Ghost Ant Control: How To Get Rid of Ghost Ants

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

Any ant infestation can be quite disturbing, but one type of ant invasion that’s particularly startling is the invasion of ghost ants. Ghost ants get their name due to their tiny size and the fact that they have pale legs and bodies, making them difficult to see, similar to ghosts. Ghost 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. They got here 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 sufficiently heated buildings or greenhouses.

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

Identification

Before you can carry out a treatment program, you must be certain that you are dealing with ghost ants and not other insect species. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong treatment products, wasting 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, 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 and almost opaque appearance make ghost ant workers difficult to see, which is why they were nicknamed “ghost ants.”

Use the image and description above to help you to identify ghost ants on your property. If you are unsure, contact us, and we will assist you with identifying the ghost ant.

Inspection

After you have confirmed that you are dealing with ghost ants, you can proceed with an inspection. During the inspection, you will focus on finding areas where ghost ants are present, which will tell you where to apply the treatment.

Where To Inspect

Ghost ants 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, wall voids, flower pots, cabinets, baseboards, and behind tiles. They may also infest small containers like cardboard boxes or appliances. Indoor foraging can occur in any room, but most foraging activity can be observed in the kitchen.

What To Look For

Their foraging trails can help you spot ghost ant activity. If you find any trails, use a magnifying glass to discern their characteristics. Follow the trails to find nest locations or entry points when ghost ant activity is witnessed. Don't 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 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 and keep all people and pets off the treated areas until dry.

To get rid of ghost ants, we recommend applying Supreme IT outdoors to your yard and perimeter and 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 remove the trash, wipe down the countertops, and mop or vacuum the floors. It’s important to remove crumbs and food residue to eliminate 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 feed on dead or alive insects and honeydew produced by aphids or scales.

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

Determine how much Supreme IT you will need by measuring the square footage of your yard and home's 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, 3 feet up the wall and 3 feet out. Be sure to 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 and insects that serve as their food sources will die several hours after exposure to Supreme IT or its residual effect for up to 90 days.

Step 3: Indoor Treatment with Ant-Trax Ant Bait

Once 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, cracks and crevices, and near baseboards where you have seen ghost ant activity.

You will also set the Ant-Trax Bait near the areas where 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 eliminating the ghost ants, you don't want them returning. 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 drying out, so the first step to preventing them 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. Removing these plants will eliminate aphids, which will eliminate 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 a residual lasting up to 90 days under normal weather conditions. Make reapplications every 3 months to ensure protection year-round.

Key Takeaways

What Are Ghost Ants?

• Ghost ants are a species of ant that gets its 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, followed by a 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 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 where you have observed ghost ants. They will return the bait to their colonies to share with the population and die off.

Preventing Ghost Ant Reinfestation

• To prevent ghost ants from reinfesting, clean crumbs, and spills indoors and seal food in sealable plastic containers. Then, apply Supreme IT as a preventative outdoor barrier every 90 days to stop ghost ants from returning.