Here’s what you need to know about the annual infestation of sugar ants.

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As the weather gets warmer, we often get calls from our tenants who report that they’re finding sugar ants in their units. Today I’ll share a few tips about how we handle sugar ants as professional property managers, as well as some natural remedies that can save you and your clients money.

First, what even are sugar ants? If you’re new to owning property in Rhode Island, you’ll eventually learn that every single year, we get infestations of tiny little black ants also known as odorous house ants. You’ll see them coming in through windows and other gaps to follow the scent of food.

As property managers, we have our lease set up to say that we don’t treat sugar ant infestations. Why? For one, these are seasonal infestations, not failures of the property. Second, there are many inexpensive and non-invasive ways to handle them.


 

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      These remedies can reduce the number of harsh chemicals used to combat seasonal infestations of ants.

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Here are just a few tips we give our tenants:

• Don’t leave dry pet food out, and be sure to clean around the area where your pet eats.
• Don’t leave food out on the counter. Completely tie up any bags of bread, and clean up crumbs that are left over from meals.
• Wipe your sinks and counters down with cleaner every single morning and night.
• Placing pepper or cucumber at entry points or a bay leaf in the pantry can help keep them at bay.
• Try sprinkling coffee grounds on the ground outside your window to repel them.
• Adding potent essential oils like cinnamon and peppermint can repel them. Mix 20 drops of essential oil per every eight ounces of water and spray it along doorways, windowsills, and other places where the ants are active.

These are just a few ways that you limit the number of chemicals and toxins people spray around their properties. Click here to find more information about sugar ant infestations, and feel free to refer your clients to the page as well.

If you’d like to set up a consultation or need help managing your property, please feel free to reach out to us. We’d love to help you.