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We had ants when we first moved into our house. We now pay an extermination company $85/quarter to come by and spray the perimeter of the house. They also will come in the house at no extra charge and spot spray high trouble areas. We have had zero problems since.

I grew up in a house with ant problems and they plagued us forever. They get into any container of food and it sucks. Pay the pros to do it right.

"I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smells like... victory."

Terro liquid ant baits have always worked well for me.

www.terro.com

I have to tell you living in South Florida for almost 50 years, I came to expect ants around or in the house. But I really have found the cure for ants inside AND outside around the house.

It's called "Termidor". I learned about this chemical from a friend who works for Pioneer Pest Control. Termidor is a chemical that is sprayed around the outside of the house once every 4 to 6 months and is meant to kill termites. But a side benefit is that it kills ALL kinds of ants too! It does not kill on contact alone (problem with many aerosol cans like Raid or Black Flag), but by ingestion, contact, and the 'transfer effect' meaning affected insects help spread Termidor throughout the colony before dying themselves. After about one week, they'll start to die. After one week's time I found about 500 dead bull ants or carpenter ants around my hot tub out on my back patio (I didn't even know there was a nest of these as I only saw an occasional large ant). It also kills all tiny ants... white footed ants, Caribbean crazy ants, sugar ants, etc. I use to see ants around or on the window sill but since my friend sprayed around the house 4 months ago, I've not seen a single ant (large or small) anywhere around the house. I paid $30 for this treatment. He's due back this week to apply Termidor again as a precaution.

I think you can get Termidor yourself for around $80 a quart, but I think it's much safer to have the professionals handle it.

America's #1 termite defense product kills ants too
http://www.cooperseeds.com/termidor.php3

Also FWIW, my friend warned me about using Terro. He said Terro only kills one certain kind of ant but feeds many other kinds.

On the basis of professional advice, we keep carpenter ants at bay here by spreading Dursban granules with a whirlybird spreader around the ouside of the house twice a year. Seems to do the job, but I don't know if it would work for an acute infestation.

I always enjoyed pouring a pan of scalding hot boiling water over the critters...

Well, inside the house that might be messy...

How about ductape or WD-40?

If you can identify the source, try setting out a mixture of mint jelly and boric acid near it. This is also advice from another professional exterminator.

Valve oil is very good at killing ants, but you need direct contact.

I like some of these other solutions better, though.

It is tempting to use gasoline on an ant hill. It kills all ants instantly but dooms future human generations. My son loves to pour gas and then toss a match. That works too.
A fellow I knew poured gas on his stove when he found ants. He forgot about the pilot light on a gas stove. That was the first time he and his wife left the house together in years.

C4 doesn't work. Just spreads them around and leaves a big hole, but sure fun to watch.

-

Aspartame a.k.a "nutra sweet" was originally developed as an ant poison and works pretty well in that capacity. Sprinkle some Equal where the ants congregate. If the ants wont eat it, try making a paste with water or juice. I don't know if it works for all species, but it works for the ants around here.


-Eric

tofu wrote:I mix a 50/50 mixture of flour and baking soda. Ants can't expell gas. The flour attracks them but they also injest the baking soda which gives them gas and that does them in. At first you will see a lot of ant activity as they are attracted to the bait which they also take back and share at with the colony.

This works for me but I don't know if it works for all types of ants.

Your ants could learn from the Slitheen:



I wonder if the Slitheen can tap-dance...

tofu wrote:....Ants can't expell gas. ....

You know.... come to think of it... I've NEVER heard an ant fart

I like boric acid. It's a very safe powder that you can eat without doing much damage. Unfortunately, here in Vietnam, it requires a prescription. It's considered dangerous. The only insecticides available are Raid, Black Flag, and their European and Vietnamese equivalents.

I'm not an ecology nut or anything, but why not try something natural:

LoyalTubist wrote:I like boric acid. It's a very safe powder that you can eat without doing much damage. Unfortunately, here in Vietnam, it requires a prescription. It's considered dangerous. The only insecticides available are Raid, Black Flag, and their European and Vietnamese equivalents.

Can you obtain borax (sodium perborate)? Still does the job and is available as a laundry additive, water softener and welding flux.

I wanted to add to what Sean said about hiring a company to come in and spray.

We did have to sign a contract for $85 a quarter and that includes ALL nasty bugs too--we saw a roach in our house once and they came and sprayed the place down, sprayed for spiders, sprayed for bees all separate times and the cost was always the same.

We also have a kiddo with some health issues and the spray never caused him any trouble at all. Take baby out of the house for about an hour or 2 when they come and spray.

bloke wrote:

Tubaryan12 wrote:I'm not an ecology nut or anything, but why not try something natural:

...Someone ALWAYS has to play the race card...

Hey,

Anteater Americans have been kept down by the man for long enough. Rise up, Anteaters, and demand your place at the table!

Mo' anthills, let's eat!
Mo' anthills, let's eat!
Mo' anthills, let's eat!.......