TL;DR: Quick Steps to Take Action
- Identify what type of ant you’re dealing with (house ants, lawn/funnel ants, bull ants; fire ants = report).
- Clean and break trails: wipe benchtops, skirting boards, and entry points; remove food and water.
- Use slow-acting baits (not repellent sprays) on the trail so workers carry it back to the nest.
- Seal & exclude: caulk/mesh gaps, manage weep holes, trim plants touching the house.
- Book a professional treatment for multi-room trails, wall-void activity, repeat problems after rain, or bites.
🚨 Important Announcement: If you suspect fire ants, do not DIY. Report within 24 hours by calling 132 ANT (13 22 68) or on the National Fire Ant Eradication Program website.
Why Do Ants Keep Coming Back?
Ants follow pheromone trails to food and water. Killing the few you see won’t touch the colony or the queen. The fastest, most reliable fix is:
- Clean trails
- Place slow-acting baits correctly
- Block re-entry points
Below, we’ll show you what you can try first at home, what to avoid, and when you need to call in the professional ant control experts.
Ready for a professional treatment? Our Deluxe Pest Control Package covers ants, silverfish, spiders, and cockroaches, inside and outside your home in one visit. This package comes with a 12-month pest-free guarantee: if pests come back, so do we!
| Ant Species | Quick Identification | Safety Risk | DIY? | Best next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Ants | Small dark workers; kitchen/pantry trails | Low | Yes | Sugar and protein baits on trails. Don’t spray foragers! |
| Bull Ants | Large red/black; big jaws; painful sting | Med–High | Caution | Keep kids and pets away. Professional removal recommended. |
| Carpenter Ants | Big black/black-red ants, near damp wood; look for fine “sawdust” piles | Low-Med | Maybe | Check for frass/damage, clean food and trails, seal gaps, fix moisture, bait or book professional pest control. |
| Fire Ants | Coppery brown; dome mounds; stings | High | No | Report in 24 hours by calling 132 ANT (13 22 68)! |
| Funnel Ants | Small volcano-like cones in turf | Med | Maybe | Lawn-safe bait; if cones keep returning, book a professional treatment. |
| Garden Ants | Small black/brown, trails from soil/garden beds into the house | Low | Yes | Keep food sealed, wipe spills, manage aphids, and seal entry points. |
| Ghost Ants | Large red/black; big jaws; painful sting | Med–High | Caution | Keep kids and pets away. Professional removal recommended. |
| Pavement Ants | Tiny dark ants nesting under pavers, slabs, wall cracks | Low-Med | Yes | Reduce crumbs/grease, seal gaps in paving and foundations, and use baits on trails. |
| Pharoah Ants | Very small yellow ants in warm, humid indoor spots | Med–High | No | Strict hygiene, seal food, and remove clutter. Get professional bait programs, especially in sensitive sites. |
| Singapore Ants | 1.5 - 3 mm light brown ants, often around wiring and structures | Med–High | No | Minimise clutter, seal external gaps, and protect cabling. Organise professional treatment around electrical areas. |
| Yellow Crazy Ants | Yellow, long-legged ants with erratic “crazy” movement in huge numbers | High | No | Don’t move soil/plant material from suspect sites. Report sightings to the state biosecurity/pest authority for treatment. |
How & When To Use DIY Ant Removal Methods
DIY methods are best for small, new trails that you spot early, like in the kitchen or an obvious single entry point. These methods can reduce activity and stop infestations caught early. But, they won’t clear a nest in walls, roof voids, or the garden.
If ant trails keep returning (especially after rain) or you’re seeing ants in multiple rooms, it’s time to book a professional treatment.
1. Ant Baits
Ant baits combine an attractant with a slow-acting, non-repellent active. Foragers pick it up, carry it back, and share it through the colony, so you’re not just killing the ants you see, you’re targeting the queen and nest. Because the activity is delayed, ants have time to share it before the effects kick in.
Here are some helpful tips when DIY-ing ant baits:
- Don’t use any insecticide spray on the trail, you’ll repel the foragers that carry bait home.
- Clean edges/entries to remove any other attractants (wipe skirtings, door frames, benchtop edges).
- Offer sugar and protein baits (diet shifts by species/season).
- Placement: put baits on active trails every 15–30 cm along edges/shadow lines.
- Patience: expect 3–14 days for colony impact; refresh if bait dries/is consumed.
⚠️Caution: Follow label directions; keep baits away from kids/pets; wipe spills; never put baits on food-prep surfaces
2. Natural Ant Repellants
Natural repellents can help discourage ant activity, break scent trails, and prevent infestations if caught early. But use them preventatively and for small, new signs of ants. Make sure to follow the safety notes, especially around pets (essential oils can be risky, particularly for cats).
Vinegar Ant Trail Wipe
- Use For: Disrupting pheromone trails on benchtops, skirtings, door frames, and entry points.
- How To: Mix a solution of 1:1 vinegar and water. Spray then wipe along edges/paths; repeat at night.
- Limitations: Short-lived; will not work on nests.
⚠️Caution: Never mix vinegar with bleach (dangerous fumes). Patch-test on porous stone.
