How to Get Rid of Flying Ants in Your House: A Canadian Guide

TL;DR

• Vacuum the winged ants: it is usually the fastest and cleanest way to remove them, and a swarm typically lasts only one or a few days.
• Then go after the colony with slow-acting bait. Winged ants usually don't take bait, but worker ants can carry it back to the queen.
• Put bait stations on worker ant trails and where the swarmers came out, out of reach of children and pets, and keep baits out at least two weeks (Health Canada).
• Don't spray while you bait. Chemical sprays stop a bait system from working (Health Canada).
• Count them. A few near a window usually drifted in from outside, but hundreds indoors, or any in winter, usually mean a colony is nesting inside.
• Need help? Get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form.

Working out how to get rid of flying ants starts with an odd fact: the winged ants buzzing at your window usually do not forage for food, so bait you set out is unlikely to reach them. The swarm fades on its own within a few days. The colony that launched it is the real target, and it carries on long after the last winged ant is gone.

How many you find, and when, tells you where that colony sits. A handful near a sunny window in late spring is a very different situation from hundreds on the basement floor, or any at all in the middle of winter. Many homeowners also wonder whether the insects are termites, a question that a close look at the wings, the waist and the antennae settles.

What Are Flying Ants?

Flying ants are the winged queens and males of an ordinary ant colony, out on a short mating flight to start new colonies. They are not a separate species: most ant species found in Canada can produce winged ants once their colony is mature (Orkin Canada). Entomologists call them alates or swarmers.

Why Do Ants Grow Wings?

Ants grow wings to mate and spread to new places. A mature colony raises winged males and winged future queens, which leave the nest together in what is called a nuptial flight. According to Iowa State University Extension, colonies of the same species in an area often release their swarmers at about the same time, and a well established colony may produce hundreds of them. The males die shortly after mating. Each mated queen typically chews off her own wings, finds a nest site and starts a new colony on her own.

When Do Flying Ants Swarm in Canada?

Flying ants swarm in Canada mostly during the warm weather of spring and early summer, typically between April and June (Orkin Canada). The Natural History Museum in London notes that ants tend to fly on warm, calm days, often after some summer rain, and that each species has its own trigger, so there is a flying ant season rather than a single flying ant day. A swarm itself is short: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says swarming typically lasts only one or a few days.

How Do Flying Ants Differ From Termites?

Flying ants differ from termites in three ways you can check with a magnifying glass, according to Mississippi State University Extension:

• Wings: a flying ant's front wings are clearly longer than its back wings. A termite's four wings are all the same length.
• Waist: an ant has a narrow, pinched waist. A termite has no visible waist, its body is thick from end to end.
• Antennae: ant antennae have a sharp elbow. Termite antennae are straight and can look like a string of beads.

Both shed their wings soon after swarming, so piles of wings alone do not tell you which one you have. Getting this right matters: winged termites inside a home are a strong sign of a termite colony at work in the house (Iowa State, Penn State Extension), and that calls for professional treatment. Eastern subterranean termites live in parts of eastern Canada, and British Columbia has its own native species (The Canadian Encyclopedia).

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are the flying ants that matter most for Canadian homeowners. They are large, black ants (Health Canada gives adult sizes up to 13 millimetres), and their winged queens are roughly 2 cm long (University of Arkansas). They do not eat wood, but they hollow it out to nest, which can damage a house. Health Canada notes that small piles of sawdust may mean you have carpenter ants. To confirm, see our guide to the signs of carpenter ants.

Citronella Ants

Citronella ants are another common source of flying ants indoors. Their workers are usually yellow, their swarmers reddish to dark brown, and they often smell like lemon or citronella when crushed (University of Wisconsin). They nest in moist soil along or under foundations, so their swarmers often appear along concrete walls and floors. The University of Wisconsin says their swarming only lasts a few days, that vacuuming the winged ants is the easiest control, and that chemical treatment is usually not needed. They also do not respond to normal ant baits.

Are Flying Ants Harmful?

