Many of the small ants aren't looking for sugar, they want fats. Try mixing boric acid into some melted chicken fat, then let it solidify.
Too much boric acid is gritty to the ants, and they'll avoid it.
I filled a small container lid with that mixture, and the ants were ten deep trying to get to it. They worked for 3 days and left it totally clean. They didn't come back.
--Gene
Syrup, grease and boric acid oughta get 'em all, then. All I have is butter and various vegetable oils. I think the butter would do best.
You're all a bunch of bloomin idiots!
You can't kill the invincible Argentine ant where I come from here in California with Terro or boric acid or arsenic or anything else.
What brings these ants in and out of your house is the weather.
If you think Terro or boric acid is going to change the weather, then by all means, have a blast. But you're wasting your time and effort.
Says so right here:
Idiots all!
Whilst some ants aim for protein, like dried s**en stains the bedsheets, others prefer sweet things, like sugar crumbs under the table. Still others go for live insects, still wriggling, and some go for dead insects, dried up and crunchy.
However, the Argentine ants here in California are omnivorous - they'll eat just about anything. And, as I said, they're tough to kill 'cuz they have multiple queens and they can go to any nest, unlike other ants.
Hence they wipe out the indigenous ant population. Says so right here:
I think it must be a little more complicated than that. I tried making my own version of terro with sugar and boric acid and it was not nearly as attractive to the pests.
It would still oxidize and ruin the carpet.
Yeah, the joy of Terro is when the little cattle all circle around the drinking hole en masse.
No, you are the blooming idiot who thinks we care about your precious "special ants". Idiots also think they can disprove a general rule with a small anomally exception.
If those Argentine ants are lurred into taking the Terro, they will carry it back to all of those nests and be quite effective. If they'll eat "anything", then they will certainly chow down on Terro.
Can anyone spell TROLL?
I love how some of you guys take these troll questions seriously.. Personally, I'd use a hammer. It kills the ants dead and doesn't change the color of the walls . It only leaves holes in them..But everything matches..
RAID?
If you want something absolutely nontoxic, putting pepper (black, white, or cayenne) or cinnamon around their trails will leave them confused, and they will leave. You can then vacuum up the pepper or cinnamon
As strange as it may be, ants dislike lime and that can be heavily sprinkled around the house foundation. Kids' "sidewalk chalk" can be used to draw lines where you want to discourage ants from crossing. Of course, this is not a good idea if you have acid-loving plants. I use boric acid for both ants and c*ck roaches--cheap, low toxicity, no smell, and inexpensive. There is a canister of fine blue powder called "Roach Proof" (boric acid) where you can dust the power across thresholds, baseboards, cabinets, etc.
"Samantha Hill - remove TRASH to reply" wrote in message news:48819e60$0$17214$ snipped-for-privacy@news.sonic.net...
We used the cinnamon idea quite successfully for years of medieval camping (canvas tent, no floor) and it kept out most critters while making the tent smell good. You can use the stuff from the dollar store.
"Phisherman" wrote
For exterior and totally non-toxic, dry grits along the hill will kill the ants and the queen. They try to eat it and cant. Will feed it to the queen too.
Actually grits doesn't harm ants at all:
Multiple queens......only in california!!
Sorry couldn't resist :)
ROFLAO!
windex is ammonia-d. Look it up.
Vinegar works beautifully to destroy the "scent" or whatever is attracting them at their point of entry, but it won't kill the ants. Put full strength white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the cracks and scented line they all follow in single file at their point of entry. Then spray the surrounding cracks and areas around it, both inside and out.. They disappear quickly if vinegar is sprayed in this way. So much better than toxic chemicals and cheap. I'm unsure if this works in large populations of ants. Mine have not returned either.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required