Ants have multiple species, and every category is different in its type. Normally, the ants that are found in households are old-category ants which do not have a harmful sting and are sometimes called sugar ants because they roam around the house in search of food. However, many people have the question: do ants eat through plastic? The answer to this question is straightforward, yes, but some other factors need consideration before reaching any conclusion.
To avoid or stop the existence of ants in the household, food must be stored or cleared away from the shelves or sink properly and must be kept in jars or containers which are sealed or locked. Moreover, proper cleaning disinfectants, liquids, or sprays must be used regularly in wood, wall holes, and counters to avoid ant habitation. The article below is going to illustrate a detailed analysis of ants, and their habits of eating through plastic, chip bags, tape, metal, silicon, and walls. Along with some light on the things through which ants cannot eat and what precautions one should take to stop ants from attacking food and other things.
Table of Contents
Do Ants Eat Through Plastic
Do ants eat through plastic? Absolutely yes, ants do eat through plastic, sugar ants which is very commonly found in homes, roam around the house in search of food and the kitchen remains their main hub where they get a variety of items to chew. Often they get successful in knocking through plastic bags as they can bite through them to eat inside the food. Measures must be taken before time to stop ants from cracking down the plastic bags. However, if ants bite through the food which one is supposed to eat then it’s not a big issue unless the person eating the food is very sensitive and gets allergic quickly. Otherwise, eating the food from which ants have bitten is not a huge problem.
Can Ants Eat Through Chip Bags?
Ants are smart, they know exactly how to enter an area where there is food available. Chip bags are not normal thin plastics that could get a hole easily but ants somehow still manage to get into that bag to taste some chips. After gathering information from many people through different platforms, I managed to get to the conclusion that yes, ants eat through chip bags and they even left their bite marks on the chip packet and chips as well. Food plastic packets which are wrapped in thin plastics are the core target of the ants as these are just very easy to get in. That is why thin plastic packs of food items are recommended to be kept in airtight jars or in the fridge to spare them from ants attack.
Though in some cases people have even unintentionally eaten chips from the bag which were attacked by the ant they remained safe and free from any sort of allergies. This further added that sugar and which usually does this in search of food is not harmful and if one unknowingly eats from the food which the ant has already eaten is not a big deal as that food remains safe to eat. But yes, measures must be taken to avoid the existence of ants such as regular cleaning of the areas where there is food either open or packaged food. In some severe cases, the use of pests is recommended when ants do not leave your place easily even after deep cleansing.
What Can Ants Not Chew Through?
Ants can chew through many objects and foods while some things are still there that ants are unable to eat and can also prevent ants from coming to your place. Below is a detailed list of the things that ants do not chew;
Adhesive And Duct Tape
Adhesive or duct tapes have remained successful in preventing the ant colonies from attacking the food available in the packets or jars. A proper mouth seal of adhesive or duct tape is done on the jars or boxes then ants cannot affect the inside food.
Chalk
Ants cannot eat calcium carbonate, chalk is made up of calcium carbonate, and putting chalk on the doorsteps and other openings of the house can be helpful. Ants can not eat chalk and so will not enter the place where there is chalk at the start. Even putting chalk on the shelves at night can save food jars and cabinets from ant attacks.
Flour
Ants do not eat flour and this is very helpful in kitchens. Simply putting flour at the back of the kitchen’s shelves and ants will not attack any sort of food or pantry available in the kitchen. Spreading flour on shelves is not even dangerous as it does not contain any chemical pests or medicine.
Lemons
Ants are reluctant to chew or bite lemons because of the bitter and sour taste of lemons. One of the best ideas is to sprinkle lemon juice on the wall holes, doorsteps, and shelves to keep your home and food protected against ants.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a proper cure for ants as ants stay away from the area where there is a smell or drops of vinegar. The idea of sprinkling vinegar on doors, windows, and kitchens is pretty good to prevent ants from coming inside the home.
Can Ants Eat Through Tape?
Ants can chew through thin plastic, wood, silicone, and many other materials but the question here is can ants eat through tape? Because tape could be thin as plastic and can be hard as silicone. Along with these features, the tape got a sticky texture which may attract ants to be something sweet. So if you are sealing some food or any edible food, especially with tape view in mind that ants cannot attack this seal. Then you are wrong, ant colonies can make their way even through those tape sealants. Simple ant colonies may take a long to break the tape sealants but some special species with strong chewing capacity can complete this task easily.
