It's neary the end of the ant season but I'm thinking ahead for next year. My house has always had a minor problem with ants. There would be aoccasionally one or two in the hall and one or two on the front room window ledge. Two years ago I sealed up the gaps I couldn't see under the frame of the front door and I've seen no more in the hall. I also removed the double-glazing trims around the window frame and sealed it with silicon, which seems to have stopped them coming in by that route. Instead, last year and this, I've had ants emerging from between the skirting and the carpet under the gas fire. Once out most of them head for the light, ie the window. It's obviously temperature related, most of the activity is in the afternoon, when the sun is at its highest. I've sprayed all round the skirting with Ant Stop but although that doesn't seem to act as a deterrent it seems to be killing them. Most of them die before they get to the window and those that get that far die soon after they get there. I've put out Nippon ant killer but they ignored it. Any ideas of what to do next? The wall concerned is external but I can't see any breaches in the mortar where they might be getting in. I pulled up the edge of the carpet under the fire but any 'tunnel' through the wall is hidden by the bottom of the skirting and the gripper rods. The pundits say 'follow them back to the nest' but I can't see where the nest is and how they get from it to the skirting under my gas fire. I thought of putting a bead of silicon along the gap under the skirting to see if that stopped the problem or moved it somewhere else. In the great scheme of things it's a minor irritation but one that I'd like to sort out. I'd appreciate any comments or ideas. Many thanks.
- posted
8 years ago