BajaNomad - Ants - how to battle without chemicals??

Ants - how to battle without chemicals??

Cervisin - 8-20-2007 at 07:42 AM

Hi all and a good start into the week.

I do have a ant problem and was wondering if anybody here has some advise how to battle them sucka's without the use of chemical means.

Thanks for advise

Cervisin

Debra - 8-20-2007 at 07:51 AM

Put a line of Comet or whatever eheap cleanser as a line, be sure to put it on any wires or pipes.
Very few will cross the line, it works great!

Bajalero - 8-20-2007 at 07:57 AM

I guess that eliminates just about everything except stomping on them

Not what you wanted but this is what I use

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/maxforce-fine-granular-ins...

Diver - 8-20-2007 at 08:04 AM

Try Boric acid powder mixed with something sweet like maple syrup, jelly or honey.
Put a thin line near the ants and they will take it back to the nest.
Replace with new stuff each day for a few days.
Always seems to work for the little ants in the kitchen etc.
If you have carpernter ants, that is another story- get the chemicals quick.

.

Cypress - 8-20-2007 at 08:47 AM

Diver's boric acid method works. Have tried it. :bounce:

longlegsinlapaz - 8-20-2007 at 09:28 AM

Boric acid mixed in something sweet DOES work....but if ya really want to go a toxin-free route, try a plate of honey over in your neighbors yard!

Keep all foods refrigerated or in sealed containers, i.e., get rid of whatever is attracting them!

Cervisin - 8-20-2007 at 09:30 AM

Hi all, thanks for advise,

Debra: that did hold them of their "trail" for 1/2 hour.......

Diver: your suggestion is next attempt....

Bajalero: wished I could use also.....

Cervisin - 8-20-2007 at 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by longlegsinlapaz
Boric acid mixed in something sweet DOES work....but if ya really want to go a toxin-free route, try a plate of honey over in your neighbors yard!

Keep all foods refrigerated or in sealed containers, i.e., get rid of whatever is attracting them!

I dont have the freedom of choice - I dont want to go the toxin free route.... I have to

longlegsinlapaz - 8-20-2007 at 09:43 AM

CAUTION!!! Put the boric acid bait out of reach of pets!! Dogs are attracted to sweet stuff & cats are just plain curious!

Debra - 8-20-2007 at 10:57 AM

Hum........you must be dealing with sneaky little critters, Comet has always worked for me. Maybe these are hybrid ants.

Bajagypsy - 8-20-2007 at 11:01 AM

Boric Acid works very well. If I can find there home (the ant hill) I also pour boiling water down the hole 2 or 3 times a day. It works as well.

Cervisin - 8-20-2007 at 11:28 AM

Debra: it's a new thing, past 2 years in this house no probs. Guess the rain made them move.... I see 2 differnt "tribes" smaller black ones and about double to 3 times their size red ones.

LongLegs: no problem - no cats here, dog love cats - best would be on a plate with some salsa :lol:

Dog no like sweets, bad for teeth - need teeth for that stuff -> http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=26276

Bajagypsy: Good idea, so I just need to get manguera from tinaco roflmao :light:

Are there Anteaters to buy in LP?? Then again, dog may like anteater to..... :lol:

[Edited on 20-8-2007 by Cervisin]

elizabeth - 8-20-2007 at 11:52 AM

Lay a line of powdered cinnamon across their trail. Always works for me...they use scent to follow trails, and this disturbs it.

Cypress - 8-20-2007 at 12:04 PM

Benzene will wipe out any colony/bed/mound. :yes:

Boric acid will nail 'em when they get inside your house.

The worse ants to deal with are "Fire Ants". :yes:

Ever been bitten by a fire ant? Mean little buggers. :tumble:

Battling

MrBillM - 8-20-2007 at 12:07 PM

Using a very small blade, decapitate them.