Flying ants are mostly a nuisance rather than a threat to your house. The exception is carpenter ants, which can cause structural damage over time. Outdoors, flying ants can be an important food for birds, and the tunnelling of their colonies can improve soil (Natural History Museum). The real question is not the winged ants themselves but whether their colony is living inside your walls.

Why Are There Flying Ants in Your House?

Flying ants in your house come either from a nest inside the building or from a colony close to the foundation, and how many you see is the best clue. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension explains that if a nest is close enough to a home, swarms can happen indoors.

A Few Flying Ants

A few flying ants near a window or door usually came from an outdoor colony. Iowa State University Extension advises that with only a few swarmers indoors, you simply keep an eye out for ant activity. If you see no other sign of ants, Texas A&M says no further control may be needed.

Hundreds of Flying Ants

Hundreds of flying ants indoors usually mean the colony is likely in the house somewhere, according to Iowa State. Swarmers coming out of a wall, a baseboard, a window frame or the basement floor are the strongest sign. This is when you need to find and treat the nest, not just clean up the swarm.

Flying Ants in Winter

Flying ants in your house during a Canadian winter usually signal an indoor infestation (Orkin Canada). Outdoor colonies swarm in warm weather, so winged ants in the middle of winter most likely came from a nest kept warm by your home, often in a wall or under a floor.

Worker Ants on Walls and Counters

Worker ants walking along the edges of walls or counters, in addition to the winged ones, are a sign of a possible nest within the structure. Those wingless workers are the ants you will use to reach the colony with bait, as explained below. If they are carpenter ants, Texas A&M notes that workers often stay present indoors and may need treatment.

How to Get Rid of Flying Ants in the House

Getting rid of flying ants in the house starts with the winged ants you can see, which is the easy part: a vacuum handles most swarms. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says a vacuum cleaner, or one-time use of an indoor flying insect spray, is often all that is needed to solve an indoor swarm, and UC IPM notes vacuuming can be as effective as a spray.

Vacuum the Flying Ants

Vacuuming is the fastest and cleanest way to remove flying ants. Use the hose attachment on windowsills, light fixtures and floors where they gather. When you are done, empty the canister or remove the bag and put it in an outdoor garbage bin so live ants cannot crawl back out. The University of Wisconsin recommends the same approach for citronella ants: vacuum the winged ants as they appear.

Soapy Water

Soapy water does two jobs. Wiping counters, sills and floors with soapy water removes the scent trail ants follow, according to UC IPM. A spray bottle of dish soap and water is also a common home method for knocking down flying ants you can reach, and pest control companies describe it as safe for indoor use; UC IPM notes some soap products can kill ants on contact. It only kills the ants it hits, so treat it as a cleanup tool, not a solution.

Indoor Flying Insect Spray

An indoor flying insect spray can be used once on a swarm, as Texas A&M suggests, but only a product labelled for that use. In Canada, check that the label shows a Pest Control Products (PCP) number, which means the product is registered by Health Canada, and follow the label directions, keeping children and pets out of the area. Do not spray if you are also using ant baits: Health Canada warns that chemical sprays stop a bait system from working.

How to Get Rid of the Flying Ant Colony

Getting rid of the flying ant colony takes slow-acting bait that worker ants carry back to the queen, because the winged ants do not forage and will not take bait themselves. The swarm you see is a symptom. If the colony survives, it can produce more flying ants next season.

Follow the Worker Ants

Following the worker ants is how you find the colony. Watch where the wingless ants travel (carpenter ants are most active at night, according to the University of Arkansas) and note where their trail disappears: a crack in the foundation, a gap behind a baseboard, a window frame or a wall outlet. For carpenter ants, the University of Arkansas recommends using a sweet bait and following the ants back to the nest.

Slow-Acting Ant Baits

Slow-acting ant baits are the most reliable way to reach the queen. Worker ants eat the bait, carry it back and share it with the rest of the colony. UC IPM explains that the bait must act slowly so workers are not killed before they get back to the nest. Expect it to take 5 to 10 days to see fewer ants, according to UC IPM, and often several weeks or more for full control. Health Canada recommends putting out two different baits at the same time for better results and keeping baits available for at least two weeks. For product options, see our picks for the best ant killer.

