ANTS!

[Maylar]

This year I've been getting tiny little ants in my kitchen. They seem to like it on the counter top, no matter how often I clean the crumbs off it. I've used the "ant baits" little plastic thingies to no avail (over a week now).

Anybody have a never-fail solution for them?

 

[BrewerBrad82]

I know... not helpful. I hope you can get them under control, they are a pain in the neck.

 

[kh54s10]

Get a bunch of these:

 

[AkTom]

Get some Simple Green. Spray your counter where they walk.
My wife did this one time out of frustration. Soon they quit coming in...

 

[schmurf]

At my place there are more of them running around inside at spring/early summer, but at this time they usually have gone elsewhere. Unless there are hordes of them I usually don't do anything, just wait them out.

 

[passedpawn]

This year I've been getting tiny little ants in my kitchen. They seem to like it on the counter top, no matter how often I clean the crumbs off it. I've used the "ant baits" little plastic thingies to no avail (over a week now).

Anybody have a never-fail solution for them?

I suggest Demon WP. Get the little powder packets on amazon, mix in pump sprayer, do the baseboards in your house. I've been using it for 25 yrs here in FL, where the bug scene is pretty epic.

https://www.amazon.com/Demon-WP-Sol...=demon+wp&qid=1561739000&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-3

 

[NickTheGreat]

I use the little Terro liquid traps in the house.

I also sprinkle the Terro granules around the perimeter of the house. They bring it back to their nest and they all die.

Both of those combined seem to do the trick.

I also have a pot of the ortho insect preventer, it is rated for indoor use. But I typically use it to spray around the door and other areas the granules don't quite get spread.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Raid Bug Barrier around the baseboards.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Raid-Max-Bug-Barrier-Trigger-Starter-Kit-1-Gallon/16622241
Once a year.
It works outside too.

 

[matt_m]

They are really bad here this year too. I spray around the perimeter of the house and while I hate to, I've twice sprayed around the perimeter of the floor in the kitchen too. But mainly it seems like if they are out because the counter didn't get cleaned well enough or something got left in the sink so when it happens, I thoroughly wash everything and they go away until it happens again.

 

[bracconiere]

Raid Bug Barrier around the baseboards.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Raid-Max-Bug-Barrier-Trigger-Starter-Kit-1-Gallon/16622241
Once a year.
It works outside too.

+1

i had the same problem as the OP. and i used Home Defense, worked great...sounds like Bug Barrier is probably the same chemical...

i ended up getting ultra conc. and using a hose sprayer under the house too..no more roaches either

 

[tegman]

Terro liquid traps at the base of trees and Home Defense Max around the foundation.

 

[passedpawn]

+1

i had the same problem as the OP. and i used Home Defense, worked great...sounds like Bug Barrier is probably the same chemical...

i ended up getting ultra conc. and using a hose sprayer under the house too..no more roaches either

Raid Bug Barrier around the baseboards.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Raid-Max-Bug-Barrier-Trigger-Starter-Kit-1-Gallon/16622241
Once a year.
It works outside too.

These are both Pyrethrins, which are derived from chrysanthemum flowers. It's essentially the same as the powder I suggested above (Demon WP), but premixed for you.

I use the little Terro liquid traps in the house.

I also sprinkle the Terro granules around the perimeter of the house. They bring it back to their nest and they all die.

Both of those combined seem to do the trick.

Terro is just borax powder. You can buy that at your grocery store or Home Depot in large quantities. It's completely non-toxic to people and animals I think, so if you're worried about that it's a good choice.

 

[Maylar]

Thanks guys. I'll let y'all know how I make out.

 

[bracconiere]

Thanks guys. I'll let y'all know how I make out.

lol, first someone's asking about getting proper head...now they're going to explain how they make out.....


Good luck! what did you decide on?

 

[Maylar]

lol, first someone's asking about getting proper head...now they're going to explain how they make out.....


Good luck! what did you decide on?

Hmm.. we know where your mind is, eh?

Gonna pick up some Terro liquid and the Raid Max Bug stuff. Maybe I get to kill the disgusting stink bugs too while I'm at it.