So the food items which are sealed with a simple kind of tape must be kept in air-tight jars, boxes or fridges to keep them away from ants attack. However, adhesive and duct tape is good for preventing ants so a seal with adhesive or duct tape can be helpful while getting rid away from ants. Moreover, for better clearance of ants, disinfectant sprays should be used on cabins, shelves, and sinks. Sprays could be purchased from the market and can be made at home with DIY formulas. Though, for more persistent cleaning of these mini creatures from your area, pest control authorities must be contacted and asked for help.
Can Ants Make Holes In Walls?
Ants do not only need holes to get into the area where there is food available, they can reach the cabinets of the kitchen as well even when they are closed and locked. Ants manage to make their place to get into the cabinets and foodstuff stuff available there. Though the ant’s bite is not either poisonous or harmful in some cases it can cause allergy to the person who has a weak immune system and is more reactive towards small allergies as well. Ants make space in the holes of the walls for habitation, the problem is bigger if the wall is of wood because once ants start eating wood walls and making it their home then it becomes very difficult to cut them off from the wood wall.
Ant colonies, if settled down in the wooden wall of your home then their continuous eating of the wall will lead to rotten or in a more worst-case falling off the wall. According to researchers, it has been found that ants like concrete or wood walls because of the moisture content available there which helps in better nesting in walls rather than anywhere else. That is why it’s very important to clear out ant colonies from the holes in n the wall either by clearing out on your own or by seeking professional help from pest control authorities for quicker and long-lasting results.
Can Ants Eat Through Metal?
Ants are tiny creatures but at times these little creatures can cause big troubles to your house. Ants when gathered in big can cause damage to the things around your home which may include biting off food, wood containers, plastic bags, silicone pipes, and even metal items. Here people got confused on the matter: can ants eat through metal in actuality? The answer to this is yes, ants do eat through metal which is why at times it becomes necessary to make your house free from ants and do take professional help for this cause if required.
Let’s have a detailed look at the matter of how ants eat through metal. Ants target the wires and insulation be-installed in the houses. They can reach the tiny holes as well from where they bite the wires and can cause bigger troubles by demeaning the underground wirings. This is a big trouble as underground defects in the wiring are the most difficult to identify and then repair. This can get even worse if ants bite through the wires of the fire alarms and in emergency cases those alarms do not work, which as result can cause bigger troubles. So it’s important to consider the clearance of the ants from the area they seek shelter for a longer duration to save your space from such troubles.
Can Ants Eat Through Silicone
Silicone is not an easy thing to chew for ants but according to researchers some of the species of ants are capable enough to chew through silicone due to their strong chewing capacity. Some prominent types of ants such as; Solenopsis Invicta, Pogonomyrmex, and Acromyrmex the ants that have strong chewing capacity and can eat through silicone as well. The example of the formicarium box is nonetheless best to describe the chewing activity of these strong ants. A formicarium box is used to keep these ants sealed for some special purposes, the sealant of the box is usually of silicone material, these exceptional ants even manage to break their seal by chewing and eating the silicone top with their strong bites.
Conventionally, formicarium boxes were made of glass material which was then upgraded to acrylic or plastic material with a silicone sealant, boxes are mainly transparent because ants are being kept in them for observation purposes which be done in a transparent box. Moreover, ant colonies when gathered together can attack any silicone top or box that contains food either sweet or spicy.
FAQs
Do Ants Eat Through Plastic Bags?
Yes, Ants through plastic bags especially thin plastic bags which contain food items.
Do Ants Eat Through Flour?
No, Ants cannot eat flour, that is why it is recommended to use flour on shelves for preventing ants from attacking the food.
Are Ants Bites Dangerous?
No, ants’ bite is neither dangerous nor poisonous.
Do Ants Eat Through Wood?
Yes, ants can eat wood and make the wood rot or fall if a huge amount of ant colonies attack the wood.
Conclusion
In light of the above article, a detailed and informative conclusion can be drawn against the question: do ants eat through plastic? Yes, ants can eat through multiple things and plastic is one of them. Wall holes, thin plastic bags, silicone, tapes, and metals are the objects which are edible for ants. While to prevent ants from attacking the food, proper cleaning and use of disinfectants is a must but along with the use of some items such as; flour, adhesive or duct tape, chalk, vinegar, and lemon can also prevent ants from attacking household hold.