Cervisin - 8-20-2007 at 12:07 PM

Fire Ants - are this the red ones?? Have only limited knowledge about this kinda animals.... :?:

Cervisin - 8-20-2007 at 12:10 PM

Mr. Bill: they kinda don't hold still to do so and I'm short on very small rope to tie down :tumble:

Cypress - 8-20-2007 at 12:18 PM

Cervisin If you've ever had any dealings with fire ants you'll have no doubts about ID'ing 'em. :biggrin:

fdt - 8-20-2007 at 12:18 PM

What is most efective and you can ask at the chinese stores on 16 de Septiembre in La Paz were you are is, Gis para las hormigas, a chinese chalk.
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=17893#pid1543...

It's what we always use
http://sznorinco.com/chemicals/insecticide/magic_chalk.htm

bajalera - 8-20-2007 at 03:47 PM

Decisions, but where's the Negra Modelo?

Some connection to the roots.... (dont have a better excuse)

Cervisin - 8-20-2007 at 04:05 PM

Bajalera:

Quote:

Pacifico Clara (its full name) is a pilsner that first was brewed in 1900 when three Germans opened the Cerveceria del Pacifico brewery in Mazatlan

Got to have some connections to the mothership (Alemanea). So decisions are purely about size (time to finish "job") :lol:

It's just logic -> Baja Sur -> Whales -> Whale Watching -> I love to watch a Ballena come out of fridge.... roflmao

Roberto - 8-20-2007 at 04:12 PM

I believe citrus extract will work. it's used by disinfestation companies here.

Everyone was doing "it!"

John M - 8-20-2007 at 04:15 PM

Instead of the rather expensive tent sites at the KOA in Chula Vista as a overnight stop before entering Baja we opted to stay at a San Diego County Campground - Sweetwater Summit - actually the same offramp S/B 805 as the KOA - except you go left instead of right.

So, we had a nice spot, shady, the staff was great except - except they had neglected to inform us about all the white powder around all the motorhomes, tents, and various campsites. Everyone was doing it - except us! Of course in the morning we found out what the heck it was all about. Ants, ants, and more ants. Our silver ice chest was black, along with all the food in it, ants in our eyes, ants all over the back of out truck - in the trash - everywhere.

And the folks with the "comet" - many of them had ants as well, just not nearly as infested as we were.

I'm not sold on the comet as a deterrent....Certainly the ants at Sweetwater Summit feasted on nearly every bit of food we had brought along for 4 days in Baja.

John M

[Edited on 8-20-2007 by John M]

Bajalero - 8-20-2007 at 06:56 PM

Diatomatious earth is supposed to work if you get the kind they sell at a nursery. The form that is used in pool filters evidently doesn't do the job . Supposedly it clogs their breathing tubes.

Maybe you could make a slurry of that and Tecate beer . That should kill just about anything :lol:

Or just pour the Tecate on them directly .

Debra - 8-20-2007 at 07:15 PM

John M:

Funny, I first learned of the Comet trick at the KOA in Chula Vista (maybe, 8yrs. ago?) , and moved to SweetWater and did the same.......it has always worked for us. I suspect, the Baja ants might be of healther stuff? Although it did work on an attact in Bahia.

Alcohol abuse

Cervisin - 8-20-2007 at 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajalero
Diatomatious earth is supposed to work if you get the kind they sell at a nursery. The form that is used in pool filters evidently doesn't do the job . Supposedly it clogs their breathing tubes.

Maybe you could make a slurry of that and Tecate beer . That should kill just about anything :lol:

Or just pour the Tecate on them directly .

..that would be alcohol abuse..... :yes:

bajabound2005 - 8-20-2007 at 07:19 PM

Our ant problem started not long after I first read this thread! First they were just inside the front door, and yes, did get out toxic spray. An hour later, I see them in the kitchen, mostly on the floor and a few just headed up a cabinet. More toxic spray. Then....we find what brought them in...our grandkids are here. Madison left a "lollipop" she started sucking on yesterday lying on our cloth covered window bench in the living room -- guess what? A HUGE trail of ants...and more toxic spray.

