Ants are small insects that may not bother you at first, but when it comes to an ant infestation, they can be really annoying. Jorgas Hotwlett, a TikTok content creator, has explained that you shouldn’t crush them because if you do, they release a pheromone that attracts the rest of their colony. Michel Henderson tells us firsthand below and also shares his story about how he squashed a single ant in his apartment and ended up having to call an exterminator. The best option for combating these little intruders is to use white vinegar with peppermint, and to avoid insecticides, as biology tells us they are not the most efficient. Keep reading to find out all the details.
No one likes a house full of ants: get to know some remedies
They may be harmless, but no one likes their house to be full of ants. It’s disgusting and gives the impression that the home is completely unhygienic.
Although there are some home remedies to get rid of them, we’ve all had the urge to squash them with our slippers as soon as we see them crawling across the kitchen counter or living room floor.
It seems like a reasonable idea to eradicate them, but the remedy can be worse than the disease. This has been demonstrated by a content creator with the case of a man who ended up having to hire an exterminator.
An influencer reveals why you should never squash ants
The warning not to squash ants came from Jordan Howlett, a famous TikTok content creator who already has more than 11 million followers.
Known for sharing cleaning tips, the influencer talked about the case of Michelle Henderson, a young woman who squashed a single ant in her apartment and ended up having to call an exterminator.
By killing one ant, she ended up causing thousands to invade her home. The problem was that after stepping on the first one and seeing more arrive, she decided to keep killing them so they wouldn’t reproduce.
Beware of these pheromones: the alarm call
Howlett explained that when ants are crushed, they release an alarm pheromone, a chemical scent that acts as a warning signal to their colony mates.
This alarm pheromone prompts the rest of the ants to rush to the scene. As incredible as it sounds, some ants specialize in collecting corpses and carrying them back to the anthill.
It may seem surprising, but it’s pure biology, and the idea of not stepping on ants so they don’t reproduce has always existed. You probably remember your grandmother warning you about it.
The best home remedy for getting rid of ants in your house
It’s clear that stepping on ants and killing them isn’t the best solution for keeping your house free of these pests, but what can you do to combat them?
Fortunately, Jordan Howlett has not limited himself to saying what not to do, but has provided a couple of simple and effective tricks to prevent infestations without resorting to stomping.
The first trick is to set liquid traps with a sweet attractant. The smell attracts the ants, and once inside, they are trapped. You can then release them outside or dispose of them.
Don’t use insecticides: bad smells and more ants
The key is to make sure the dead ant doesn’t stay in the house and that they don’t have the opportunity to release their dreaded pheromones. It’s also a very clean trick, as it doesn’t use strong insecticides or generate bad smells.
Another more natural option is to mix white vinegar with a few drops of peppermint essential oil in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture around the corners of your home and wherever you have seen ants. It does not kill them, but it does repel them.