When I buy bananas, I have wondered if I am buying ants too. That was the love for bananas. But I wondered how to keep ants away from bananas? Ants are generally found near foods that taste sweet. I have struggled to get rid of ants from food, especially bananas. I had a major ant problem and tried to find a way to prevent them from eating my food. Ants find it easy to infest bananas and use them as their meal.
I tried everything, including opening the doors and windows in the dead of winter, but these ants were tenacious. I eventually found a way to get rid of them. I’ll share how I used to combat this problem in this article.
Why do ants like eating bananas?
Ants are always found near sweet food, and bananas are no exception. They are sweet in taste and soft in texture. Ants find it easy to infest them and use them as a meal.
Ants that produce formic acid are drawn to nectarines and sap-feeding insects that secrete honeydew.
Why are Ants attracted to bananas?
Most ants are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat almost anything. This can include other ants, dead insects, animal parts, grains, fruits, and vegetables.
However, certain ant species have preferences for sweet dishes. Some ant species enjoy fungus, while others enjoy sweets. They are sweet-toothed, and they are always attracted to foods that taste sweet.
Why do ants nest near bananas?
Many ant species construct their nests outside and become a nuisance when they forage for food inside your home.
When they find a good food source like a banana fruit, they may continue to come inside, collect their food, and then leave to take it back to their outdoor colony.
On the other hand, other ant species enter the building’s interior, build their nest inside, and become permanent indoor residents. Ants can be difficult to control, but the pharaoh ant is widely regarded as one of the most, if not the most, difficult indoor ants to eradicate.
How to keep ants away from bananas?
Keep Your Kitchen Clean and Dry
Ants appear to start on your floors and countertops. They’re there because of your crumbs and spills. Make it a habit to sweep up crumbs as soon as they fall. You should wipe up spills and, if sticky, clean up with soap and water or another suitable cleanser.
Seal the food
Opened bags of chips, crackers, cereal, and other snacks should be tightly rolled and secured with a clothespin. You should store sugar and flour in tightly-sealed containers. Honey, maple syrup, and other sticky-sweet treats should be kept in the fridge.
Dispose of the garbage
Putting food scraps in the garbage is a big no-no, especially in the summer. Invest in an outdoor composter and immediately place raw food scraps in it. Potato peels, banana peels, lettuce ends, carrot tops, and other uncooked foods are examples of raw food scraps.
You can also compost your eggshells, coffee grounds, and tea bags. Keep your compost bin away from your home’s foundation. Food scraps left in regular trash serve as a beacon for hungry ants.
Seal the cracks
Silicone caulk is also likely to be available at your local hardware store. You can use this to seal the cracks from which the ants enter.
How Do Fruit Flies Get in the House?
Ants enter the house through holes, cracks, and gaps in the exterior. Seal any openings in the house where wires, conduit, or pipes enter.
Because ants can use branches to trail into the home, keep tree limbs pruned, so they never overlap or otherwise touch the house.
How to prevent ants without killing them?
Because ants are so common and persistent, most homeowners and building managers agree that ant control without killing them is one of their most concerning issues. They are correct in their perception that there is no single practice or strategy for controlling all ant infestations.
Prevention and control activities frequently differ depending on ant species, ant nest locations, and ant food preferences. Using a comprehensive, integrated pest management program works best without killing ants, as with most other pest problems.
What substances repel ants?
Baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, boric acid, some detergents (and cleaning products), and Tabasco sauce (as well as other spicy substances such as red chili pepper, black pepper, and cayenne pepper) all repel ants to varying degrees.
Cinnamon, mint, salt, cloves, garlic, onions, and bay leaves are just a few of the typical household remedies that you can use to repel ants.
Repel Them with Herbs
Herbs have a powerful scent that repels them. One such herb that is thought to repel ants and fruit flies is basil. To repel ants, place a basil plant or a few leaves near your bananas. This method is more likely to work to keep away ants.
The Apple Cider Vinegar Method
Apple cider vinegar is a must-have in your pantry for making various marinades. You can also use it to keep ants away from bananas.
Put some vinegar in the jar, along with a few drops of soap, and cover it with plastic or rubber wrap. Then, make a few holes in the plastic wrap. Place this jar next to the banana basket.
Ants are drawn to the smell of cider vinegar, so much so that they will seek out the source of the smell rather than bananas or other fruits.
How to prevent ants from reaching bananas?
To prevent kitchen ants from reaching bananas, maintain a clean environment.
- Remove food particles from the kitchen and other eating areas. Maintain a clean floor and cabinet tops. Dishes should not be left in the sink overnight.
- Regularly clean the dishwasher and other appliances. Trash cans should be emptied and cleaned. Foods that appeal to ants should be stored in sealed containers or refrigerators.
Put Your Bananas in the Fridge or Freezer
Freezing your bananas can prevent the ants from infesting them. Ants cannot reach up to the top of the refrigerator and hide in them. Thus freezing them is the best way to avoid the ants. Remember to inspect the areas where you eat while watching television, as most of us like to snack while watching the show.
When grilling and eating outside, make sure to clean the grill and clean up any food residue from the tables, deck, or patio.
Do ants spread any diseases?
While ants are not as crucial as other medically essential insects, they carry and transmit bacterial and fungal pathogens.
Pharaoh ants and fire ants transmit organisms such as Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Clostridium, and Streptococcus within the medical treatment and food facilities.
This ant species is especially dangerous in burn treatment units, drawn to fluids produced by burn wounds. The ants found in our kitchens are not so dangerous, and they do not spread any dangerous diseases.
Final Thoughts
Ants can be a very frustrating problem to deal with, as I have firsthand experience. Fortunately, there are numerous methods for dealing with ants, the majority of which do not involve using toxic chemicals.
Prevention is always the best option, but if you notice some ants in your kitchen, act quickly before they become a much bigger problem. Hiring a professional pest removal service is your best bet if ants persist despite your best efforts.
A good pest control service technician can provide preventative pest control that is often more environmentally friendly than you might think. Ants are quick to learn and adapt. Once they see that your home is being taken care of regularly, they will lose interest and look for something else to do.