Best ant traps

Few situations are more frustrating and downright gross than an ant infestation. They focus on food sources, so the kitchen is one of the most likely places to find them, feeding on stray grease or sugar. Chances are, you've found yourself scrambling, searching for the best ant traps to resolve this problem promptly yet safely for pets or children. 

TERRO makes our best overall ant trap, and it's a liquid trap pre-filled with a borax and sugar solution. It comes in packs of 6 or 12 bait stations so that you can thoroughly treat your entire home. Also, I tried to focus on non-toxic and humane traps rather than glue traps or chemical-laden sprays. Check out your ant bait options below—it's time to break up that pestilence party in your pantry.

When it comes to indoor ant infestations, your first instinct might be a bit on the scorched earth side of things. Naturally, you want them gone and quickly—but a gradual approach is significantly more effective in the long run. Terro's liquid ant baits are filled with a syrupy mix of borax and sugar that the ants will feed upon and carry back to their colony. These traps are simple to use, as well. All you need to do is snap off the tab and place them along ant trails, windowsills, under appliances, wherever you notice the most ants congregating. In roughly 24 to 48 hours, you should begin to see dead ants and fewer new ants. The one downside of borax bait is that there's no oil in its recipe; not all ants feed on sugar, and many species are attracted to grease. 

Food-based bait, like this Raid's household ant bait two-pack, is irresistible to most ants. A small amount of avermectin is mixed into a blend of peanut butter, sugar, and oil, and this will be your infestation's kryptonite. The food-based bait's thickness also protects against leakage that could harm curious kids or pets. Of course, you should never leave the traps within their reach, but the bait is formulated to stay inside its protective shell. In addition, avermectin acts upon ants' reproductive abilities, with the substance slowly building in the queen as the colony feeds her. So it's a long-term solution for minimal cost. Then, every three months, replace the traps, and you'll be able to maintain your ant-free status. 

Ants will get up to all sorts of mischief for the sake of finding a food source for the colony and queen. If you have a hummingbird or oriole feeder, they're chock full of sugar, and well, that's how you get ants. So keep those precious calories inside your avian friends and the ants out of their feeder with the Trap-It moat from Wildlife Accessories. It's a donut-shaped ring that holds 6 ounces of water, and when attached just above your hummingbird feeder, will drown any ants that try to reach the nectar. It's a surprisingly simple solution, and better yet, it won't break the bank.

Looking for a long-term yet quick solution to an ant infestation? Try out Combat's Max ant stations. Filled with a tri-sugar gel bait, it'll wipe out that colony of creepy crawlies in an incredible 24 hours. In fact, the formula will continue to work for a month after the initial treatment as it's passed along to the queen. A caveat to consider—if it's fire ants you're battling against, then it may be best to go with a bait specifically designed for that species. This is because they're notoriously hard to get rid of, have colonies up to 20,000 ants strong, and can ignore bait that other ants flock to. Sugar-based bait like Combat's tends to be most effective on pavement ants.

Many ant traps are made from plastic, which can be flimsy. However, a sturdy tin exterior sets PIC's ant trap apart, making it weather-resistant. As a result, they're just as effective when used outdoors, and you can combine indoor use for more thorough protection. These stout little pucks of borax-infused bait are reliable lures for most ant species, thanks to a four-ingredient blend including peanuts, sugar, soy, and oil. However, you might have to experiment with a different formulation for carpenter ant infestations; they're notoriously hard to get rid of.

 Bottom line

With luck, one or more of the ant traps above will do the trick and eradicate your pest problem. You have to consider a few things before choosing the best ant traps to use, mainly the variety of bait they contain. Ants go for sugar, grease, and protein, but your best bet is to start with sugar bait like TERRO's ant trap stations. They won our staff pick based on efficacy, cost, and thoroughness in beating infestations. TERRO utilizes borax in their ant traps, a harmless substance for humans yet is devastating to an ant's digestive system over time. 

For oil and protein-loving ants, consider PIC's tin ant traps. Filled with four types of bait, including peanut butter and soy, these draw in most species aside of carpenter ants—a notoriously stubborn species. The bait is also enclosed in stout little metal tins, perfect for use indoors or outdoors. 

As a reminder, phrases like "child-resistant" and "safe around kids and pets" are actually guidelines for proper use. Make sure that your ant traps are always well out of the reach of both parties, and you should be good to go. 

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