But the ants are gone. And I HATE ants more than anything. You feel them crawling on you even if they aren't after dealing with them crawling everywhere!

Tommy A - 8-20-2007 at 08:17 PM

Get Rid of Ants: Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it , take it "home", can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains , but it works & you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

bajabound2005 - 8-20-2007 at 08:21 PM

a week with ants??? Give me the chemicals!

Iflyfish - 8-20-2007 at 09:44 PM

I too have used borax powder in karo syrup. Place a small dot near the opening to the nest, or in some location where pets are not going to find or eat it. It takes patiANTS but eventually when they have taken enough back to their nest, it kills 'em.

There are meat eating as well as sweet eating ants and I did a google search and found one for meat eating ants too. I believe it used borax and cat food. A thorough Google Search will put you in touch with alternatives.

Iflyfish

Diver - 8-20-2007 at 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cervisin
Ants - how to battle without chemicals??

Ask your Uncles ??? :rolleyes:

.

[Edited on 8-21-2007 by Diver]

Cervisin - 8-20-2007 at 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Diver

Quote:

Originally posted by Cervisin
Ants - how to battle without chemicals??

Ask your Uncles ??? :rolleyes:

.

[Edited on 8-21-2007 by Diver]

Sorry, lost you on that one. Uncles?? Explain please

Iflyfish - 8-21-2007 at 03:28 AM

Ants and Uncles......joke.......get the uncles to tell you how to control ants.

Do as the uncles do, get them drunk and deal with them then.....oops more ants.....

Never as funny when they are explained.

However, you didn't take the bait.

Iflyfish

...did'n take the bait.....

Cervisin - 8-21-2007 at 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Iflyfish
Ants and Uncles......joke.......get the uncles to tell you how to control ants.

Do as the uncles do, get them drunk and deal with them then.....oops more ants.....

Never as funny when they are explained.

However, you didn't take the bait.

Iflyfish

Good morning all,

flyfish (respective diver). sorry did not get in and take bait. Try baiting with beer next time... :tumble:

In regards ants: They are gone! Like they came about 36 hrs. ago they disappeared again. I assume the weather conditions Sunday / rain brought them in.

Thanks for all the advise (...and entertainment)

fandango - 8-21-2007 at 11:34 AM

windex will kill them and leave the area smelling clean.

cristobal - 8-21-2007 at 03:33 PM

One of the ranchos that I visit in SAN ZACARIAS, 20 km south of SAN IGNACIO, had an ANT problem several years ago. :yes:

The kitchen table is where everyone gathered for meals and just happened to be the spot where the bowl of sugar got spilled and little scraps of food got left. To keep the table ANT FREE ... they would put a empty tuna cans under each one the legs and make sure that they always had water. :bounce:

Kept the ANTS off the table. :wow:

Cervisin - 8-21-2007 at 04:05 PM

Lol, did the same in Africa (table and bed) just petroleum in cans cause they have ants sized you need to shoot with a 12 gauge and can skin them afterward to have some in front of fireplace + other bugs that not even care the water in cans (swimmers or jumpers).

Keeping all food sealed ( I love tupperware) and cleaned up is first step.
As said - they gone, now need to clean all different powders..... :lol:

daveB - 8-22-2007 at 10:24 PM

well now, everything is chemicals, but to stay away from harsh chemicals when dealing with an ant problem, one might use Cal, as its called. Buy a bag at the hardware store and its almost a lifetime cure for 'em, for a few pesos. Just keep the routes they can take blocked by the white cal, works fine when out on the beach, or anywhere for more than a day or two. Yes, those white lines around everything on the ground are not all really Comet. With Cal there is little danger to anything we generally cherish, and it helps to condition the ground amd becomes a fine way to stikingly outline all your aquasitions. And remember, prevention is easier than elimination. Buy a bag and share the cure!