[eskielover]

For the life of me, NOTHING kills the ants that have taken over my house. They even get in my microwave & when I heat up food, that are crawling around just like before it was turned on.

I googled this & was actually surprised that actusl experiments have been done on this & free range ants survive because they are too small to be touched by the radio waves the microwave uses.

The dang ants got into the water compartment of my steam iron. I noticed them crawling around inside the see through water area. I actually filled it up all the way & dumped it out several times. Hundreds of ants poured out when I dumped out the water.

I am so fed up with ants & cellar spiders (the wispy ones you hardly see) This warmer winter hasn't killed them off like usual so now it is WAR.

[unaluna]

There was some kind of gold color ant in my apartment. This is semi-student housing, so people move in every year from all over the world. Management sends the exterminator around to check on a regular basis. They got rid of these weirdo ants in one go. I looked them up, they were some kind of imperial-sounding name ants, i forget the exact name.

[*Laurie*]

UGH. I worked in a cafe for 13 years & occasionally we'd have ant problems. We didn't use any toxic chemicals, but we used to set out pie tins of......and that's what I'm trying to remember. The ants would be attracted to whatever it was we put in the tins and they'd congregate in there, eat the stuff, and die.

I will give this some thought and try to recall what it was that we used in the pie tins, because it sure worked well.

[stahrgeyzer]

You got it. They're too small. They only absorb a tiny amount of energy. Lucky little guys.

[MuseumGhost]

Wow!! Those are some funky places to find ants.

I was informed that a one-to 2 mixture of either Borax (available in the detergent aisle) or Boric Acid (in powder form, available at pharmacies) with powdered sugar, shaken up very well so the ants have to ingest the coated powders, will do the trick every time. It worked very well for me. Also, my cats don't mess with it. It can be used indoors or out...but you have to track down where the little monsters are coming IN to the house.

Another good solution is the droplet form (comes in a small squeeze bottle) of liquid RAID. Just a drop or two will take out whole colonies...this is good for placing near the openings where they're getting in. It could be risky to leave around pets though, so camouflage it inside a jar or a little plastic margarine container, etc...

Spiders are tougher to eradicate. The only solution I've found for them is to vacuum them up regularly, and seal the bag closed tightly with tape when you put it in the trash.

[WhatsNextNow]

I don't know if they were already done with my apartment, but two summer's ago I placed little piles of baking soda and powdered sugar in areas I tended to see a number of those little buggers. They send out the scouts to get food and bring it back to nests. The sweet draws them in and then the soda expands, and, well, not good for them. You see how ants tend to go in single lines because the scouts have left tracks for the others, or something like that. Get rid of as much food source as possible and wipe down areas to remove tracks and see if the soda-sugar helps any.

[TishaBuv]

Terro ant killer. It’s a tube of gooey liquid. You put a dot and leave it near the ants and they’ll eventually be gone.

[eskielover]

Thanks for all the good ideas.

I live on my farm & who knows where they are coming in from. My house is huge & they even make it up to the second story. I feed 2 of my dogs my dogs on my bed so the other dog won't eat their food too & that has attracted the ants. I quit leaving the left over food down & just give it to them later for a second helping. Loe hates that because he has always been a grazer.

Only place I don't see the ants is in my basement. Every other room I see scouts wandering around. They have been really bad this year. Usually in winter they are gone completely. The 0F degree weather slowed them down a bit but this 50-70F weather brought them out full force. I'm sure my being sick the end of Dec to almost the beginning of Feb didn't help because I did absolutely no cleaning then & dishes piled up. I am just now getting everything cleaned up now I have energy again but working out in the fields clearing brush on non-rainy days takes away cleaning time from inside the house. Usually there is no good weather for outside work during the winter. The overgrowth around the house is no help for seeing whete they are coming from either but there are ant places all over my farm. These are the kind of ants that actually stink when you kill them (squish them)

I did buy boraxo last year so will put some of that out. I used terro pellets but it worked for awhile then they came back. Can only tell where they are & deal with that in this country farm environment. I have wild life around my house (raccoons, possums, & skunks) so I am careful not to use anything toxic they could get into either. Its a lot different than the city living I did most of my life.

