BajaNomad - Invaded by Ants - any non-toxic remedies/solutions?

Invaded by Ants - any non-toxic remedies/solutions?

todoamiga - 6-20-2006 at 02:51 PM

We have ants coming out of the walls, literally, and into anything and everything in the small house we are in. It's like camping indoors! All dry good have to be locked in a cooler.

Any suggestions for how to exterminate without pesticides?

Thanks much.

bajabound2005 - 6-20-2006 at 02:59 PM

Here's a link to a natural method.
http://www.ehow.com/how_3791_rid-ants-naturally.html

You also need to wipe down anywhere the ants have been as they leave a scent that other ants follows. Use a solution of white vinegar and water.

Another great method is using boric acid. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon of Boric Acid, 1 tsp of Sugar, 4 oz water, Cotton Balls.
Mix Boric Acid and Sugar in a bowl. This can be poured over a cotton wad in a small dish or bottle cap. Keep this from drying out for continued effectiveness. Place Cotton balls in path of Ants.

I think the ants take this solution back to the nest and it actually kills off the ants in the next as well.

Rotsa Ruck.

Bug Man

DanO - 6-20-2006 at 03:07 PM

Try askthebugman.com. He says soapy water or boric acid baits. I've used boric acid powder pretty succesfully, but it isn't completely non-toxic. I think there are some orange-oil based products on the market that are also supposed to be effective.

flyfishinPam - 6-20-2006 at 04:12 PM

I have small children and I use windex. If I could find ammonia here I'd dilute it and use that instead as its much cheaper. windex kills them instantly then I sweep them away. If I can find the nest I pour boiling water down it or shoot it with windex if its on a wall and facing out the side. You'll see ants right before rains because of the pressure changes also when the seasons are changing like a few weeks ago before it got hot for the summer.

jerry - 6-20-2006 at 04:14 PM

i use my size 13 stomp on a few whem the rest come to the funeral stomp on the rest if you only have size 6-7 use both feet :lol:

DanO - 6-20-2006 at 04:48 PM

Stomping won't work on the red ones. Just makes the ones you miss get real cranky.

Bruce R Leech - 6-20-2006 at 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DanO
Stomping won't work on the red ones. Just makes the ones you miss get real cranky.

dont miss

DanO - 6-20-2006 at 05:20 PM

It's tough to be accurate when a few of them manage to get up your pants leg and start biting. You can ask my 9-year old. He has much more respect for them now. Along with jumping chollas, agaves and yellowjackets. On the bright side, no scorpion stings, so far anyway.

Baja Bernie - 6-20-2006 at 06:34 PM

My pool guy swears by the "D" earth that goes in the filter will work every time--No, I can't spell it. Just run it outside the walls.
Never tried it.

bajabound2005 - 6-20-2006 at 06:56 PM

Holy crap..here I am handing out advice and I open one of our cupboards to find it FULL OF ANTS! Had the same problem about a week ago....they were into an UNOPENED bag of sugar. Tossed that and cleaned up. This AM I was looking for some brown sugar I know I bought about 2 weeks ago. I found it and all was well with it. This afternoon I go to pull it to make some Baked Beans and YIKES...ants everywhere! Pulled everything out of the cabinet (tossed the brown sugar) sprayed with very toxic Baygon purchased locally) and closed the cabinet....and waited. Then cleaned up everything with my H2O & white vinegar solution. Put everything away. Put all other sugar items into the freezer. Have to go buy more brown sugar

( manana) as they beans are for Thursday's dinner!

[Edited on 6-21-2006 by bajabound2005]

fdt - 6-20-2006 at 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by todoamiga
We have ants coming out of the walls, literally, and into anything and everything in the small house we are in. It's like camping indoors! All dry good have to be locked in a cooler.

Any suggestions for how to exterminate without pesticides?

Thanks much.

Where are you?
This is what "we use in M?xico". Instant remedie, found at most sobreruedas or swapmeets
http://sznorinco.com/chemicals/insecticide/magic_chalk.htm

Debra - 6-20-2006 at 09:13 PM

What I found that works is "Comet" cleanser line. be sure to put the Comet on any hoses or power lines.

BajaHawk - 6-20-2006 at 09:31 PM

Mix boric acid with honey or syrup. Mix it to toothpaste consistency. It is "toxic"of course but not dangerous for the environment - just the ants that eat it after it's carried back to the colony.

Paulina - 6-20-2006 at 09:34 PM

Debra,
You are too funny, as soon as I read this thread I instantly thought of you and your Comet or Ajax, whatever. I remember you lining the camp with it, circling Dern in his lounge chair....I'm glad to see your post, and happy that you beat me to it!!!

Your pal,
P.<*)))><

Debra - 6-20-2006 at 10:01 PM

:lol:

Hey, it worked didn't it!? :lol:

Get a product called 'TERRO'...

Mexray - 6-20-2006 at 10:30 PM

...the liquid ant killer. It's really the best we've ever used! It comes as a heavy liquid in a small bottle - you just put a few drops near the ant trail - they REALLY love this stuff! They will sip it all up and take it back to their 'nest' and it will kill the whole colony in a few days! Keep a watch on the bait, as they sip it up like honey, so you'll have to replace some more drops a few times a day.

