Acrobat ants can be a real nuisance, disrupting your home life and garden activities.
How can you effectively get rid of these pests from your home? Read on and discover the best strategies and tips to keep your home ant-free by reading on.
Key Takeaways
- Acrobat ants can be identified by their heart-shaped abdomen, smooth thorax, and absence of a stinger.
- These ants nest in tree branches, stumps, and wall voids, feeding on proteins and sweet substances.
- Natural methods like vinegar solutions, essential oils, and boric acid baits can help control acrobat ants.
- Seal cracks, remove food sources, keep your yard clean, and call pest control to prevent future infestations.
Steps to Take to Get Rid of Acrobat Ants in Texas

Getting rid of acrobat ants involves understanding their behavior, using natural and commercial methods, and taking preventative measures. Each step is essential to effectively dealing with these pests.
Step 1. Learn How to Identify Acrobat Ants
Before any action can take place, it’s essential to identify these ants correctly. Acrobat ants have a unique appearance that sets them apart from other ant species.
Here’s what they look like:
Physical Features | Description |
---|---|
Abdomen | Distinctive heart-shaped abdomen. |
Color | Typically black or dark brown to light brown. |
Thorax | Smooth and evenly rounded. |
Antennae | 11-segmented, ending in a three-segmented club. |
Stinger | Lacks a stinger but can emit a defensive odor. |
Signs of an acrobat ant infestation often include visible ant trails around window frames and utility lines. This can point to their pathways in and out of the home.
Swarmers, or winged ants, can also signal an established ant colony nearby. Like carpenter ants, they can also damage wood by using existing cavities to create their nests.
Step 2. Understand the Behavior of Acrobat Ants
Knowing where these ants typically nest and what they eat helps in targeting them effectively.
These ants commonly nest in tree branches, stumps, mulch, and soil near structures. Indoors, they can be found in wall voids, attics, and soffits, particularly near food sources and areas with moisture.
If they manage to invade electrical systems, they can cause a short circuit by chewing through wiring.
In their diet, they feed on proteins such as dead insects and spider eggs. They are also attracted to sweet substances like honeydew from aphids and household food scraps.
Step 3. Use Natural Methods
Many homeowners in Texas prefer natural methods as they lessen the use of harmful products. Here’s how to make your home less attractive to pests with DIY strategies:
- Vinegar Solution: Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Apply it along ant trails, entry points, and nesting areas to disrupt the sense of smell.
- Essential Oils: To repel ants, use essential oils like peppermint, tea tree, or citrus. Apply a few drops near entry points and suspected nesting areas.
- Boric Acid and Sugar Bait: Combine boric acid with sugar and place the mixture in shallow containers to create ant traps that poison the entire colony.
- Diatomaceous Earth: Sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth around entry points, nests, and along trails. This natural powder is abrasive to ants.
Step 4. Consider Commercial Products
When DIY home remedies don’t work, you can explore using commercial products for acrobat ant control. Before using any of them, read and follow instructions carefully for safe use.
Here are some products you can find in the market:
- Ant Baits: Gel or granular baits containing active ingredients like Indoxacarb or Hydramethylnon.
- Residual Sprays: Sprays with ingredients such as Bifenthrin or Cypermethrin to treat ant trails and entry points.
- Foam Products: Expanding foam products for treating acrobat ant nests in hard-to-reach areas like wall voids and attics.
Step 5. Prevent Future Ant Infestations
Preventing future ant infestations is just as crucial as getting rid of the current ones to keep acrobat ants at bay.
Regular inspections are essential in pest management. Check for signs of infestation in and around your home. Pay special attention to utility lines, soffits, and wall voids where nests may form.
Maintenance and repairs are also essential. Seal cracks and crevices with caulk. Ensure window frames and doors fit snugly. Repair any water leaks to reduce moisture levels.
Another important step is yard clean-up. Remove fallen leaves, branches, and mulch close to the house. Trim tree branches away from the structure. Keep the lawn well-maintained to avoid providing nesting sites.
It’s also vital to remove food sources. Always clean kitchen countertops and floors regularly, and store food in airtight containers.
Hire a Professional Pest Control Company
When dealing with acrobat ants in Texas, calling a pest control professional can save time and prevent headaches. Especially if the infestation is extensive, professional help is often the best route.
Pest control services offer specialized treatments that effectively target acrobat ants. They have the right tools and products to handle the ant problem efficiently.
These expert exterminators can also identify and treat the source of the infestation, not just the visible ants of other species, such as fire ants, black ants, and odorous house ants.
When it comes to acrobat ant infestations, peace of mind is invaluable, especially when they are a recurrent problem. Give our team a call (866)-693-8495 to receive a free quote.