colonies getting rid of one is near impossible. Pest control in terms of ants is more a matter of controlling local populations than trying to get rid of an entire colony. Efforts to control ant populations are only temporary solutions.

Control of populations are usually done with insecticides, which is gathered by the ants as food and then brought back to the nest where the poison is inadvertently spread to other members of the litter – a scheme that can strictly reduce the numbers in a colony. Boric acid and borax are often used as insecticides that are relatively safe for humans. Many insects that are considered as plant pests are controlled by using grease rings on the trunks of the trees. These rings cut off the routes for ants and make them vulnerable to parasites and predators.

For the Red Imported fire ants, one would have to employ a scheme called broadcast baiting by which the substance is spread across a large area, such as a lawn, in order to control populations. Nests can be destroyed by tracing the ants’ trails back to the nest, then pouring boiling water into it to kill the queen. Trying to kill ants individually is totally ineffective. Ants can sometimes indirectly cause pest infestations through interaction with other insects.