How To Get Rid Of Piss Ants

Ants are a wide variety of creatures, and among them is the piss ant. This ant is perhaps the most well-known, and it can cause a severe infestation in your home and garden. During the 1470s, they were called “pismire” ants. This word came from the Scandinavian language, and “piss” was once included because of the belief that when squeezing the ants out came a smell similar to urine.

What Is A Piss Ant?

Piss ants are small, dark red. They have a brownish head and abdomen with the thorax being black or very dark in color. These creatures can be found throughout North America, but they thrive most in forests with plenty of water nearby.

These ants often construct their nests under rocks, logs, bark on trees, or in rotting wood. They are also known to nest under foundations, sidewalks, and driveways with moisture at the surface below them.

Piss ants find their way into your home most likely due to certain conditions that make it easy for them to survive there. If you have a leaky pipe or faucet outside, they can easily find their way in. They can also get into your home through cracks and crevices near doors and windows, as well as through the pet door.

Once they are inside, they will look for a food source. They eat anything from sweets to meat but prefer protein-rich foods such as dead insects or other ants. If they are left unchecked, they can quickly multiply and become a severe infestation.

How Do Piss Ants Look Like?

Piss ants are small, with a dark red head and abdomen. They have brownish thoraxes that become black or very dark in color.

You can find these creatures throughout North America but they thrive most in forests with plenty of water nearby. They often construct their nests under rocks, logs, bark on trees, or rotting wood. They can also be found under foundations, sidewalks, and driveways with moisture at the surface below them.

Life Cycle of Piss Ants

The life cycle of piss ants, also known as odorous house ants, is one of birth, work, reproduction and death – not much different from that of humans! However, unlike humans, these tiny insects live in colonies and have a very short life span. Depending on her role in the colony, a single ant may only live for a few weeks or up to several years.

Ants have three stages in their life cycle: egg, larvae and adult.

Adult

Piss ants are wingless and about 1/4 inch long. They are brown or black in color. They live for a year or more, but only mate once.

Egg

Females lay eggs from spring to fall, but peak egg laying occurs during the summer. A female lays up to 200 eggs per day. The eggs are white, oval-shaped and about 1/16 inch long.

Larva

The larvae look like small, white grubs with no legs. After two weeks of feeding on food provided by adult ants, the larvae enter a pupal stage and change into adult workers within two to three weeks.

How Long Do Ants Live?

Most of the ants you see are workers, sterile females that spend their lives foraging for food, caring for eggs and nursing the queen. They live from several months to several years, depending on the species. Queen ants are fertile females that lay eggs and start new colonies. They can live for decades.

Can Piss Ants Damage My House?

Yes, piss ants can damage your home. Not only do they contaminate food sources, but their nests can also weaken the foundation of your house or other building. In addition, their waste products produce an unpleasant odor that is difficult to get rid of.

How to Get Rid of Piss Ants Naturally?

If you want to find a way to get rid of piss ants naturally, here are some ways that really work:

Use insect repellants on plants

Planting garlic, mints, or catnip around the foundation of your house, or near entry points into your home can help repel these ants.

Diatomaceous earth

Using diatomaceous earth is also another natural way to get rid of piss ants. This powder-like substance causes a dehydration effect on their exoskeletons and eventually kills them.

Lemon juice with white vinegar

Get Rid of Piss Ants Lemon juice with white vinegar. Pour equal parts lemon juice and white vinegar into a spray bottle. Spray directly on the ants to kill them, then wipe up the ants using a damp paper towel and discard them. You can also use vinegar and water as a deterrent; spray it where you see ants coming inside.

The acid in vinegar gives it the ability to kill viruses (such as cold and flu), bacteria (such as E. coli and salmonella), fungus, and even weeds! It’s also great for cleaning, whether you’re cutting through grease on your stove or getting rid of stains in your laundry.

Lemon juice with water

Lemon juice with water works well at keeping ants away. A mixture of one part lemon juice to three parts water can be sprayed around the perimeter of your home, windowsills and doors to keep ants from entering. The smell of lemons repels ants, but they don’t like crossing it.

Using this method eliminates the use of pesticides in your home, which can be harmful to you and your pets.

Sugar and boric acid

Sugar and boric acid. Mix together equal parts of both, put in a shallow dish and watch the ants vanish! They love the sugar and take the boric acid back to their nest, where it kills them all.

Make sure you keep this mixture out of reach of children and pets, as it will kill them if ingested. We also don’t recommend using anything that has been infested with ants, so you may want to buy a new container just for this mixture.

Cornstarch

Cornstarch is a great way to get rid of ants. Ants are attracted to sugar, so putting cornstarch in the sugar bowl is a good way to kill them all. You can also put it on the floor in areas where ants are coming in. Once they eat the cornstarch, it will swell up inside and kill them.

Soap Spray

Soap spray is composed of one cup of water, one tablespoon of liquid soap, and two tablespoons of cooking oil. The soap traps the ants and the oil suffocates them.

Spray the solution directly on the ant colony or inside your home where you see them coming in and out. The scent will attract them, which will make it easier to kill them all at once. You can also use a cotton ball soaked in the solution to wipe around windowsills and other areas you know they frequent.

Coffee grounds

Coffee grounds are a natural repellant for these little pests. Simply sprinkle coffee grounds around the areas where you see them. If you are so inclined, you can also place coffee grounds in an area that is known for their nest. The ants will relocate elsewhere.

Honey and Boric Acid Mixture

You can make a simple honey and boric acid mixture to get rid of piss ants. First, mix one part boric acid with four parts honey; then put small dots where the ants are coming in. The ants will be attracted to the honey and take it back to their nest, killing off the colony.

How To Prevent Piss Ants From Your House?

Before a piss ant infestation occurs in your home, you may take precautions. The greatest growth of this bug takes place during the spring, and you must prevent ants from entering your property to survive and feed before then:

• Fix any water leaks around your home.
• Seal off all cracks and crevices near doors, windows, and the foundation of your house with caulk or other appropriate sealants.
• Repair torn screens on windows and doors.
• Keep food in airtight containers and clean up spills immediately.
• Remove dead insects or other pests from your property.
• Store firewood away from the house and elevate it off of the ground.
• Pick up pet food and water dishes after pets are done eating and drinking.
• If you live in a wooded area, trim branches and shrubs that touch your home.
• Put down ant bait stations near points of entry into your home.

Are Piss Ant Bites Dangerous?

If you’re been bitten by a piss ant, you’ve likely experienced a painful red bump and some itching or burning. Some people have more serious allergic reactions, including a rash and/or swelling of the face or other body parts. In rare cases, a person may develop anaphylaxis, which is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that requires immediate medical attention.

People who are most at risk for anaphylaxis include those who have bee sting allergies or other insect allergies.