 

[bracconiere]

Hmm.. we know where your mind is, eh?

 

[OnePlate]

I make up my own ant bait with borax and sugar water. I keep a labeled glass bottle of it on hand all the time and when ants start invading I dip a cotton ball in it and put it where they seem to be concentrated. After they've been sucking up delicious poison for a few days they stop showing up for quite a while.

 

[jtratcliff]

I make up my own ant bait with borax and sugar water. I keep a labeled glass bottle of it on hand all the time and when ants start invading I dip a cotton ball in it and put it where they seem to be concentrated. After they've been sucking up delicious poison for a few days they stop showing up for quite a while.

You can also mix it up dry... about 50/50 borax & sugar... Track the little bastidges back to where they are coming from and sprinkle your powder mixture around the area... They can't seem to tell the borax from the sugar so they carry it all back to the nest... You'll need to do it again a week or two later to get the next wave of newly hatched ants.

You can also use cinnamon as a barrier... doesn't kill 'em but they don't like to cross it.... If you see where they are coming in the house, lay a line of cinnamon across their path.

 

[MaxStout]

I've used the borax/powdered sugar mix for indoors (safer, especially with pets around). Outside, I spray the ant barrier stuff along the perimeter of the house. Keeps out most of them.

 

[Redpappy]

For your nusance ants in the kitchen, I would use Terro. Spend a few minutes to see how they are traveling ( against walls) then place a fence tabs in this areas. If you notice a lot of activity, that is great news, you will need to make sure they have adequate bait available to them. Depending on the size of the colony will depend on how quickly they will disappear.

My preference for bug control is Demand CS for my interiors and a permethrin or bifinthein ( talstar being a name brand)for my exterior.

 

[Chorgey]

We get them about once a year, they start coming in when the weather gets damp or humid out. On our counter tops, we'll use cinnamon. They don't like to cross the cinnamon, we just leave it there until we don't see them anymore.

 

[kevink]

Liquid Terro is no joke. Takes care of them in a day or two.

 

[BruceH]

The Raid or Ortho white powder will get them. Whenever I see ants on my property I find where they are coming from and liberally apply the powder on and around all nests I can find. If I ever see a scout ant in the house I make sure it isn't going to make it back and I find out if there are more ants. If I find a few more scouts they get tracked back to where they are coming from.

Everyday house cleaning and cleaning all spills promptly along with rinsing soda cans and beer bottles before disposing of them will help keep ants away. The same goes with brewing, I will wipe up all wort spills promptly.

 

[SanPancho]

Borax and sugar doesn’t always work. Some ants want sugars and simple carbs, other times they want protein. Ive seen them walk right past a fresh terro bait to get the peanut butter some homeless dude left on sidewalk.

For inside the house- caulk and spray foam are your friend here.

 

[Hophunter]

I use the homemade borax bait as mentioned by others. Bad infestations take a couple of days and then another round 2-3 days later. Works great as long as you don’t mind resisting the urge to kill the bastards. https://www.mashupmom.com/yes-borax-got-rid-of-the-ants/

 

[S-Met]

Just curious, crush an ant with your fingers then smell them. If it has a faint smell of fermented coconut then you probably have odorus house ants. I'm not an ant or bug expert, just know my problems. They are a multi-queen colony and you may want to avoid fast acting treatments and raid sprays.

I use "fuse" concentrated spray and Advion Ant, both from amazon. Have had less bugs since I dropped pest service and started doing this.

 

[applescrap]

I suggest Demon WP. Get the little powder packets on amazon, mix in pump sprayer, do the baseboards in your house. I've been using it for 25 yrs here in FL, where the bug scene is pretty epic.

https://www.amazon.com/Demon-WP-Sol...=demon+wp&qid=1561739000&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-3

Is that outdoor too?

 

[applescrap]

I use ortho HD every couple months or so. Works good enough. It's been years now I have done that. But curious about stronger or better. I know Florida so would like to learn more from you critter experts. The liquid terro does work I have used it before and they redesigned the bait, I think for the better. That bottom cut was harder to make than it seemed.

 

[Kent88]

Perfectly reasonable.

 

[Soulshine2]