damp cloth that was dipped in soapy water.
• Do not leave open food packages or food wrappers in your car.
• Avoid leaving empty bottles and cans that contain juice, soda, or other sweet drinks in your car.
• Don’t park your vehicle near the trash storage area.
• Before bringing bags, boxes, and plants from your nursery and garden center inspect for ants, roaches, spiders, and other insect pests.
• Place a few drops of peppermint essential oil in a 32 oz spray bottle, add water to your spray bottle, and shake well. Spray this solution in areas where ant activity is spotted. Apply regularly as needed.
• Switch up where you park your car, this move will cause ants to lose their scent trail and they won’t be able to find your car.
• Try to locate the ant’s nest outdoors for example your driveway, if the ant’s nest is found pour boiling water over the nest to kill ants, be careful however, as you don’t want to get burned as hot water is being poured.
• Sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth lightly on the ant’s nest and ant trails. Once ants come in contact with diatomaceous earth will dehydrate them causing ants to die. Reapply as needed.
• Cut up citrus peel and let sit or simmer in a container of water for 15-20 minutes, once the solution cools strain and place in a 32 oz spray bottle. Apply this solution in areas of your home where ants are seen or where you have seen ants.
• Mix one part powdered sugar with one part baking soda, add this mixture to small containers and place near the ants trail. Ants will be attracted to the sugar and take this mixture back wiping out the entire colony.
• A solution of water and dish liquid soap makes a good solution to kill sugar ants, mix this solution thoroughly and pour it into the nest. The soapy water will clog their organs through which ants’ breath killing them.

How do Sugar Ants Gain Access to Cars and other Vechicles

You may be wondering how sugar ants got in your car, you may be surprised at the answer.

• Ants are hitchhikers and travel in boxes and packages, make sure before taking boxes and other packages into your car to inspect for ants and other pests.
• Books, pieces of furniture, and other items brought from a garage sale may have ants and other pests hiding in or on them, and is an easy way for ants to gain access to your car so inspect items before taking them in your car.
• Avoid parking your car, especially with the windows down near garbage storage areas, which will cause ants to invite themselves in.
• Cars with sunroofs should remain closed when parked.

How to Get Rid of Sugar Ants in Your Car

If you have a sugar ants issue then here is how to remove them from your car or vehicle.

• Discontinue eating and drinking in your car, if you must make sure to vacuum or sweep up all food particles and wipe up spilled drinks with a damp cloth that was soaked in water and dish liquid soap.
• Ants bait can be used to trap ants, simply place ants baits outside near your car, and make sure that kids and pets can’t access them.
• Contact sprays can be used to kill ants on contact, these sprays can be purchased from your supermarket, make sure however before purchasing and applying contact sprays in your vehicle they are applicable products that can be used in your car and are safe for kids and pets. Read and follow the manufacturer’s directions for safety and the best results.
• Always or as much as you can keep the interior and the exterior of your car and vehicle clean.
• Address ant’s pheromones or scent trails- ants work together by altering other ants that they found a food source by communicating with pheromones these ants will also follow this pheromone back to the food source. To remove ants pheromone add 2-3 spoons of vinegar in a gallon of water, thoroughly mix this solution, add to a 32 oz spray bottle, and spray inside your car. This solution should come out of your spray bottle fine and misty instead of coarse droppings. To accomplish this adjust the spray’s nozzle. The vinegar scent will naturally dry and dissipate.

Conclusion

The control of sugar ants is that simple, all it takes is a few changes that will deter them or bring control if you have ants issue, I have dealt with sugar ants many times and I know they can become a nuisance especially if there is an infestation.  With this guide, you are in complete control creating an ant-free zone.