HELP! Ants are invading my home......

USAF385

USAF385

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Well this time of year I always end up with some ants getting in my house. This year has been pretty bad.

I've used "Terro" ant killer (a sugary poisonous goop you put down for the ants to eat) and also Spectracide Ant Shield around the foundation of my house.

In the kitchen (where I used the Terro the most) I have seen a decrease in ants, but an increase in one of the bedrooms furthest from the kitchen. The Spectracide may be old, I don't know how long we've had it.

Anyway.. I was hoping for some advice on how to keep these buggers out of my house. Oh, they are black carpenter ants. And before you ask... yes I tried using my Smith and Wessons against them....
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Diatomaceous earth.

All natural, won't kill your lawn or pets, and relatively cheap. Dust it around the foundation, under and along baseboards and sills, door sills, window sills, etc. Friends have used it and swear by it. Also works on fleas on pets, and if you buy food-grade, add a tablespoon to a bag of flour to prevent worms and weevils.

Do some google work for the best price.
 
I have found that Soft Scrub gel kills them instantly. The ants also don't like to cross it, so it makes a pretty good barrier.

Good luck - I'm in a constant battle against nature at my house.
 
Boric acid powder/ sold in home improvement stores in the insecticide/garden sections usually. Sold primarily for cockroach control but works just as effectivly on ants/spiders,etc.

Lightly dust areas they track through. Don't pile it up, they'll just walk around it. They pick up the dust on their bodies and it kills them slowly (week or so) but the most important point,,, they bring it back to the nest and it gets distributed to all the others and they die too.

Killing/squashing what you see gives great feelings of accomplishment but leaves a few thousand more in the nest or even 'satelite' nests farther away from the main one,,closer to you.

You have to get them there & the queen(s). Nest is usually in moist wood, partly decayed, so check for a wet area from leaking roof or wall, ground water leaking back into a basement, firewood pile not elevated off the ground, etc.

They can wander for 100 to 200yrds or more from the nests looking for food. But a real active area w/ large count means the nest is close by. They are generally most active at night.

Some people add a tiny bit of suger to the powdered boric acid to attract the ants to it and it makes sure they do in fact track thru it and get it on them.

Do a websearch for 'boric acid ants',,etc and you'll come up with alot of info incl safety info.
The stuff is cheap. Some people buy a 'puffer' to apply/blow the dust into cracks and crevices. You can find those for sale from web-extermination supply places.
 
Carpenter ants are not attracted to sugar based bait, and less likely to encounter diatomaceous earth, because they generally travel in channels that they bore in the wood. Best thing is to find their entry points and use a dust based pesticide.
Diatomaceous earth can be expensive - buy a bag of sandblasting sand - more effective and cheaper if you ever have to use it. It works well for roaches, scorpions, and most other organisms with exoskeletons, it simply scratches them, which makes them dehydrate. For any ant found crawling inside the house, simple Windex is the best thing to spray them with. They die instantly, you can wipe them up with a paper towel, and not be spreading pesticides around needlessly.
 
Actually, black carpenter ants.. aka camponotus pennsylvanicus ARE attracted to sweets. Since the poster is from NEPA, these are his ants. They are omnivorous and will eat meat, other insects, fruit and sugary stuff like.. sugar or honey.

My guess is you have a dead tree near your house which is home to your friends. If you can find it, any of the mentioned "sprinkle dust" treatments could be applied to a circle around the tree as well as your foundation.
 
Every year I buy Ortho "Home Defense". I spray it outside around the door area and all along the interior perimeter. The ants have not been seen since their first showing 3 weeks ago.

Not sure if it's pet friendly, but since I don't have any, it is not an issue for me. The stuff works great.

WG840
 
Try Listerine mouthwash in a spray bottle. Spray it full strength around the perimeter/foundation of you house. Not harmful at all, but keeps the ants away.
Works well for me, but carpenter ants may be a little different.
 
I had a few in the kitchen today. This is the first time I have had any in the house. I can't find where they are coming from .
 
I guess I'm coming in late. I would recommend identifying the particular ants that are giving you trouble. Some must be treated differently than others, once you have identified the ant go to the internet and see what is recommended.
 
Buy a product called "Green Light" and sprinkle it around the perimeter of your house. Available at Home Depot. That should keep them outside.
My neighbor uses plain old corn meal near their hills, he claims they will explode when they get a drink of water. Maybe that explains the pop, pop, popping sound I hear at night.
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As Andy told Aunt Bea, "Call the man Aunt Bea, call the man."
We "called the man" several years ago and haven't seen ants (or any other nastys, other than the occasional stray) in the house since. $60 every 3 months is well worth it to me.
 
Actually, black carpenter ants.. aka camponotus pennsylvanicus ARE attracted to sweets. Since the poster is from NEPA, these are his ants. They are omnivorous and will eat meat, other insects, fruit and sugary stuff like.. sugar or honey.

My guess is you have a dead tree near your house which is home to your friends. If you can find it, any of the mentioned "sprinkle dust" treatments could be applied to a circle around the tree as well as your foundation.
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We have those little (actually pretty big) NEPA buggers and they are smart. Charlie sprayed the foundation of the house but we kept finding them in the 3rd floor bathroom. One day we observed the ants come marching one by one... over the telephone line connected to the side of the house.

So now he has to spray that entry point too.
 
About 18 years ago I bought a gallon of Chlorodane, which seemed to get rid of ants, spiders and every other kind of insect. I would mix up a solution and spray it around the house perimeter. I have used it sparingly throughout the years and understand it is now banned. It sure worked good.
 
Seek out and destroy the nest. I still hold a certified operator pest control license for the State of Florida. Wait untill dusk/night have a flashlight and try and follow their trail. Until you find the nest you will win the battles but not the war. Someone mentioned a dead tree limb or the like. Good place to start searching. Any overhanging trees or bushes? Any damp rotten wood such as soffits, facia, fences? Roof damage, wet insulation in the attic?
Once you find the nest they will come out like crazy and you can spray with any commercial spray
 
Originally posted by Igiveup:
About 18 years ago I bought a gallon of Chlorodane, which seemed to get rid of ants, spiders and every other kind of insect. I would mix up a solution and spray it around the house perimeter. I have used it sparingly throughout the years and understand it is now banned. It sure worked good.
Click to expand...
Still does....
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