I have used insect spray on the spiders but they are all over the place & no break from them this winter either. I actually squirt them with my krud kutter cleaning spray & it kills them almost instantly by sticking them to the surface they are on.

Other years they sermed more controllable. Not this year. No winter break at all from bugs. I was even worried the chiggers would be out the otherbday I was out in the field clearing brush....I sprayed repellent just in case.

[possum220]

Having ants here too but not at the scale that you are. Hoping that the end of the plums and peach season will stop them. I have been making jam and the ants seemed to be attracted to the smell of fruit. Maybe I should clean out the kitchen cupboards. It's summer this month we have had so little rain that I think they are coming in to get water.

I have used ant sand when I get desperate outside the house. No good for your furbabies. Ant Rid has become useless.

Hmmmm, what has a professional had to say? Is that an option?

[*Laurie*]

Okay, I remember how we killed the ants in the cafe. It worked very well and was completely non-toxic to everyone but the ants.

The problem with Borax is that is is toxic to people and possibly to pets.

Baking soda and sugar, mixed well. The sugar attracts the ants and the baking soda kills them. Mix 1 part sugar with 1 part baking soda and then place your mixture in shallow lids wherever you see ants. That's it!

[eskielover]

Originally Posted by justafriend306

Hmmmm, what has a professional had to say? Is that an option?

Haven't had the money for a professional to do the job but they usually use chemicals I really want to avoid....but it wouldn't hurt to talk to them.

[eskielover]

Originally Posted by *Laurie*

Okay, I remember how we killed the ants in the cafe. It worked very well and was completely non-toxic to everyone but the ants.

The problem with Borax is that is is toxic to people and possibly to pets.

Baking soda and sugar, mixed well. The sugar attracts the ants and the baking soda kills them. Mix 1 part sugar with 1 part baking soda and then place your mixture in shallow lids wherever you see ants. That's it!

This actually sounds like my best solution. I have ton's of lids & yons of baking soda I bought for cleaning the floor before I painted the kilz on it before they lsid the linoleium in my master bedroom after all the doghie accidents on the carpet. Had lots of soda keft over & I use it for cleaning with white vinegar..do mixing some with sugar is easy.

Also got an idea from the lady who is teaching drawing to a group of us. It is 10 drops of mint oil with 1/2 liter of water in a spray bottle & spray everywhere there are spiders & ants. Betwesn tje 2 It should do something to help this problem

[unaluna]

The title of this thread sounds like a verse in a Roger Miller song.

"God didnt make the lil green apples, and ants dont die in the microwave..."

[eskielover]

Originally Posted by unaluna

The title of this thread sounds like a verse in a Roger Miller song.

"God didnt make the lil green apples, and ants dont die in the microwave..."

LOL!!!!....It was just a strange observation I had the other night warming my dinner & initially wondered WHY.....then it just pointed out my bad ant & spider problem. Thank heavens the spiders don't het in my mucrowave but they do make webs inside my oven door. I hace to take it apart & clean that.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by unaluna

The title of this thread sounds like a verse in a Roger Miller song.

"God didnt make the lil green apples, and ants dont die in the microwave..."

------------

[emgreen]

Spiders are ideal residents. I never kill spiders.

[WhatsNextNow]

Every time this thread title shows I sing, ala the theme to The Jefferson's -

Ants don't die in the microwave...they don't die on the grill...took a whole lotta try-iy-in just to get rid of that hill.

[amandalouise]

I had an ant problem. for a while I tried all kinds of home remedies. nothing worked finally I called an exterminator and found out something interesting....

ants live in cracks and underground. they lay eggs by the thousands and hundred thousands a day. you can wipe out some but then there are the ones in the next that come to the surface and these ants have fantastic senses. they follow the same trail that other ants before them follow.

in other words if you dont get ride of the ant trail more ants will continue to come around, get rid of the ant trail and the ants cant follow the same trail...

how do you get rid of the ant trail you watch them. notice the pattern and then spray a special made product that will clean the pheromones and secretions from the minute pores of the surface that they traveled on.

I used industrial strength Raid for ants and roaches. I watched the ants for a bit then I soaked not just sprayed, I sprayed enough to literally soak the trail, just as if i dumped a glass of water over. I let the puddle of Raid dry and I left it that way over night.