Bait Placement

Bait placement decides whether the bait reaches the colony. Put bait stations directly on the trails of worker ants and near the spot where the swarmers came out, but out of reach of children and pets (Health Canada, UC IPM). Outside, UC IPM suggests spacing bait stations every 10 to 20 feet (about 3 to 6 metres) around the foundation and at nest openings. Read the label first: some baits list only certain species, and a common borax bait, for example, is not intended for carpenter ants.

Why Sprays and Repellents Fall Short

Sprays and repellents fall short because they only touch the ants you see. UC IPM says spraying around the foundation does not provide permanent control, and barrier sprays can even trap ants indoors. The City of Calgary warns that some barrier spraying may cause the colony to split into new nests. Home repellents such as peppermint oil and vinegar can push ants away for a while but usually do not reach the queen. If you want to try them, read our guides on peppermint oil for ants, whether vinegar kills ants and homemade ant killers, and keep them away from your bait stations.

Outdoor Nests

Outdoor nests near your foundation can be treated directly once you find them. The City of Calgary suggests destroying nests by pouring boiling water and detergent on them, or using ant baits, which it calls a highly effective way to eliminate nests, and UC IPM calls baits a key tool for managing ants. Be careful with boiling water near plants and children; Health Canada says it only temporarily reduces a colony.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a natural powder you can place in cracks, crevices and around colony locations (City of Calgary, Health Canada). Health Canada notes it only stays active as long as it is kept dry, and that it is non-toxic to people and pets, but you should not inhale the dust when applying it. It works on ants that walk through it, not on a hidden colony.

Carpenter Ant Colonies

Carpenter ant colonies need extra care because they can damage wood. According to the University of Arkansas, carpenter ant colonies do not produce winged ants until they are several years old, so a carpenter ant swarm inside usually means an established colony. Their nests are more likely in wood dampened by water leaks, and the University of Arkansas advises not to spray carpenter ants when you first see them, so you can follow them to the nest, while NC State Extension notes that spraying only sends them elsewhere. See our step-by-step guide on how to get rid of carpenter ants.

When to Call a Professional

A licensed pest control professional is worth calling when hundreds of flying ants come out inside, when you suspect carpenter ants or termites, or when weeks of baiting have not slowed the trails. Our guide to hiring a flying ant exterminator explains what the treatment involves, and you can get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form.

How to Keep Flying Ants From Coming Back

Keeping flying ants from coming back means closing the gaps they use and removing the food and moisture that let a colony settle in or near your home. These steps also make baits work better, because the bait becomes the easiest food available.

Seal Cracks

Sealing cracks blocks the paths ants use to get in. Health Canada recommends repairing and sealing as many visible cracks in the foundation and exterior walls as possible, and caulking along baseboards, cracks and crevices indoors. Check around windows and the foundation in particular: the University of Arkansas notes that carpenter ants usually enter through openings there. Do this after the colony is gone, so you do not cut ants off from the bait.

Food Storage

Food storage removes what draws ants inside. Health Canada suggests glass jars with rubber gaskets or plastic containers with snap-tight lids for sweet and greasy foods, sweeping or vacuuming often around pet dishes, and setting pet food dishes in a shallow dish of water. UC IPM adds that plastic bags and open packages often do not keep ants out, and that garbage should go out daily.

Moisture

Moisture control matters most for carpenter ants, which prefer to nest in damp wood. The University of Arkansas notes their nests are more likely in wood dampened by water leaks, so fix leaking pipes, roofs and window frames, and replace wood that has stayed wet.

Yard Upkeep

Yard upkeep reduces the colonies that live near your house. Remove fallen fruit, debris and standing water near the foundation, as Canadian pest control companies often recommend. The City of Calgary sums it up: removing access to food and water is the easiest way to avoid pest problems. For more ant topics, visit our ant hub or our full guide on how to get rid of ants.