8 replies to this topic

[peach5]

Hi, I’m not personally trying to stop an ant mill myself, but I’m collecting information on them and I want to make sure it’s accurate, and I figured this might be a good place to ask. I’ve read that they get stuck following each other for hours/days and die of exhaustion, and that, in theory, blocking them off, using a fan, creating a new trail to lead them away with sugar, or wiping the trail with vinegar should make them stop, but I haven’t seen anyone talking about experiences doing those things and having them work/what worked best or didn't work/etc., just saying that they should work. So I was wondering, has anyone stopped one or known someone who has? Thank you.

[bmb1bee]

Out of the things you've listed, here are my thoughts coming from experience as well as a bit of speculation.

 

- Making them follow each other in a circular trail is much easier said than done, and even if it does happen, it won't be difficult for the trail to be disrupted.

- Using a fan will probably result in nothing.

- Creating a new trail with sugar will only give them more food. Ants will form multiple trails to forage, so trying to divert their attention with another trail won't help.

- Wiping the trail with vinegar may disrupt the trail, but they'll just come back and make another trail.

 

The best way to deal with pest ants in my experience is to set a number of poison traps around the house close to the trail and spray the entry point directly with some Raid. That usually works better than just trying to deal with the trail, since you prevent further ants from entering. The poison also reaches the queens and brood, as the workers will carry it back to the nest.

 

Hopefully this was of help to you. Though if you can't deal with the ants, might as well keep them lol.

[ANTdrew]

I think the ant mill cycling thing you’re describing sounds like an urban legend. Where have you actually seen this? In a house, outside, or in a captive colony?

[bmb1bee]

Oh I might've misunderstood the question. I thought "ant mill" was something like another name for an "ant mound". Please ignore my first post.

[peach5]

I think the ant mill cycling thing you’re describing sounds like an urban legend. Where have you actually seen this? In a house, outside, or in a captive colony?

Oh really? I've only seen them in videos, not in person. The videos are usually outside, but I have seen one instance of it seeming to happen to someone keeping ants. Is it something you've heard of happening before?

[peach5]

Oh I might've misunderstood the question. I thought "ant mill" was something like another name for an "ant mound". Please ignore my first post.

No worries! Yeah, I was referring to "death spirals." Thank you for your response though.

[An-Ant]

I think the ant mill cycling thing you’re describing sounds like an urban legend. Where have you actually seen this? In a house, outside, or in a captive colony?

I can testify that this is true, i've seen it happen with my old Dorymyrmex colony. I stopped them by putting a pre-killed roach in the middle of the "mill". 

[malcolm212]

Ant mills are hard to break because ants get locked into following their own pheromone trail, but people have had some success by physically interrupting the circle and wiping the path with vinegar or soapy water to erase the scent. Blocking the loop can work, though it sometimes needs repeating, while sugar trails and fans are less reliable since ants often ignore them if the existing trail is strong. Most accounts show that completely removing the pheromone path is the key to stopping the loop. If you want professional insight based on real cases, pest control Clarksville TN can also guide you on what methods work best in practice.

[malcolm212]

Hi, I’m not personally trying to stop an ant mill myself, but I’m collecting information on them and I want to make sure it’s accurate, and I figured this might be a good place to ask. I’ve read that they get stuck following each other for hours/days and die of exhaustion, and that, in theory, blocking them off, using a fan, creating a new trail to lead them away with sugar, or wiping the trail with vinegar should make them stop, but I haven’t seen anyone talking about experiences doing those things and having them work/what worked best or didn't work/etc., just saying that they should work. So I was wondering, has anyone stopped one or known someone who has? Thank you.

Ant mills do happen, but they are rare and usually short lived once something disrupts the pheromone trail the ants are following. People who have encountered them report that simple physical disruptions work best. Wiping or breaking the trail with vinegar, soapy water, or even plain water often stops the loop quickly because it removes the scent cue they rely on. Fans or strong airflow can also work by dispersing pheromones, and blocking part of the loop forces ants to scatter and reorient. Creating a new sugar trail can sometimes redirect them, but it is less reliable and may attract more ants instead. In most real cases, directly breaking the pheromone trail is the most effective approach. If a situation like this occurs indoors or repeatedly, ant control exterminators are usually recommended because they can identify the source colony and prevent the problem from recurring rather than just stopping the visible loop.