I also enclosed all my food products in sealed containers. and left no standing water. if they cant find food and drink they are not going to make a new trail.

I also set ant traps near their nests. (by watching them I discovered where they were going into the homes cracks and under ground.) the ant traps have special ant food that they pick up and if they manage to escape take the poison back to their nests, the new hatchlings eat it and no more ants in then nest.

never again had an ant problem.

A few thoughts have come to mind of concern. It was mentioned above a baking soda solution and of course chemicals have been discussed. It makes me wonder as to what is safe for the dogs. Hmmm, perhaps a mere phone call to an exterminator (Abel comes to mind) for a consultation might provide you with a few ideas.

Have these already been discussed? I apologize if they have. I found this. The pet friendly advice is what interested me:

Homemade bait for house ants:

Borax will kill odorous house ants, and powdered sugar will attract them. Make a homemade bait by thoroughly mixing one part borax with 3 parts powdered sugar. Fill tiny containers (such as bottle caps) with this homemade bait and place them as close to the place where you suspect ants are entering your house. If you see trails of ants, place small containers of the mixture directly in their path. This prevents most of them from traveling all around your house if they have easy access to this sugary treat.

(Have pets or kids who might get into this powdery mixture? Try this instead: mix one cup warm water with ½ cup sugar and 3 tablespoons borax. Soak it up with cotton balls and place them in shallow dishes near ant trails.)

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by justafriend306

Have these already been discussed? I apologize if they have. I found this. The pet friendly advice is what interested me:

Homemade bait for house ants:

Borax will kill odorous house ants, and powdered sugar will attract them. Make a homemade bait by thoroughly mixing one part borax with 3 parts powdered sugar. Fill tiny containers (such as bottle caps) with this homemade bait and place them as close to the place where you suspect ants are entering your house. If you see trails of ants, place small containers of the mixture directly in their path. This prevents most of them from traveling all around your house if they have easy access to this sugary treat.

(Have pets or kids who might get into this powdery mixture? Try this instead: mix one cup warm water with ½ cup sugar and 3 tablespoons borax. Soak it up with cotton balls and place them in shallow dishes near ant trails.)

cotton balls are a childs and pets best toys. they love anything small enough to put in mouth, hold in their hands/ mouths, toss you name it. borax is harmful to children and pets.

if have children and pets according to my own treatment providers is not to put anything down at all to call an exterminator who will have child pet safe ways to handle pest infestations. I found this out when I tried the popular childs project of home made slime. anything with borax in it will burn a childs hands, mouth... to test this use the borax cotton ball method then wipe it on your nose like a child would in smelling it or a dog would in smelling it, there will be a strong odor and slight tingle/ burning sensation. I tell you there is nothing like a child screaming because they picked up a cotton ball soaked in the solution and then they put their finger in their mouth and rubbed their eyes. I will never again use this cotton ball method. or any so called DIY child activity with borax / glue mixtures.

exterminators are more expensive yes but they have the special equipment needed to spray but yet quickly drying no residue for children and pets to pick up accidentally or on purpose.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by justafriend306

A few thoughts have come to mind of concern. It was mentioned above a baking soda solution and of course chemicals have been discussed. It makes me wonder as to what is safe for the dogs. Hmmm, perhaps a mere phone call to an exterminator (Abel comes to mind) for a consultation might provide you with a few ideas.

Baking soda is safe for dogs. The chemicals an exterminator uses are not safe, no matter what they tell people.

[eskielover]

.....so glad everyone is SINGING to this thread.....good to have some light hearted entertainment.

I have a very elderly doggie...almost 17 this April so I am so leary about using any chemicals. She is the one who got into the mouse pelets I had under a shelf unit & back out of the way when I felt desperate to rid my house of mice. Now I catch & release them miles away from my farm but more make their way up out of my woods. Poor Tawny has her stress level not seeing or hearing well but she is very healthy for her age. She just bumps into walls & stears at them trying to figure out which way to go before I assist her.....just wouldn't even think of chemicals.

Actually the soda & sugar is attracting them & seeing little dead ant bodies around now. Yea!!!!....on the kitchen counter & night stand next to my bed.

