A persistent piece of folklore suggests that common pantry items can eliminate ant infestations. This home remedy involves scattering uncooked corn grits near ant trails, expecting the insects to consume them. The claim is that this offers an easy, non-toxic solution to a common household problem. This article investigates the science behind this claim to determine if grits are truly an effective form of pest management.
The Logic Behind the Grits Myth
Proponents of the grits method believe that when foraging worker ants ingest the dry, uncooked grits, the particles move into the digestive tract. Once inside, the grits are expected to absorb internal moisture and swell significantly. This expansion is thought to create immense internal pressure, leading to the ant’s rupture or a fatal obstruction of its internal systems. This theory relies on the idea that ants can successfully consume and process large, solid food particles.
Scientific Reality: Does the Expansion Theory Hold Up?
The theory that grits cause ants to explode fails to account for the fundamental biology of adult worker ants. Worker ants do not consume solid food particles; their digestive anatomy is structured to handle only liquids. The ants’ mouthparts contain a specialized filtering apparatus, or sieve, which prevents solid material from passing into the digestive tract.
Solid food, like a granule of grit, is collected and stored in the crop, or the social stomach. This organ is a temporary storage pouch used for transporting food back to the colony, not the site of digestion. The food is later regurgitated and shared with nestmates through a process called trophallaxis.
Solid materials are transported to the colony to feed the larvae, the only members capable of digesting solids. The larvae process the solid food and then excrete it in a liquid form that adult workers can consume. Therefore, grits carried back to the nest will simply be filtered out or fed to the larvae.
An ant’s exoskeleton is a tough, rigid structure that is not easily ruptured by internal pressure changes. Corn grit is sometimes used as an inert carrier for toxic ingredients found in commercial ant baits, which may explain how the myth gained traction.
Proven, Safe Methods for Ant Control
Homeowners should use methods that leverage ant social behavior, rather than relying on unproven remedies. The most effective approach involves using slow-acting insecticidal baits, which come in liquid or gel form. Foraging ants consume these sweet baits and carry the poison back to the nest to share with the queen and the rest of the colony. This “Trojan horse” strategy eliminates the entire ant population at its source, rather than just the visible foragers.
Physical and Exclusion Methods
Physical barriers and exclusion are effective preventative measures. Food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) is a fine powder composed of fossilized algae shells that acts as a physical insecticide. When ants walk over DE, the sharp particles damage their protective outer layer, causing them to dehydrate. Home sanitation and sealing entry points, such as using caulk to close gaps, removes both the food source and the access points for the insects.