Natural Ant Repellent?

[Eben'sMama]

Spring has definitely sprung here in Northern California, and we have an ant problem. Not kitchen/sugar ants in the kitchen, but winged ants. We have found the crack where they are coming in and are sealing it up, but does anyone have suggestions for something to sprinkle outside to keep them off the porch? TIA...

[Sadystar]

Ants hate peppermint oil and I believe pyrethrum which is plant derived (and acceptable in organic farming) is actually fatal to them.

[Neuromancer]

No experience with winged ants, but if you can repel them like kitchen ants, I have had good results with cinnamon sprinkled where I thought the ants were getting in. I bought it at the 99 cent store, rather than using a more expensive variety. I have also read that ants will not cross a thick chalk line, but I had less success with that.

[NaturallyBaby]

I've also used cinnamon for kitchen ants...not sure about winged ants though. Good luck1

[russianthistle]

It is also said that ants will not cross a line of salt at the doorways...but that does not address winged ants...I do not like winged ants...they make me cringe just thinking about them...they're like miniature wasps and I really don't like wasps.

[russianthistle]

I know that this is OT, but...Ebensmama,
I just noticed that your ds's middle name is Casimir! That's my son's name! It's the first time I've ever seen anyone else use this name. How do you pronounce it? We say (CAS i mer)...and call him Mirmir (said like murmur) for short.

[LookMommy!]

We tried the cinnamon sticks when we had a few ants. But now we have hundreds and hundreds in the bathroom coming out of the bathtub faucet, and we are bringing in an exterminator

[Eben'sMama]

Originally Posted by russianthistle

I know that this is OT, but...Ebensmama,
I just noticed that your ds's middle name is Casimir! That's my son's name! It's the first time I've ever seen anyone else use this name. How do you pronounce it? We say (CAS i mer)...and call him Mirmir (said like murmur) for short.

My grandmother's name was Casimira and since we're not sure if we'll ever have a girl, we went ahead and used the masculine of her name for DS2's middle name. We pronounce it Caz-meer--the Chicago Polish way (like Pulaski).

Thanks for all the ant-battling tips, mamas! I will try a few things and tell you what works.

[RydersMama]

Whole cloves and cinnamon worked for our kitchen ants, don't know about the winged ones. Guess you could try. I found the whole cloves at the health food store in bulk, pretty cheap. Good luck mama

[MyOcean]

Borax mixed with sugar water.

[touka]

Will cinnamon/clove oil work as well as the ground spice? We've got a bunch of cats and I'd hat to have them tracking spices all over the house.

Also, does anyone have a recipe for an outdoor repellant that's safe for the neighborhood animals?

[Meg_s]

I used cinnamon sprinkled around and mint extract (the only mint I had) sprayed. It worked really well, I'm sure cinnamon oil would too.

[touka]

Thanks Meg.

And, look what i just Googled: http://www.ehow.com/how_2164037_use-...as-insect.html