Does spray foam attract ants?

Insects don't seek foam materials as a food source but can become a nuisance when they are attracted by food or want to use our foam materials as a shelter for resting. Airpop® EPS (expanded polystyrene) is valued by the construction industry for its moisture-resistant properties.

plymouthfoam.com - Do Your Foam Materials Repel Insects?

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Do Your Foam Materials Repel Insects? This is the latest question in our FAQ series. Plymouth Foam encourages creative thinking to deliver innovative solutions using foam materials. Specialized applications may involve outdoor use where the impact of insects must be taken into consideration. There are a wide range of applications to consider and all involve a little knowledge of insects. Insects are interested in eating, resting, and reproducing. Insects eat a wide range of plant materials and a few insects are carnivores. Insects don’t seek foam materials as a food source but can become a nuisance when they are attracted by food or want to use our foam materials as a shelter for resting. Airpop® EPS (expanded polystyrene) is valued by the construction industry for its moisture-resistant properties. When Airpop® EPS is used as insulation for a wood frame structure, termites can bore through EPS to get to their food source. Termites don’t eat Airpop® EPS, but they chew through it. Users of EPS in construction should consult their local building codes to determine how EPS should be used. Also note that additives can be put into the Airpop® EPS to cause the insects discomfort and thereby leave the area. Plymouth Foam designs custom solutions for a variety of containers. Airpop® EPS is popular for its custom-molded shapes, water resistance, and high thermal-insulating properties. EPS is a common choice for shipping food throughout the world. Insects could find the contents of food containers desirable. Airehide® Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) is a choice for outdoor control panel housings. Insects don’t eat EPP but may slip inside to rest. People working with control panels and housings would use the same cautions as with any other type of material. We know that using polyethylene for the storage of wax worms will cause the container to disintegrate. Wax worms eat beeswax which has a similar carbon string as polyethylene. Scientists suspect there is an enzyme in the worms that converts polyethylene to ethylene glycol. Insects don’t seek our foam materials as a food source but they may be attracted by the contents or its environment. The moisture resistant properties of Airpop® EPS and Airehide® (EPP) make it less attractive to insects. We love it when you ask us these questions. Please continue to ask more or reach out to our team directly: sales@plymouthfoam.com. As an industry leader, we feel it is important to share our expertise and continue to educate and inform others of Plymouth Foam’s materials’ capabilities and industry trends.