Ant control

[~Shanna~]

The summer ant problem in our home has exploded over the last 2 years - my theories are either that the prior owners sprayed for them <shudder> or it's since we now have a toddler and crumb control is....well, not. I have researched all sorts of natural control methods, but they all seem to be predicated on knowing where they are coming in. Any advice for how to approach this if you have no idea where they are coming in at? It's getting really bad, and I'm close to calling a conventional exterminator . Yesterday I woke up to my sons' squeals of delight "Ah, the ant is chasing me!!!!"

[Abarat]

Have you taken a really good look around the doors, windows and baseboards to see if any are coming in? It really does help if you can at least find one spot.

We used diatomaceous earth last year and it worked great. Of course unless you want a really big job on your hands you'll want to take a really good look to see where they're coming from.

They haven't been coming in much this year, not sure if it's because of the DE that's still there or because of our friendly neighbourhood spider living on my kitchen windowsill. He's looking pretty fat and happy, maybe he's been eating them. :

[allnaturalmom]

Are they at least confined to one area of your home?

If they get ahold of one of your toddler's crumbs that has fallen on the floor, where do they take it? Sometimes you can follow them. They should take it back to their source or the queen ant. It's a terrible year for ants (and bugs in general) where we are. We have some by the back door, so I know exactly where they are coming in. Anyway, I read on-line that if you put down some instant grits they will eat them and carry them off to the queen and when they ingest any water/moisture the grits will expand and kill them. I don't know if it's true, but a few years ago when I tried it, they were gone after a few days. Maybe a coincidence, IDK? The goal is to kill the queen.

And fwiw, simple green kills them dead plus they are repelled by the scent.... But unfortunately some people are, too.

They also don't like the scent of vinegar. I usually sponge down the floors before bed w/a vinegar/h20 solution and usually don't have any surprises in the morning.

gl
hth

[amber913]

I've had 3 methods that worked:
I poured boiling water along the outside of the house where they were coming in (BIG ants).
I sprinkled cornmeal around where I saw a bunch of the little ones. They were gone in a day or two. Cornmeal works the way the grits do, I believe (though I hadn't heard of using grits).
I found the exact place they were coming in and taped it up. Looks like i'm trying to hold my trim together with masking tape, but they stopped coming in!

Good luck!

Keep checking back, people ask about ants a lot.

[ASusan]

errgh. We have a brand new house. This is our first summer in it. I have seen THREE types of ants in our kitchen/dining area. I like the cornmeal idea. Thanks.

[ginnyjuice]

We used baby powder along their walking trails last year (finally, a use for the dozens of mini-bottles we got at the showers-also good for removing sand from skin) and it worked. But! It's hard to get rid of after you've put it down! Vacuuming, mopping, and sweeping didn't get it all. So it's still there, some of it anyway, still working from last summer.