Ants everywhere!
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Ants everywhere!
Well I get up to go to the bathroom and I notice about 50-60 ants around my door. I searched my house upside down for ant spray(whatever it's called) and couldn't find anything.
Anyone know anything that will kill them (other than a shoe...didn't work). All I've got at my side is a thing of fabreze....and it's not working either.
Anyone know anything that will kill them (other than a shoe...didn't work). All I've got at my side is a thing of fabreze....and it's not working either.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,624
Likes: 1
From: Bixby, OK
Get some Garlic powder, put it at all the doorways and windows, just on the outside will do. Just give a little sprinkle outside the door. It won't kill the ones inside, but it will stop them from coming in and out, and then the number of the one's inside will be drastically reduced. Then you can kill them however you want.
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,848
Likes: 1
From: Kentucky
Same here. Will a exterminating service be able to stop them ? Is this ant epidemic caused from too mild of winters along with our dry summer here ? We tried all the store bought ant killers, but we are losing the ant fight now and ready to get outside help,
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,420
Likes: 3
From: Langhorne, PA
I pray for you that these are not carpenter ants! Are they big black shiny ants that are mostly seen at night? Carpenter ants in the house are a sign of serious wood frame rot.
Use the ant traps( wrong! I mean bait stations) that allow the ants to walk in and out, contain Boric Acid, and place them wherever you see ant trails or have seen ants. This winter I had ants all over my house, I used the BOric acid bait stations and it took about two weeks to kill the ants. The ants take a bite from the bait station and go home, the bait is sugar and boric acid, the bait is eaten, cause it is sweet, but it takes a while to kill the ants because it slowly drys them out.
Use the ant traps( wrong! I mean bait stations) that allow the ants to walk in and out, contain Boric Acid, and place them wherever you see ant trails or have seen ants. This winter I had ants all over my house, I used the BOric acid bait stations and it took about two weeks to kill the ants. The ants take a bite from the bait station and go home, the bait is sugar and boric acid, the bait is eaten, cause it is sweet, but it takes a while to kill the ants because it slowly drys them out.
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,848
Likes: 1
From: Kentucky
We have used every kind of ant motel /hotel/antbuster / trap poision available. ( just squished one on this keyboard and one going up my arm too) yuck. The traps worked for a while, but now they have mounted a major frontal defensive attack to retaliate for the loss of their brethen, I guess. Ants are smart critters, very organized it seems. Battalions of the small black ants have hills in our back yard, I was going to set the yard on fire, but the local fire department commander had some "issues" with that idea. 
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 0
From: Connecticut
I would recomend if there in the house there outside also spred triaznon once a week to stop them before they get inside. Ants in trees will drop off a limb and come in thru the soffets,vents or small gaps. and if they are in the trees means the tree wont last much longer. I work cutting trees and have seen the damage they cause first hand.The bell looks great except for a hole at the bottom with black dirt. Once the tree is cut down the bell center is actually hollowed out from the ants. To me the ant bombs create more work then there worth.Dishes,silverware,counters and clothing need to be washed afterwards and you spend tons of money on them and have to get every room,halway attic space,breezeway,garage and basement. And have to find something to do for 8 hours, making sure everything that could cause a spark to be turned off.8 hours away from the house leaves 24 hours of cleaning.Especialy when theres kids in the house.
Trending Topics
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
Best thing on ants is little boys. My two will spend HOURS killing ants and figuring out devious evil new ways to maximize the destruction and torture.
One bait that I have heard of is a 1 to 1 mix of boric acid, powdered sugar and yeast all mixed up. The ants take it home where other ants eat it. The boric kills some and the yeast causes others to explode. I love it. Wish I could hear their little ant bodies popping underground.
This assumes these ants like sugar. Most do.
I also like to use ant powder from the store. Seems to work longer than spray. Not good around some pets though. Sprinkle the powder where you find their trails and their entries. It won't kill them as you watch but it will kill them in the long run, and again it gets those back at the nest. If you have a big problem, find the nest and dust it too.
Ants are kind of a fact of life and sometimes you are going to have a few.
Carpenter ants are big. Their separate parts of their bodies are about as big as a BB or small pea. Usually they are shiney black but occasionally brown. They will damage the wood in your house, and if you see them in your house, that means they have probably colonized your walls and you need professional help and it may cost you quite a bit if they have damaged the wood.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
One bait that I have heard of is a 1 to 1 mix of boric acid, powdered sugar and yeast all mixed up. The ants take it home where other ants eat it. The boric kills some and the yeast causes others to explode. I love it. Wish I could hear their little ant bodies popping underground.
This assumes these ants like sugar. Most do.
I also like to use ant powder from the store. Seems to work longer than spray. Not good around some pets though. Sprinkle the powder where you find their trails and their entries. It won't kill them as you watch but it will kill them in the long run, and again it gets those back at the nest. If you have a big problem, find the nest and dust it too.
Ants are kind of a fact of life and sometimes you are going to have a few.
Carpenter ants are big. Their separate parts of their bodies are about as big as a BB or small pea. Usually they are shiney black but occasionally brown. They will damage the wood in your house, and if you see them in your house, that means they have probably colonized your walls and you need professional help and it may cost you quite a bit if they have damaged the wood.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,047
Likes: 2
From: North west La
I use Amdro on most types of ants I find around my house. Its for fireants & carpenter ants but it works on all ants I have used it on. They take it back to the nest & kill the gueen.I'll try the garlic at my doors & see how it works.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 2
From: CA Central Coast
There's a type of South American ant that has virtually taken over California. Fortunately they're not destrructive, but just a nuisance. However, instead of one colony fighting another they just join up and help each other...some experts are deciding that the ants are just becoming one big statewide supercolony.
In the dry summer here, I keep ants out of the house simply by having water dishes placed around the house. There is enough food supply via insects outside, ants only come inside for a sip. Instead of trying to kill them, try working with them.
In the dry summer here, I keep ants out of the house simply by having water dishes placed around the house. There is enough food supply via insects outside, ants only come inside for a sip. Instead of trying to kill them, try working with them.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,779
Likes: 873
From: Foothills of NC
I used to own a hardware store/garden center. I have tried out many products to see how they work. The best ant rid you can get is TERRO. Within four days you will not be seing any more till next year. It is safe, easy to use, and not messy or smelly.