# Time for the Ants to die



## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

We've had small black ants out front for years
Never really bothered me, we see some every Spring in the house
But in the past few years they have swarmed the front walkway every Spring
Way too many & too close to the house
Wife & MIL were boiling water & dumping it out there when I was not around :laughing:

With the new walkway with sand underneath they have had the perfect area
The other day I had to redo the end of the walkway & add a step down
And there were literally thousands of them

So the other day I picked up some ant killer - gallon jug
"Spectracide" is the name brand...and this stuff works REALLY good
There's a TON of dead ants out there

Next I'm going thru the big garden...way too many red/orange ants down there
Then the outside of my sons bedroom...keep seeing ants in his room
My old house I used to spray the perimeter of the house every year


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## Joe F (Jan 27, 2008)

I've had good luck with a gel ant killer that comes in a seringe type tube (Optigard). They form a trail right to the stuff.


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## kredman (Apr 22, 2010)

The house that we moved into last week has ants all around the foundation. When I removed the trim in the kitchen (which is in the back) ants were everywhere behind there. We bought some Terro powder and sprayed some Ortho Home Defense around the entire perimeter of the house and several days later, the majority of them are gone.


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## Leah Frances (Jan 13, 2008)

:laughing: I'm killing ants today TOO! But around my garage (it's not covered in my exterminator contract). DIE ANTS DIE. :hammer:


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## cellophane (Sep 29, 2009)

If you want a more eco-friendly option, Diatomaceous Earth works smashingly well against all manner of crawly things. It might not be as fast, but it won't harm you, your pets, your kids or your marmots.




> Pest control
> 
> Diatomite is also used as an insecticide, due to its physico-sorptive properties. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate[7]. Arthropods die as a result of the water pressure deficiency, based on Fick's law of diffusion. This also works against gastropods and is commonly employed in gardening to defeat slugs. However, since slugs inhabit humid environments, efficacy is very low. It is sometimes mixed with an attractant or other additives to increase its effectiveness. Medical-grade diatomite is sometimes used to de-worm both animals and humans. It is most commonly used in lieu of boric acid, and can be used to help control and eventually eliminate a cockroach infestation. This material has wide application for insect control in grain storage.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

terro fan here. sprinkle the grainuals outside the house and liquid borax if any are walking the line inside

i do use spectracide {however you spell that} in the lawn though, it really keeps the fleas and other nasty crawly things out of my lot


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## DIYtestdummy (Jan 16, 2008)

Ants are not my problem (DE) - I have those little wood borer beetles who like eating DH's PT wood, little biting flies, and some little yellow spiderey thingies I can barely see. Oh, and the boxelder beetles are mating..."Hey! Get a ROOM!"

I think the squirrels are upset that my garden isn't throwing squash yet.

:laughing:


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

DE is a lot more expensive then the gallon jug I bought
My last jug lasted a few years I think


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## mcgrathpest (Jun 27, 2010)

As a pest control owner, I find that it is very important to treat the ants at the beginning of the season before they get started. You know you get ants every year so why not have the yard treated before hand and cut them "buggers" off at the pass. If they are already in the walls, then you need to either open up the wall and remove them ( which I wouldn't want to do) or try and flush them out with a crack and crevis spray or dust.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Pulled up more of the walkway to make the "step" further back
I may need 2 steps to get down to the driveway once it goes in
So more ants exposed...and dead

With the exception of when I 1st bought my last house I've never called a Pest control Co
A few small ants in the house every Spring have never bothered me


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

I used Bengal for the ants in the kitchenb again this year. Knocked them way down! Added a little *corn meal* along the back splash and finished them off. I think my wife thought I may have lost it, but I am getting a little funny about chemicals.

Supposedly the ants get the corn meal, it gets wet and swells in them. Bye bye ant. If they do not take it back to the queen, she dies anyway when the workers die. I think this is the way it was explained where ever I read it.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

We aren't even seeing them in the kitchen
Its in the front room, nearest the door & outside
Since I've been digging up the walkways & spraying they are now moving around

Usually we only see some in the Spring when its still cold out


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

Our counter top would be covered in them. They were even going in and out of the ground on the gfci at the end of the counter top. I removed some monket grass and what looked like a big bed below the kitchn window. I also sprayed around the house with Bengal. That is a good product for off the shelf.
I'm thinking last year it got rid of the ants by itself. It was amazing how quickly they were gone. I guess I let it get too bad this year, or they full effect had taken place before I placed the corn meal out. Regardless, they are gone for now.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Found some more - red ants - by the walkway in the garden
Turned the board over & sprayed...some had wings....they were ants
I've been seeing a lot less in the garden since I started spraying
And I haven't even been spraying a lot

Tomatoes are getting over 5' tall now
Still waiting on the 1st one to ripen


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

I like to dust powdered boric acid with a $15 day rental duster in attic/and/or crawl space below house. Safe/effective/lasts all year. For pesty tiny ants inside/on top of eating table/etc, I use syringe stuff mentioned earlier post by fellow member. Good advice. This is also boric in a slurry of sugar. Thats it. 

Ortho products that are high tech chemistry organics to me are way too toxic and sometimes dont even work. also they can go stale if kept too long. Boric will never go stale......

Outside , if _find a carpenter ant nest, for quick action I ssprinkle some sevin dust.......gone in minutes!_


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

noquacks said:


> I like to dust powdered boric acid with a $15 day rental duster in attic/and/or crawl space below house. Safe/effective/lasts all year. For pesty tiny ants inside/on top of eating table/etc, I use syringe stuff mentioned earlier post by fellow member. Good advice. This is also boric in a slurry of sugar. Thats it.
> 
> Ortho products that are high tech chemistry organics to me are way too toxic and sometimes dont even work. also they can go stale if kept too long. Boric will never go stale......
> 
> *Outside , if find a carpenter ant nest, for quick action I ssprinkle some sevin dust.......gone in minutes*_!_


:thumbsup: Been known to dust my whole yard with it. I have also dusted my carpet with it, let it sit for just a little, and vacuum it. 

After this last rain, I think I will do my yard again. Ant beds all over! I usually just put some in a sock and go around shaking it to get a fine dust out of the sock.

The syringe stuff is very good for roaches in the house. Haven't had a problem for years (knockikng on wood).


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