Ah yes, everything is in containers & zip lock bags. Luckily they haven't found my dog food container in my upstairs bathroom however they have found the dog food container in my family room that had the dig food jor my woodsey raccoons that visit nightly sticking their noses up to the sliding glass door if the food isn't already out for them. Yes, my house has a sign out....all non-domesticated critters welcome even when NOT LIKE the snts & spiders.

Yes, spiders wiuldn't be bad but we are talking hundreds of them & I am forever getting spider bites. I had one in the basement with a leg span of a small jar lid right by my washer & dehumidifier. That was too much. I let the lizards stay in the house. They don't hide & then bite me like the spiders do. A few I can live with but when they overtake the house, that is just no longer ok. Thst is where I am right now. The warmer winter I think has caused this plus when I was sick fir over a month & so busy before Christmas, cleaning didn't happen. NOW I am trying to catch up inside & out clearing brush before it sprouts leaves.

Lol....yes, standing water....who woulda thought that stsnding water included water inside my iron. I turned on my iron to iron some cotton cloths the ither day & I saw hundreds of ants inside the water resouvoir. It had been low. They ciuldn't get out but didn't die when I turned the uron up high either. Dang things are hardy & definitely survivors until I completely filled the uron with water & dumped hundreds if them down the bathroom sink drain.

Joys & difficulties with rural farm living but the benefits outweigh the struggles. Thank heavens I have the energy to clean finally but it is a massive job in a house 2500+ sq foot home & 1000 sq ft basement.

Haven't started with the red wasp inside the house problem yet. Didn't have much after hsving my roof replaced aling with all the rotten wood a year ago....that helped with one problem.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by eskielover

:rolf:.....so glad everyone is SINGING to this thread.....good to have some light hearted entertainment.

I have a very elderly doggie...almost 17 this April so I am so leary about using any chemicals. She is the one who got into the mouse pelets I had under a shelf unit & back out of the way when I felt desperate to rid my house of mice. Now I catch & release them miles away from my farm but more make their way up out of my woods. Poor Tawny has her stress level not seeing or hearing well but she is very healthy for her age. She just bumps into walls & stears at them trying to figure out which way to go before I assist her.....just wouldn't even think of chemicals.

Actually the soda & sugar is attracting them & seeing little dead ant bodies around now. Yea!!!!....on the kitchen counter & night stand next to my bed.

Ah yes, everything is in containers & zip lock bags. Luckily they haven't found my dog food container in my upstairs bathroom however they have found the dog food container in my family room that had the dig food jor my woodsey raccoons that visit nightly sticking their noses up to the sliding glass door if the food isn't already out for them. Yes, my house has a sign out....all non-domesticated critters welcome even when NOT LIKE the snts & spiders.

Yes, spiders wiuldn't be bad but we are talking hundreds of them & I am forever getting spider bites. I had one in the basement with a leg span of a small jar lid right by my washer & dehumidifier. That was too much. I let the lizards stay in the house. They don't hide & then bite me like the spiders do. A few I can live with but when they overtake the house, that is just no longer ok. Thst is where I am right now. The warmer winter I think has caused this plus when I was sick fir over a month & so busy before Christmas, cleaning didn't happen. NOW I am trying to catch up inside & out clearing brush before it sprouts leaves.

Lol....yes, standing water....who woulda thought that stsnding water included water inside my iron. I turned on my iron to iron some cotton cloths the ither day & I saw hundreds of ants inside the water resouvoir. It had been low. They ciuldn't get out but didn't die when I turned the uron up high either. Dang things are hardy & definitely survivors until I completely filled the uron with water & dumped hundreds if them down the bathroom sink drain.

Joys & difficulties with rural farm living but the benefits outweigh the struggles. Thank heavens I have the energy to clean finally but it is a massive job in a house 2500+ sq foot home & 1000 sq ft basement.

Haven't started with the red wasp inside the house problem yet. Didn't have much after hsving my roof replaced aling with all the rotten wood a year ago....that helped with one problem.

I like spiders, but when there are so many that you are being bitten, it's no good.

Yes, the baking soda an sugar works well. I promise! If you put out a pie tin(s) filled with the soda, sugar and a tiny bit of water ( not much; you don't want to repel the ants with water) to dampen it a bit you will catch loads of ants.