How to Get Rid of Ghost Ants

Written by Kevin Carrillo | Edited by Hunter Rising

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

If you live in Florida or the southern United States and have seen tiny ants scurrying through your home, you may be dealing with ghost ants. Even though ghost ants aren’t harmful to humans, it’s still important to control an infestation so it doesn’t become a bigger nuisance. Luckily for you, there are a lot of things you can do to get rid of ghost ants for good. Keep reading for the best ways to kill ghost ants and stop them from getting inside again.

This article is based on an interview with our MMPC-certified pest control specialist, Kevin Carrillo. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

Ghost ants are ¹⁄₁₆ in (1.6 mm) long with dark heads and pale white bodies. They live in small nests in walls, potted plants, crevices, and yard debris.
Place slow-acting bait near ant trails to get rid of ghost ant nests for good. Apply pesticide barrier where ants get in to keep them from coming in.
Prevent ghost ant infestations by cleaning your home and putting food away. Trim plants in your yard, seal entrances, and fix leaks to deter the ants.

Section 1 of 4:

What do ghost ants look like?

Ghost ants are extremely small with dark brown heads and white bodies. Ghost ants are usually around ¹⁄₁₆ inch (1.6 mm) long. Their heads and middle sections are brown with antennas that have 12 segments. The back of their body is hairless and a milky white color, which makes them even more difficult to see.^{[1]
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- Use a magnifying glass to get a better look at the ants so you can identify them.
- If you squish a ghost ant, it will have a rotten coconut smell.^{[2]
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- Some treatments only work for specific ant species but not for others, so it’s important to confirm that you’re actually dealing with ghost ants.

Section 2 of 4:

Where do ghost ants typically nest?

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Ghost ants live in walls, potted plants, and cabinets near water sources. Ghost ants need a lot of water, so they usually set up their nests near a kitchen or bathroom. Since ghost ant colonies can have multiple queens, they may split up into multiple small nests throughout your home.^{[3]
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- Ghost ants don’t need a lot of space for their nest, so they could even live behind baseboards throughout your home.
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Colonies live in leaf litter and dead grass when nests are outdoors. Ghost ants build their nests in yard debris since it offers good protection and traps moisture. Ants may also make their nests under stones, in dead tree limbs, or underneath potted plants.^{[4]
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- Ghost ants tend to migrate their nests frequently, so they may set up nests temporarily on plant stems.
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Follow trails of ants to find where they’re nesting or getting inside. When ghost ants leave the nest to search for food, they follow the same pheromone trails that other ants used. When you see ants crawling through your home, follow the trail of ants to learn where they’re getting in and where they’ve built their nest.^{[5]
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Section 3 of 4:

Control

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Apply slow-acting ant bait near trails of ghost ants. You can use either granular or gel bait traps to control ghost ants. Place the bait in ¹⁄₈ in (0.32 cm) spots or in 3 in (7.6 cm) lines in discrete areas. If there are nests inside, put the bait under sinks and cabinets, near potted plants, and wherever you find an ant trail. If the nest is outside, put the bait near ant trails, weep holes, or cracks and crevices in your home.^{[6]
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- Check the baits after 1–2 days to see if ants are feeding on it. If you don’t see any ants, try putting the bait in a new place where you’re still seeing ants.
- Ghost ants will bring the bait back to their nests so it kills all of the ants in the colony rather than only the ones you see.
- Only put baits inside if the nest is inside too. If the nest is outside, putting bait indoors may attract ghost ants into your home.
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Spray the outside perimeter of your home with a pesticide barrier. Pesticide barriers kill on contact and stop ants from getting into your home when they have outdoor nests. Spray around the foundation of your home, focusing on any areas with cracks or crevices where ants could get in.^{[7]
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Go to source} Reapply the barrier treatment every 2–3 weeks to keep the ghost ants under control.^{[8]
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- Avoid using a pesticide barrier with repellents inside your home where you see ghost ants coming in. The repellent will drive the ghost ants away, but they’ll try to find another entrance.

Section 4 of 4:

Prevention

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Keep your home clean. Leaving messes in your kitchen or around your home attracts ghost ants that are looking for a meal. Rather than leaving any messes out, clean your home by sweeping up crumbs, taking out the trash, and washing up dirty dishes as soon as you can.^{[9]
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- When you see an ant trail, wipe it up with a cloth soaked with soapy water to remove the pheromones that attract other ghost ants.
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Store food in sealed containers. Keeping food out makes it easy for ants to access, but putting it away prevents ants from coming into your kitchen. Rather than leaving meals out on your counter, put them in resealable storage containers to keep the ants out.^{[10]
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Seal off openings where ants get inside with caulk. Check inside your home for cracks in the walls or spaces behind baseboards. Look outside for any loose seals, cracks, or damage around your home’s foundation and entrances. Use a caulking gun to fill in all of the areas so ants can’t get through anymore.^{[11]
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- Ghost ants are really tiny, so it may be a little tough finding all of the entrances where they can get inside.
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Trim plants and remove nesting spots near your home. Plants that have branches or leaves touching your home give ghost ants an easy access point. Use a pair of pruners to trim trees and cut shrubs so they aren’t touching your home any more. Be sure to clear out any yard debris, like woodpiles and dead grass, where ghost ants could build their nests.^{[12]
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Fix any leaky plumbing in your home. Ghost ants are attracted to areas with a lot of moisture, so you’ll frequently find them in kitchens, bathrooms, or areas with leaking pipes. Check all of the pipe connections around your home and fix the leaks you find as soon as possible.

Warnings

Avoid using any type of natural or chemical repellents for ghost ants since it could cause “budding,” which is when the colony splits and forms multiple nests.^{[13]
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