Ants...

[imamartian]

how to get rid of them !!!!!!!!!!!!!

they are in the kitchen and dining room, and outside on the patio.... can't see any obvious 'motorways' so can't tell how they're getting in even.

I have found a couple of entrances they use on the edge of the lawn, but will putting powder there just force them into the house?

Are there any better treatments than the old favourite - Nippon powder?

 

[roughcaster]

We've got the same problem Imam', so i'll watch this space with interest.

Roughcaster.

 

[TonyWarrington]

Have had the same problem for the last couple of years - mainly kitchen. Like you unable to locate tracks to give a clue where they are entering.

This year decided to look at every possible entry point I found small cracks around door cill, under window cill and around the entry points for garden tap and kitchen drain. Have now sealed these with exteriror mastic sealant - result have not seen any in the house for ages. Still expecting the little buggers to find a new way in though.

I have used Nippon powder outside but for inside bought the Nippon Ant traps and used the Nippon gel. They are supposed to take this back to the nest and in about 10 days activity should cease. I did put some gell on a piece of paper and left it in the kitchen one evening - later went back in and was horrified (and sickened!!) at the number of the little devils feeding on the bait.

Research on the net stated that they are not considered a health risk! Cannot believe this - sheer quantities of little feet treading god knows what into the house contaminating surfaces

 

[JohnD]

Nippon Gel, great stuff

you are supposed to put it on a bit of metal to prevent it soaking in

also, clean your floors and work sufaces of food scraps and drink spills, including round the pets' bowls.

 

[imamartian]

i'd agree they are probably less 'unclean' than the flies that land on your food or fruitbowl (that you DON'T see), but they just look bad... and have you tried squidging one of the little blighters.... they are ARMOURED !!!

Last year we had them getting into the fridge (through an airbrick and dodgy fridge door seal !).

As for the powder, most of them just walk around it.... the only ones that seem to be in bother are those that get a direct hit... not an effiecient means of erradication if there are a few hundred thousand of them, and i can see five on my patio !

 

[xerxes]

Find the ants' nest, and pour plenty of boiling water into it.

 

[imamartian]

can't find the nest... it's either under the patio, in the lawn, in the wall of the house, or under the decking !! (urghhh !!!! ant 'n' deck - horrible !!)

 

[jefoss]

if you cant boil out the nest, get a big pile of ant powder as near to the problem as you can guess, then put a load of suger in there too, mix it up, and loads will go there to die instead of into your house.

 

[imamartian]

nice idea!!

whats borax? (and not that funny guy off the telly) - and can you still get it?

 

[RF Lighting]

I once dug up an ants nest by accident while installing some garden lighting.

My good god! Thew were literally thousands of the little bugg*rs in that thing. Never seen anything like that before

Hope you get things sorted.

 

[TonyWarrington]

whats borax? (and not that funny guy off the telly) - and can you still get it?

Borax is an effective anti-bacterial, cleaning, fungicidal, and bleaching agent.

I guess that you are looking at making your own ant killer!! Are you sure you want borax as there are also some recipes using boric acid

Borax can be obtained from chemists and some supermarkets in small tubs or you can buy via ebay links for borax and boric acid:
http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=borax

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Boric-Acid-fi...yZ104233QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem