How to get rid of flying ants in your home this summer
Quick answer: To get rid of flying ants, mix one part liquid dish soap with two parts water and spray the ants directly to suffocate them. You can also vacuum the flying ants up or seal their entry points. For large nests, the British Pest Control Association recommends using professional ant baits or insecticidal powders.
Summer brings warm weather, long evenings, and plenty of time spent in the garden. But the warmer months also bring a very annoying problem. Just as you sit down with a cold drink, you notice large insects crawling up your windows and walls. Suddenly, your home feels like an insect breeding ground.
Flying ants are a very common nuisance in the UK. They usually appear when the weather gets hot and humid. You might see just a few of them at first. Very quickly, those few insects turn into hundreds. It is easy to feel overwhelmed when a swarm takes over your kitchen or living room.
Thankfully, dealing with flying ants is much easier than it looks. You do not need to panic or move house. These insects are mostly harmless. They are just looking for a mate and a place to build a new nest. By acting quickly, you can clear them out and get back to enjoying your summer.
This guide will show you exactly how to tackle the problem. We will cover natural home remedies, expert pest control advice, and simple cleaning habits. By the time you finish reading, you will know exactly how to reclaim your home from these winged visitors.
What are flying ants and why do they swarm?
Flying ants are not a unique species of ant. They are simply the reproductive members of a regular ant colony. In the UK, the black garden ant is the most common species to grow wings.
Most of the ants you see on the pavement are female worker ants. These workers do not have wings. When an ant colony grows large enough, the queen produces winged males and winged virgin queens. These winged ants stay inside the nest until the weather is absolutely perfect.
When a hot and humid day arrives, the winged ants leave the nest all at once. This massive exit is called a nuptial flight. According to the Natural History Museum [2023], the ants swarm together to protect themselves from predators like birds. Swarming in large numbers also gives the ants a much better chance of finding a mate from a different colony.
Once the ants mate, the males die quite quickly. The newly mated queens lose their wings and drop to the ground. These new queens then scurry around looking for a safe place to dig a hole and start a brand new colony. This is exactly why you find them crawling around your skirting boards or window frames.
When does the UK flying ant swarm happen?
Many people talk about a specific date when all the ants take to the skies. You have probably heard people complain about this big event. It is a common belief that the swarm happens on one single afternoon in July.
However, a massive citizen science project by the Royal Society of Biology [2022] found that this single day is a total myth. The Royal Society of Biology survey revealed that flying ants actually swarm on as many as 96% of days between the start of June and the start of September.
Different colonies swarm at different times depending on local weather conditions. If your garden is warmer or more sheltered than the garden down the street, your local ants might swarm a few days earlier.
Because swarms can occur at any time during the summer, it is important to be prepared. If you keep your house clean and have a few simple remedies ready, you will not be caught off guard.
How can you get rid of flying ants naturally?
If you spot flying ants in your kitchen, you probably do not want to use harsh chemicals near your food. Luckily, there are several highly effective and natural ways to get rid of flying ants.
What is the dish soap and water method?
The easiest and cheapest way to get rid of flying ants is by using everyday washing-up liquid. Ants breathe through tiny holes on the sides of their bodies. Dish soap sticks to their bodies and covers these holes.
To make this natural spray, simply fill an empty spray bottle with two parts water and one part liquid dish soap. Give the bottle a good shake to mix the liquids together. Whenever you see a flying ant on your window, spray the ant directly. The soapy mixture will suffocate the insect almost instantly. You can then wipe the dead ants away with a damp cloth.
How do you use peppermint oil to stop flying ants?
Ants rely heavily on their sense of smell to communicate and find their way around. Strong scents overwhelm their tiny senses. Peppermint essential oil is a fantastic natural deterrent.
You can add ten drops of peppermint essential oil to your dish soap and water mixture. Spray this peppermint mixture around your window frames, door frames, and any little cracks in your walls. The strong smell of peppermint stops new ants from wanting to enter your home. Plus, your house will smell fresh while you work to get rid of flying ants.
Why is vacuuming a good idea for flying ant swarms?
Sometimes the ants emerge in huge numbers all at once. Spraying them one by one might take too long. If you have hundreds of ants in a room, the most efficient method is to vacuum them up.
Simply grab your vacuum cleaner and suck the ants straight off the floor or the wall. Once you have vacuumed up the swarm, you must empty the vacuum cleaner immediately. Take the vacuum bag or the dust canister completely outside your house. To get rid of flying ants properly, empty the contents straight into your outdoor wheelie bin. If you leave the ants inside the vacuum cleaner, they might just crawl back out into your living room.
What are the best chemical treatments to get rid of flying ants?
Natural methods work well for small groups of ants inside the house. But if the ants keep coming back day after day, you might have a large nest located under your floorboards or right against your foundations. In this case, you may need a stronger solution.
When should you use ant bait stations?
According to the British Pest Control Association [BPCA, 2023], professional ant baits are one of the most effective ways to destroy a nest. Ant bait stations contain a sugary liquid or paste mixed with a slow-acting poison.
The worker ants find the sweet bait and carry it back to the nest. They feed the poison to the rest of the colony, including the queen. Because the poison acts slowly, the ants do not realise the food is dangerous until it is too late. Placing bait stations near your home’s entry points is a very smart strategy.
How do you use insecticidal powder?
Insecticidal powder (often called ant dust) is another brilliant option for outdoor use. You can puff this dust into cracks in your patio, around your doorsteps, and along your exterior walls.
When the ants walk over the powder, it sticks to their legs and bodies. The powder dehydrates the ants and eventually kills them. Always read the safety label carefully before using insecticidal powder. You must keep chemical powders away from pets and small children.
How can you stop flying ants coming back next summer?
Getting rid of the current swarm is only half the battle. You also want to make sure the ants do not return next year. Ants are always looking for food, water, and shelter. If you remove these three things, the ants will look for a different house to invade.
Why is keeping a clean house so important?
Ants have an incredible sense of smell. A few dropped cake crumbs or a sticky juice spill will attract worker ants very quickly. If the worker ants find a reliable food source in your kitchen, the colony will thrive and produce more flying ants next summer.
Wiping down your kitchen counters, sweeping the floor daily, and storing food in airtight containers makes a huge difference. If you want a complete guide to deep cleaning, you can follow this ultimate spring cleaning checklist at justaveragejen.com to ensure your home is spotless and completely allergen-free.
Outdoor cleanliness is just as important. In the summer, many of us cook outside. Leftover grease and dropped food around the barbecue will attract huge numbers of ants. Make sure you clean your outdoor cooking area thoroughly. You can read some brilliant tips for cleaning your BBQ and removing BBQ smells at justaveragejen.com to keep the pests away from your patio.
How do you seal up ant entry points?
Flying ants often crawl into the house through tiny gaps in the brickwork or gaps around window frames. Take a slow walk around the outside of your house. Look for any visible cracks in the walls or the foundation.
You can use a standard silicone sealant to fill in these cracks. Repair any torn window screens and make sure your doors close tightly. Sealing these small gaps stops ants from wandering inside when they drop their wings.
Your next steps for a bug-free summer
Dealing with a swarm of flying ants is rarely fun. The sudden appearance of so many insects is certainly shocking. But by staying calm and using the right methods, you can clear them out in no time at all.
Remember to keep your trusty dish soap spray ready during the warmer months. Keep your floors clean, seal up those little cracks in the walls, and do not be afraid to use a bait station if the nest is too close for comfort.
If you take these simple steps, your home will stay peaceful and pest-free. You can finally get back to enjoying your summer in total comfort.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much does it cost to hire a pest controller to get rid of flying ants?
Hiring a professional pest controller in the UK typically costs between £80 and £150 for a standard ant treatment. The final price depends on the size of the nest and your location. For small swarms, natural home remedies cost less than £2 and are usually enough to solve the problem.
How long does a flying ant swarm usually last?
The main swarming event usually lasts for only a few hours on a hot, humid day. However, you might see smaller numbers of flying ants appearing over a period of two to three weeks during July and August.
Are there any health risks associated with flying ants?
Flying ants in the UK are generally harmless. They do not carry diseases, and the common black garden ant does not sting. They are completely safe to be around, though they are quite annoying when they enter your home in large numbers. This is why we often want to get rid of flying ants, not because they are harmful.
What are the best alternatives to chemical ant sprays?
The best alternative to a chemical spray to get rid of flying ants is a homemade mixture of liquid dish soap, water, and peppermint essential oil. This natural mixture suffocates the ants on contact and deters other ants from entering the area, without leaving toxic chemicals in your home.
Who should use professional ant bait stations?
Homeowners who have recurring ant problems every single summer should use professional bait stations. If you constantly see wingless worker ants inside your house before the flying ants appear, a bait station will help destroy the hidden nest entirely.
Have these tips helped you to get rid of flying ants? Let me know in the comments below.