Soapy Water (Spot Clean Only)
- Use For: Quick knockdown of visible foragers.
- How To: A few drops of dish soap in water; wipe and dry.
- Limitations: Only kills the ants you spot and treat; trails usually return without baiting.
Essential Oils (Peppermint, Lemon, Eucalyptus, etc.)
- Use For: Light repellent effect on non-food edges (door thresholds, window tracks).
- How To: 10–15 drops in 250–500 ml water; lightly mist edges (not benches).
- Limitations: Temporary; may push ants elsewhere; can stain/degrade some finishes—patch-test first.
⚠️Caution: Essential oils can be toxic to pets, especially cats! So, avoid diffusing around pets, don’t apply where pets walk/lick, and keep treated areas off-limits until dry. If you’re unsure, skip oils and use vinegar/soapy water.
Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
- Use for: Dry barrier in cracks/edges (kickboards, under appliances, garage thresholds).
- How To: Light dusting; re-apply after cleaning or moisture.
- Limitations: Works only where laid and only when dry; no nest kill.
⚠️Caution: Avoid inhalation; keep away from children/pets; don’t use near fans/HVAC; clean up excess carefully.
DIY “Borax + Sugar” Mixes
- Use for: Some homeowners try this as a homemade bait.
- Limitations: Easy to get the ratio wrong (poor attraction/effect), messy, slower than AU-registered ant baits. Placement matters more than recipe!
⚠️Caution: Borax is not food-safe. Keep away from kids, pets, and food areas. Label containers, and don’t reuse kitchenware for food. A ready-made, AU-registered bait is safer and simpler. Don’t put powders/liquids into electrical outlets. Call a professional for wall-void activity.
3. Ant Sprays
Use ant sprays only as a targeted, short-term measure at entry points (cracks, gaps around windows/doors) when you can’t bait immediately, never on active foraging trails. Even then, expect only temporary relief because sprays don’t reach the nest.
Repellent aerosols kill only the few ants you see and often cause colony splitting or re-routing, which brings trails back (sometimes in new rooms). Many homeowners respond by spraying more, in more places, which adds chemical exposure without fixing the nest. That’s why we guide DIYers to bait first.
How To Best Use Ant Spray
If you’re going to use an ant spray, use this approach:
- Choose an AU-registered, non-repellent residual (compatible with baiting).
- Avoid “instant-kill/repellent” aerosols on trails.
- Spot-treat entry points and hiding places (skirtings, cracks, external gaps), not benchtops or food-prep areas.
- Do not spray where you’ve placed baits (sprays contaminate/repel and reduce bait uptake).
⚠️ Important Safety Reminder: follow the label, ventilate, keep kids and pets away until dry, and never spray into electrical outlets or power points (wall-void activity needs a pro).
What Works Better Than Ant Spray?
If you see any of the following, it’s time to call in the professional pest control experts:
- Trails in multiple rooms, ants from power points or wall voids
- Lawn mounds (funnel ants) that come back after DIY
- Bites/stings, or repeat problems after rain
How We Handle Ant Infestations With Our Deluxe Pest Control
- Inspect inside and outside your home to professionally ID species and locate nests and entry points.
- Provide targeted baiting (sugar/protein) where foragers are active.
- Use non-repellent liquid treatment where appropriate.
- Implement weep-hole dusting and roof-void treatment (as needed).
- Deliver a prevention plan and follow-up recommendations post-treatment.
Ready To Book A Guaranteed Treatment To Get Rid Of Ants?
Book our Deluxe Pest Control package to treat ants both inside and outside of your home in one visit.
What You Can Expect With Professional Ant Treatments
Appointment length: Typically 45–90 minutes, depending on home size and pest activity.
Results: Visible decline in 3–7 days (sometimes up to 14 for larger colonies).
Guarantees: Usually a 12-month pest-free guarantee (conditions apply).
How much does ant control cost in Queensland?
At Bundilla Pest Control, most homeowners book our Deluxe Pest Control package because it covers inside and outside in one visit and protects longer. The cost of this package starts at $229 and depends on the type and size of your home or property.
How To Keep Ants From Coming Back After You Get Rid Of Them
🚨Right now (today):
- Sanitation: wipe benchtops/edges nightly; empty kitchen bin; store sugar/rubbish in sealed containers; rinse recycling.
- Pet bowls: serve, then lift; or place bowls in a shallow tray with a water moat.
- Fix moisture: repair drips; ventilate under-sink cupboards; run the range hood.
- Exterior tidy-up: move firewood/pots off walls; clear debris from weep holes; trim plants touching the house.
⚒️Seal & exclude (this week):
- Seal gaps and cracks: around pipes, skirtings, window/door frames; add brush seals to external doors.
- Weep holes: fit breathable meshes (where appropriate) to reduce pest access while maintaining airflow.
- Screens: repair tears; install screens on vents where suitable.
- Garden edges: prefer stone/gravel borders instead of mulch against walls.
🧹After treatment (keep it working):
- Avoid repellent sprays where baiting/non-repellent treatments were applied.
- Keep edges clean so new pheromone trails don’t establish.
- After storms or rain, check for fresh trails and contact us if ant activity returns, your guarantee with Bundilla Pest Control covers you.
