Can Ants Drink Soda?
WouterWhether you want to keep your home free of ants or want to kill ants in your house, you may have wondered can ants drink soda? Ants, however, aren’t actually attracted to artificial sweeteners. Instead, they prefer naturally-derived sugars. They’re also calorie-dense, which gives them an evolutionary advantage.
Researchers at Hokkaido University tested cloned ants to find out whether they respond to sweetened water. They found that some ants maintained their original preference, while others switched to sweeter solutions.
Ants’ ability to ingest sugar water also depends on the size of their head. Smaller ants will drink less. In contrast, larger ants will drink more. Depending on the size and weight of the ants, they can drink as much as 35 microliters of water in a single setting.
Ants can also ingest carbon dioxide. This substance displaces oxygen in their mounds. It’s also heavier than air, so it can suffocate living things.
Ants can also ingest boric acid, a potent insecticide. However, boric acid isn’t a common household product. Boric acid isn’t safe for human consumption, and can cause stomach problems.
There are a few home remedies that have been found to kill ants. Some obstruct the digestive system of the ants, which kills them. Others disturb the colony, killing the queens but not the workers. Some aren’t effective at all, but others are proven to work.
One method of killing ants is to place baking soda in soda cans on your property. However, it’s best to use an all-natural approach.
