Developed for the needs of the American army back in the distant 40s of the last century, diethyltoluamide (abbreviated as DETA), after testing its performance and, most importantly, safety for humans, began to be actively used not only for military purposes, but also to protect the civilian population. It was used by hunters, fishermen, farmers, residents of the northern and taiga regions. And later, just homeowners began to try to use DEET from ants, cockroaches and other harmful insects in their homes.
And, as it turned out, quite successfully - DEET has not only repellent, but also insecticidal, poisonous properties. And with proper treatment of the premises, the DEET ant repellent will help get rid of these pests in a relatively short time.
Review
“Everyone is running around with these battalion commanders and raids. And I took a simple mosquito spray with deta and sprinkled it into the cracks in the basement, from where the ants crawl. So they didn't show up at all. We have the sea to do this, it costs a penny, so I regularly walk with him around the perimeter of the basement once a week and there are no more ants in the house.
Sergey, Vologda
DEET properties
Earlier, during the years of DEET's release and market entry, it was believed that this drug blocks the transmission of nerve impulses in the olfactory receptors of blood-sucking insects. Simply put, the insect loses its "scent" and does not perceive the body treated with the substance as a source of food.
It is clear that with this approach, the DEET ant remedy could not be effective. After all, it does not scare away insects and does not prevent them from collecting food, although it does interfere a bit with navigating in space: ants use their sense of smell to the same extent as their eyesight.
However, later studies have shown that the previous hypothesis about the mechanism of action of the drug was incorrect. DEET actually irritates the olfactory receptors of insects. In laboratories, proteins have even been found in the antennas of mosquitoes that react with DEET molecules and then transmit powerful impulses to the central nervous system of the insect.
On a note
As it turned out even later, DEET effectively repels not only insects, but also ticks. At the same time, the higher the concentration of DEET in the product, the longer it protects against parasites: if you spread (or spray) only with a clean, 100% product, the effect lasts for 12-14 hours, when treating the body with a 30% solution - about 3-4 hours .
With this explanation, it became clear that DEET can be actively used against ants. The first experiments showed that the tool is really effective, although it has some features.
DEET from ants: how effective is the remedy
DEET ant repellant differs significantly from other aerosol insecticides in that it does not kill or poison insects. It effectively scares them away from those places from which it has not yet had time to evaporate.
Of course, DEET is not suitable for the destruction of ants. But on the other hand, with regular treatment of the premises with the drug, you can be sure that insects will stop visiting it very soon.
DEET is most effective as a means of preventing ants in an apartment. So it works more reliably than crayons and even boric acid - insects are simply afraid of the smell of the substance. Therefore, it is effective to treat all the ways insects enter the house, including the front door frames, the outer window slopes and the ventilation openings in the house.
Review
“I was constantly advised all sorts of terribly stinking dusts to protect the apartment from ants. I did it easier: I took Off with DETA and sprayed it on the doors and windows on the balcony - the ants made their way into the apartment through them. This product smells normal and is harmless to humans and dogs. Ants cannot get into the apartment, and I am not afraid for the children and Roy.
Irina, Ufa
If the exit routes of insects from their shelters are known - gaps between slabs, plinths or parquet, niches and holes from neighbors, they must be treated with preparations. Here it is important to choose the optimal form of release of the product, in which it works as long as possible and reliably.
Release form and price of funds
The drug DEET from ants is available in several forms:
- cream for skin treatment. It is most suitable for fighting ants: where the cream is applied, it will remain and work effectively for a very long time, until it is wiped off or completely dried. The disadvantage of the cream is the presence of glycerin in its composition, due to which oily spots may remain at the places of its application.
- Aerosol, the optimal form for processing the found entrances to the nests.It is irrational to organize barriers for the movement of insects using an aerosol, since it evaporates quickly and requires frequent and regular application.
- DEET emulsion - when used against ants, it practically does not differ from an aerosol. The difference between these forms of release is only in the method of application: the aerosol is sprayed from a can, while the fabric is usually dipped in an emulsion and the surface is smeared.
All products based on DEET have a strong sweet smell, and thick forms are white.
The price of DEET from ants depends on the form of release:
- a 30 ml tube of cream costs about 30 rubles
- aerosol can - about 70 rubles
- 100 ml bottle of emulsion - about 100 rubles.
You can buy DEET at any hardware store or online. It is produced by many enterprises of the chemical industry, and it makes no sense to single out any one manufacturer. It is only important to check before buying what the actual content of DEET is in the purchased drug.
On a note
On the basis of DEET, Off, Extreme, Taiga, Angara and many others are released. All of them are as effective as the product of the same name with the drug.
Safety precautions and rules for the use of DEET in the fight against ants
To fight ants with DEET-based products, it is necessary to treat:
- plinth
- wall-to-ceiling joints
- window frames and the frame of the front door to the house
- cracks in parquet
- the underside and inner surfaces of the nightstands
- surfaces hidden behind furniture
- discovered places of penetration of ants into the house.
If the anthill is found and easily accessible with a vacuum cleaner or boiling water, DEET should not be used. It is wiser to destroy it mechanically.It is only important to remember that domestic ants usually have several nests, and the destruction of one of them rarely ends.
It has been established by experiments that DEET can cause some disorders of the nervous system, such as headaches, irritability, loss of sleep, if used continuously and for a long time and if it enters the respiratory tract of a person.
However, this is true for the direct treatment of the skin with drugs. When used in a residential area, DEET will be practically harmless. It is only important to ensure that children or pets cannot lick off the already applied preparation.
As a result, DEET from ants can really be used. You just need to remember that this is a repellent, and do not place too high hopes on it, hoping that it will destroy all the insects in the room.
The best place to use it is cottages and temporarily inhabited private houses, where you need to scare away ants for a short time. In addition, due to the versatility of DEET, it can be used both to repel ants and to protect residents from mosquitoes and midges.
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I take "Detu" with me on all trips. The only product that really repels midges, mosquitoes and other unpleasant insects. Easy to apply, not sticky, does not stain clothes. I always buy in a pharmacy - it is one of the most inexpensive. I don’t know how it works in a swarm of insects, we don’t live in the tropics, but at the resort and before a walk in nature we splash ourselves and no one bothers us at all.