How Long Does it Take to Kill an Ant Colony?

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This is a difficult question to answer because it depends on several different factors. As a rough estimate, plan for it to take a few days for a small infestation to a few month to kill a large ant colony.

These are the main factors that will influence how long it takes to eliminate an ant colony:

• Species of ants: Some species of ants like sugar ants are relatively easy to kill. Some ants are more resilient than others, or have greater resistance to common treatment methods, or more complex colony structures, which makes extermination more challenging.
• Size of the colony: How big is the colony? Larger, mature colonies with multiple queens will take a lot longer. And if there are multiple off-shoot colonies, you’ll need to eliminate all of them or find they keep bouncing back.
• Location of the colony: Where is the colony located? If it’s hidden deep within the structure of your home, it will be much more difficult to apply targeted treatments.
• Treatment methods used: Targeted treatments and contact sprays have an immediate effect, though they’re not always effective at eliminating the entire colony. Whereas bait stations take longer to work, but are often more effective in the long run.

How Do You Eliminate an Ant Colony Quickly?

If you have ants in your home, you might be wondering how long it will take to exterminate them, and what’s the best way to get rid of them as soon as possible.

You can quickly get rid of a small infestation by combining contact spray with ant baits. Start by finding the ant colony (which is not always easy), then apply the ant insecticide. This will kill many ants, but probably not all of them. To make sure you eliminate the rest, strategically place ant baits near the colony, or anywhere else you’ve noticed ant lines or foraging ants. They will take the bait back to their decimated colony to complete the job.

How Long Does It Take Ant Spray to Kill an Ant Colony?

Sprays work almost instantaneously on ants. Theoretically, if you had the entire ant colony in front of you and were able to spray it, it would destroy the colony immediately.

However, this doesn’t really work because there are typically ants outside the colony that get missed, and after the initial devastation, ants will simply find a new place to reform their colony.

How Long Does It Take Ant Baits to Kill an Ant Colony?

Ant baits don’t give the instant results of an ant insecticide spray, but they make up for it with sheer effectiveness.

Strategically placed ant colonies can kill off even large ant colonies within a matter of a few months. So if you’ve been dealing with them for a long time, ant baits can still work – just be patient with them.

How Long Does It Take to Kill an Ant Colony Naturally?

It can take a long time, and it might not always work. Natural ant treatments can have some effect, but they’re not nearly as effective as actual ant treatments. For more information, check out our best practices for natural ant control.

How Long Does It Take an Ant Exterminator to Kill an Ant Colony?

An experienced ant exterminator has advanced knowledge of ant behavior and biology, as well as access to the best tools for eliminating an ant infestation. When you call us, we’ll perform a full inspection of your property, determine where the ants are coming from and where they’re located, and apply targeted treatments and baiting stations.

While this is unlikely to kill a large, mature ant colony immediately, you will notice results immediately in the form of fewer ants. Complete eradication of a large ant colony may take a few weeks, and our ant control experts will return for additional treatment if necessary.

Calling an ant exterminator is by far the quickest way to kill an ant colony.

Why Are Ants So Difficult to Get Rid Of?

Ant control is notoriously tricky and may take a number of treatments to kill a colony for good. There are a number of reasons why it can be difficult to exterminate an ant infestation:

• Ants live in giant, social colonies and can have separate nests. Even when you eliminate one nest, it’s likely survivors will escape and start to repopulate.
• Worker ants, which are typically the ants seen in your home, can live up to seven years. Queen ants, however, can live as long as 15 years. If the queen stays alive during treatment, new colonies will continue to rise.
• Colonies are often built in inaccessible places, making it hard to locate and destroy them.
• At-home treatments and store-bought pesticides are not strong enough to totally exterminate a population. Surviving ants will quickly retreat and start new colonies.

Can Ant Colonies Ever be Fully Exterminated?

Yes, it is possible to fully exterminate ants from your home. By hiring a professional company that guarantees its services, you can rest assured that they will continue to treat your property until all signs of an ant colony are eliminated. Experienced technicians will set up a maintenance plan for ant elimination that may include some of the following services:

• Inspecting the entire property to evaluate the infestation.
• Locating and destroying nests through all means necessary.
• Returning to further inspect the infestation and reapply treatment where necessary.
• Providing you with prevention tips on eliminating food sources that may encourage ant re-population.

For more information on how to stop ants from coming back, be sure to check out our ant prevention tips.

If You Need to Kill an Ant Colony Fast, Call Our Ant Exterminators

Bottom line: it may not be a quick process to completely eliminate ants from your home. The best chance you have at properly and thoroughly exterminating an ant infestation is by calling an ant control expert.

Pest Control Inc. has more than 20 years of experience, making us your local leaders in ant control. If you are still seeing ants in your home after treatment, we promise to return for further treatment. Call or email us today for a free estimate and to learn more about our reliable ant extermination methods.

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