We get it at Loew's here in Northern Calif, but Terro sells their stuff at many different places - they have a web site for more info. They also have pre-baited little packs of the liquid that you just sit near the ant trail, and you don't have to re-bait, as each pack is plenty to wipe out the little buggers!

We've been using TERRO for about a year, and have all but cured our ant invasions! Try it, you'll like it, or the ant's will, at least!

[Edited on 6-21-2006 by Mexray]

daveB - 6-20-2006 at 10:32 PM

Quick lime can also be effective when layed out as a perimiter barrier.

We also use the chinese chalk, but treat it as being toxic.

Bob and Susan - 6-21-2006 at 04:18 AM

Chalk DOES NOT kill the ants...and...
if you have ants you have OTHER bugs.

This time of year ants are looking to cool off...too hot :lol:

You really need a KILL zone :cool:

Spectracide 10 Lb. Triazicide Insect Killer $8.00 a bag.
This stuff will work.
:lol:

Chemicals

meme - 6-21-2006 at 08:23 AM

Use Baygone Powder!Put it right at the points of entry & down the holes. Spray with Home Defence Max regularly! Works for us! Helps keep All the Critters out!

Bajalero - 6-21-2006 at 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Baja Bernie
My pool guy swears by the "D" earth that goes in the filter will work every time--No, I can't spell it. Just run it outside the walls.
Never tried it.

Diatomaceous Earth Bernie. AKA "D.E."- silicon dioxide, diatons

Supposed to work by laceration and dessicating insects including ants. I have never tried it personally, but have heard others swear by it.

The best product I've ever used is Maxforce- (not natural) but is very effective on any bug that'll pick it up

http://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/cgi-bin/pestcontrol.st...

todoamiga - 6-21-2006 at 09:45 AM

Great advice, the poor suckers don't stand a chance now. Boric acid + sounds perfect... I've used it personally for yeast infections, worked wonders. Thanks much!

I'd be very careful with Baygon

vgabndo - 6-22-2006 at 09:26 PM

I carelessly sprayed it inside my camper van one night in the Yucatan when I got stuck and left the lights on and doors open.

I had a billion bugs to kill before bed so I sprayed it all over then shut the doors and left for half an hour. Where it landed on the back of my bare neck I broke out in a NASTY rash that was described by a knowledgeable person as looking very similar to what dioxin exposure does.

I got a very similar reaction years before when the State of California exposed their teenaged employee to Penta Chlorophenol.

It IS deadly, and I still use it, but very carefully.

msrla - 6-23-2006 at 11:03 AM

I am with MEXRAY on this one, TERRO ant baits are the BEST, EASIEST, mess free non-toxic way, they work well, you just have to be patient, place it on the trails, it will wipe out the colony usually within a few days to a week depending on how large an infestation. We get those pesty argentine ants here in SOCAL and have been invaded on many occassions! I just set out about 20 of them on the trails around my home this week, fingers crossed they won't get in the house this summer!

Natalie Ann - 6-23-2006 at 02:32 PM

TERRO ant bait in the bottles comes in two different formulas - one with strychnine, one without. If you want those ants to disappear for a long time, get the one with strychnine.

California law used to dictate use of the non-strychnine formula, not sure if that's still true (but likely). Ask someone in Illinois to bring you a bottle.

Obviously, don't put it where children or pets might lick it... and don't do so yourself. :?:

(I've wanted all my Nomads life to use that barf icon and hadn't yet found reason. Thank you ants.)

Baygon...

vgabndo - 6-23-2006 at 03:04 PM

Way too many skulls and crossed bones involved in the ingredients for me to use it any more. Additional info. at the link.

http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Product.jsp?REG_NR=00367...

IST_NR=003671

[Edited on 6-23-2006 by vgabndo]
The winking icon just jumped in there...another cyber mystery

[Edited on 6-23-2006 by vgabndo]

meme - 6-24-2006 at 08:20 AM

Hmm? the Baygone we get is in Powder form. Never have seen liquid spray? But we just sprinkle it in affected areas carefully, not near food or drink and we have no pets, nor children so has not been any problem using it for us.And it sure stops those ants!

Stop an ant, I think it would stop an Abrams Tank!

vgabndo - 6-24-2006 at 10:31 AM

meme - 6-24-2006 at 11:48 AM

Sorry Can't test that as I do Not have any Abrams Tanks!! :biggrin:

you know? I do not even know what an Abrams Tank looks like, maybe I do have one and don't know it? lol lol! :biggrin:

You know what? I was just looking at that container that is Baygon and it has NO Skull & Crossbone on it!!!!! :?:

[Edited on 6-24-2006 by meme]

Meme-----

Barry A. - 6-25-2006 at 11:06 AM

-----neither does an Abrams Tank have a skull and cross bones-------------not all lethal things are so marked, but they ARE deadly.

I will stick with the Boric Acid mixture--------it sure works on c-ck-a-roaches.

meme - 6-27-2006 at 08:23 AM

OMG!!! c-ckroaches!!! I REALLY Hate c-ckroaches!

I think I will stay with Baygon as I KNOW IT WORKS! :yes: