Ants love everything sweet, more especially honey. Honey is the sweet viscous food-based substance produced by bees. It is readily available in most households, and ants are highly attracted to it thanks to its high sugar content.
Ants are tiny pests with fascinating behaviors. And although they are mainly harmless, nobody wants to see their honey jars invaded by these small creatures.
These invaders are social pests, meaning that hordes of ants will engulf a single honey jar while others are quickly climbing up the jar to get a share of the sugary goodness- that sight alone can be terrifying and disgusting for most people.
This article answers the commonly asked question, Does honey attract ants? While at it, we will also explain how ants find your honey and also teach you how to keep ants away from honey.
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Why Does Honey Attract Ants?
Perhaps the correct question should be, Why are ants attracted to honey? Either way, ants like sugar, but they love honey. Both honey and sugar are rich sources of energy for the pest. Even better, the two foods are digested and absorbed very quickly, providing the ants with proteins and carbohydrates.
Both honey and sugar are primarily composed of two simple sugars: fructose and glucose.
Honey comprises 70% glucose and fructose and 30% minerals, water, and pollen. Sugar, on the other hand, has a more balanced 50:50 fructose and glucose ratio.
Most people believe that ants will immediately rush toward a honey source. However, contrary to this popular belief, studies have found that ants find their food by sending a scout ant to search for a reliable food source.
Once the scout ant finds a food source, they communicate to the rest of the colony using a trail of pheromone signals. Worker ants follow this trail and join the scout ant to gather food and carry it to the rest of the colony.
As the pheromone signal intensifies, other ants will follow the trail and eventually swarm the food source.
Why Do Ants Prefer Sugar Water Over Honey?
Honey is very high in sugar but has a negligible moisture content. Bees make honey by first producing a diluted solution. They then concentrate the solution and store it in honeycombs within the beehive.
When storing their honey, bees fan the honeycomb using their wings to hasten the evaporation process. During this process, the water content in honey reduces from 70% to nearly 17%.
This means that the honey cannot ferment or break down. Additionally, microorganisms like bacteria and fungi need a water content above 17% to multiply. Therefore, honey does not spoil because honey cannot accommodate bacteria.
Moreover, honey has a PH of 4. Generally, bacteria cannot stand this amount. Ants obtained moisture or the needed water from their food. Because of the reduced water amount in honey, ants would rather have sugar water. Ants need to make a lot of effort to absorb the sugars in honey, and they also don't get the water they need.
How To Protect Honey From Ants
Ants will find honey in your kitchen during their constant search for water and food. Once they spot the honey, they will continuously seek it out every time they come to your house.
So, how can you protect your honey from ants?
Some people suggest that the best way to keep honey away from ants is by putting it in the refrigerator. On the other hand, other people advise against this move as it can crystallize honey.
The decision, however, is up to you. If you have no problem eating crystallized honey or warming it up before eating, then the refrigerator is a perfect place to hide your honey from ants.
Perhaps you don't like the idea of putting honey in the fridge? That's perfect because there are many other ways to effectively protect your honey like:
- The most effective way to protect your honey from ants is by keeping ants away from your home. If you are already facing an active infestation, consider calling a pest exterminator to get rid of the ants and protect your home from chances of re-infestations.
- Ants are poor swimmers, and they drown quickly. So always put your honey jar in a bowl of clean water to keep ants away.
- Consider protecting your honey in a Ziploc bag.
- Ants hate cinnamon and will not dare get close to it. Put cinnamon on a tray or plate and rest your honey jar on top.
- Consider wrapping the jar tightly using foil.
Please note that if you have an active ant infestation, the most important thing is to get rid of the ants fast and effectively, as they will soon overrun your house.
Can I Use Honey As A DIY Ant Bait? A Great Environmentally Friendly Hack
Because honey attracts ants, you can effectively use it against them. Pest experts suggest combining peanut butter and honey to make an ant trap. The honey will attract the ants, and the peanut butter will trap them.
Another method is combining honey and borax to trap the small invaders. Whichever method you use greatly depends on the type of ant you are combating.
Numerous types of ants can invade a home, and each type requires a unique method to get rid of them effectively.
You can use honey as a DIY ant bait, but you must ensure accurate ant identification for the best results.
Because most homeowners are not trained pest experts, they often contact the best pest control company near me to thoroughly inspect their property. The pest professional will quickly identify the ant species causing you trouble and recommend the best treatment method.
The Most Effective Environmentally Hacks To Get Rid Of Ants
Ants are relatively harmless, but an ant colony will easily contaminate food and potentially damage property. The best natural ant repellent is keeping your house clean, foods covered, and garbage bins closed at all times. Once you eliminate all ant food sources, they will have no business invading your home and moving elsewhere.
As noted earlier, effective ant control begins with identifying the invading species so you can use accurate treatment against them.
Below are the best home remedies for DIY ant removal
- Mix artificial sweeteners with apple juice. While apple juice attracts ants, sweeteners like aspartame are lethal for insects and will kill them.
- Use a vinegar-water solution to spray the infested areas. Vinegar is a green and effective natural ant repellent.
- Powdered sugar and borax mixture is a natural ant killer. Though it can be a bit messy, you will eventually get the desired results.
- Scatter citrus peels or spray essential oils like rosemary and cinnamon. Ensure to create a protective barrier at the foundation of your home.
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