Ghost Ant Control: How To Get Rid of Ghost Ants

This page is a ghost ant control guide. By using the products and methods suggested you will reduce the likelihood of ghost ants. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee a great reduction in your population of ghost ants.

Any ant infestation can be quite disturbing to have but one type of ant invasion that’s particularly startling is an invasion of ghost ants. Ghost ants get their name due to their tiny size and the fact that they have pale legs and bodies which makes them difficult to see, similar to ghosts. Ghosts ants can disappear and reappear without homeowners noticing which can be even more ghost-like.

Ghost ants are originally from the tropical areas of the world (most likely Africa or Asia) but in recent years have appeared in the southeastern part of the United States. The way they got here was most likely through hitching a ride on boxes, crates, and other household goods being shipped from overseas. In northern parts of the country, ghost ants have been known to survive only in buildings that are sufficiently heated or in greenhouses.

The ghost ant diet consists of honeydew collected from insects that feed on plants such as aphids. When they venture into indoor dwellings in search of food, they usually target various sweets. If you are encountering an outbreak of ghost ants, this guide can help. Follow the recommendations and advice below to get rid of ghost ants from your property permanently.

Identification

Before you can carry out a treatment program, you need to be certain that you are dealing with ghost ants and not some other insect species. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong treatment products, resulting in wasted time and money. Below you can find the common characteristics that set ghost ants apart.

• Ghost Ants are relatively easy to identify thanks to their small size. Ghost ant workers grow to about 1.5 millimeters in length.
• The head and thorax of a worker ghost ant are dark brown to black in color, while the abdomen and all appendages are translucent or creamy white.
• They have 12-segmented antennae with the segments gradually thickening towards the tip.
• Their small size along with their almost opaque appearance make ghost ant workers difficult to see, which is why they were coined as “ghost ants”

Use the image and description above to help you to identify ghost ants on your property. If you are not totally sure, contact us and we will assist you with ghost ant identification.

Inspection

After you have confirmed that you are dealing with ghost ants, you can move forward with an inspection. During the inspection, you will focus on finding these areas where ghost ants are found, and this will tell you where to apply the treatment.

Where To Inspect

Ghost ants are known to establish large colonies in moist areas outdoors and indoors. Outdoors, you can find colonies in soil, dead wood, or piles of leaves and other plant litter.

Indoors, colonies can infest cracks, crevices, and wall voids; flower pots; cabinets; baseboards; and behind tiles. They may also infest small containers like cardboard boxes or appliances. Indoor foraging can take place in any room, but most foraging activity can be observed in the kitchen.

What To Look For

Ghost ant activity can be spotted by their foraging trails. If you find any trails use a magnifying glass to discern their characteristics. When ghost ant activity is witnessed, follow the trails to find nest locations or entry points. Take care not to crush any ants to avoid colony budding and their foul odors.

Once you have located the general areas where ghost ants are found, these will be the places where you will apply the treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed ghost ant activity it is time to begin treatment. Before starting any treatment, be sure to wear your personal protective equipment, or PPE, and remember to keep all people and pets off the treated areas until dry.

To get rid of ghost ants, we recommend an outdoor application of Supreme IT to your yard and perimeter as well directly to any ant mound you come across. Indoors, apply Ant-Trax Ant Bait to kill foraging worker ants.

Step 1: Clean Indoors

Ghost ant control starts with cleaning up indoors. Seal loose foods like cereal, flour, and pet food in airtight containers.

Regularly take out the trash, wipe down the countertops, and mop or vacuum the floors. It’s important to get rid of any crumbs and food residue to get rid of any food sources that can attract ghost ants to your home.

Step 2: Outdoor Treatment

Once you have cleaned indoors, you can start treatment. In addition to foraged foods, ghost ants also feed on dead or alive insects and honeydew produced by aphids or scales.

For this reason, we recommend you start treatment with a broad-control insecticide like Supreme IT. Supreme IT is made with 7.9% bifenthrin and will treat many pests, including the ants themselves as well as the insects that serve as their food sources.

Determine how much Supreme IT you will need by measuring the square footage of your yard and homes perimeter. To do this, measure the length and width of the treatment area in feet then multiply them together (length X width = square footage). Mix and apply Supreme IT at a rate of 0.5 fl. oz. of product in 1 gallon of water to treat 1,000 square feet.

With your Supreme IT solution, drench any colonies you have found outside, then conduct a barrier treatment by spraying along your home’s outer perimeter by spraying 3 feet up the wall and 3 feet out. Be sure to also spray pest entry points like doors, windows, and eaves.

Next, conduct a broadcast treatment over your lawn and spray any ornamental plants or shrubbery. Be sure to coat the upper surface and underneath the leaves. Ants, as well as the insects that serve as their food sources, will die in several hours after being exposed to Supreme IT or its residual effect for up to 90 days.

Step 3: Indoor Treatment with Ant-Trax Ant Bait

Once you have sprayed outdoors, you can treat indoor ant colonies by laying an ant bait like Ant-Trax. Ant-Trax mimics foraged food and contains attractants, encouraging ants to spread the product throughout their nests. Ant-Trax Ant Bait is made with 0.01% imidacloprid.

Apply pea-sized drops on countertops, near window frames, in cracks and crevices, and near baseboards where you have seen ghost ant activity.

You will also set the Ant-Trax Bait near the areas you have seen ghost ants emerge from their colonies. Space the placements 1 foot apart and allow 7 to 10 days for the ghost ants to consume the material and die out.

Prevention

After you have eliminated the ghost ants, you don't want them coming back. Prevent reinfestation by altering the environment to make it less suitable for ghost ants. Here are some measures we recommend:

• Ghost ants are vulnerable to desiccation, or being dried out, so the first step to preventing ghost ants is to address any moisture issues such as plumbing leaks or dampness. Fix leaky pipes or faulty air conditioning inside your home.
• Next, be sure to maintain a regular cleaning schedule. Continue to reduce food sources, vacuum or sweep often, and wipe sinks dry after use.
• You can also remove the plants that attract aphids and other insects that create honeydew. By removing these plants you will eliminate aphids, which will get rid of another food source for ghost ants.
• Finally, keep up with quarterly applications of Supreme IT. Supreme IT will protect your property from ants and insects that serve as their food sources. When applied properly, this product leaves behind a residual that lasts up to 90 days under normal weather conditions. Make reapplications every 3 months to ensure protection year-round.

Key Takeaways

What Are Ghost Ants?

• Ghosts Ants are a species of ant that gets their name from their conspicuous appearance, which consists of an almost transparent abdomen and legs.

How To Get Rid of Ghost Ants

• Get rid of ghost ants with a thorough indoor cleaning then the combination of Supreme IT Insecticide and Ant-Trax Ant Bait. Supreme IT will be mixed and applied outdoors around your yard, as a drench on ant mounds, and applied as a perimeter treatment to create a protective barrier against ghost ants to keep them out of your home. Ant-Trax Bait should be placed strategically in areas where you have observed ghost ants. They will take the bait back to their colonies to share with the population and die off.

Preventing Ghost Ant Reinfestation

• To prevent reinfestation of ghost ants, clean crumbs and spills indoors and seal food in sealable plastic containers. Then make preventative outdoor barrier applications of Supreme IT every 90 days to stop ghost ants from returning.