**ANTS** yikes! exterminator or BUDGET way to remove?

[mafibisha]

Help! We woke up to ANTS in our kitchen!

We don't think they're carpenter but they're bigger than your garden variety (no pun intended LOL)

We do live in a wooded area and spring can bring them in too, but they're gross. . . and around our puppy's food too

So do we need an exterminator ($$$) or can you please recommend something budget priced that works? I know they've removed an ingredient that used to work guaranteed, so whats out there that works, without costing a fortune? (aka an exterminator!)

Help, please! TIA!

 

[TaraPA]

We live in a wooded area so ants are the norm - espeically for this time of year. If they're in the kitchen & around pet food they're most likely not carpenter ants - if they are, you need an exterminator. Carpenter ants are super destructive & will eat away entire wooden beams & rafters. You can often hear the "humming" they make as hundreds of them gnaw away your wood. They leave deposits of wood dust wherever they eat. Regular household ants can be treated in a variety of ways. Many here may blast you for using pesticides (God save the ants!) but for us, we spray the foundation of the house with whatever ant pesticide the local garden center recommends. We also get the little round or square plastic ant traps at the grocery store - they usually do the trick - but if you have indoor pets or small children be careful when using those. After doing this they are usually gone within a few days.

Also - keep your dry pet food in a sealed container -ants LOVE the stuff!

Good luck!

 

[CowboyCO]

Getting rid of ants can be tough, but the best way is to locate their nest and wipe it out. The best way to find the nest requires a little sleuthing. You have to track an ant. Ants do two things. (Remember Flick?) They look for food and bring food back to the nest. They also follow the same path to and from the nest. You will want to caulk the cracks the the ants are getting through. If an ant is carrying anything, it is headed back to the nest. Follow the ant. Eventually he will get to the nest.

A couple of ways to take out the nest.

1. If the nest is outside, pour a gallon or two of hot boiling water into the nest. That will take them out.

2. Sprinkle baby powder that has talcum powder in it in front of any areas you suspect they are entering the house through.

If the nest is inside, you will need to poison them.

Supplies: 1 tbsp. boric acid
1 tbsp. mint jelly or peanut butter
1 cracker
Small cardboard box
Instructions: Mix the boric acid and mint jelly (or peanut butter); spread mixture on a cracker. Punch pinholes in a cardboard box; place cracker inside. Place box in an area where ants cause problems, but away from children and pets.
Note: The mint jelly or peanut butter lures the ants in and the boric acid kills them.

Good luck.

 

[ceecee]

After spending $ on two large Ortho sprays that usually take care of it, we also got about 8 ant traps. Finally. we called in pest control. Actually he had to come back because it didn't work, he said they were crazy ants (little tiny disgusting things). Due to all the rain, he couldn't spray outside without it getting diluted. They were so bad this year! They got in crackers, medicine bottles, cereal, everything that was opened I threw out and started putting the cereal in the fridge.

 

[Cynestra]

Get some terro liquid ant bait at the grocery.

 

[rhiansmom]

I use terro liquid and pour ordinary table salt around the perimeter of the house and any window frames and doors.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I got those Terro (or is it Terra?) baits at Home Depot. They work really well! At our old house we'd get what I call "sugar ants" in our kitchen and a couple of times in our bathrooms. I would put out one of these baits out in the area where they were and within an hour, there were tons more ants, crawling in and out of that thing. But within another couple of ours, the procession had slowed significantly and would then stop. I saw them in each of our bathrooms once and used them, and never saw them there again. I highly highly recommend them!

 

[PiperPizzaz]

Ortho Home Defense Max

You can spray it inside and outside. It works great. It is my favorite bug spray.

 

[mrsklamc]

Terro worked for us too.

 

[slriver]

I hate ants!!! We have had good luck with Terro. It seems like the only thing that will work.

Besides I love seeing those ants drink their poison!

Tracy

 

[mafibisha]

I got those Terro (or is it Terra?) baits at Home Depot. They work really well! At our old house we'd get what I call "sugar ants" in our kitchen and a couple of times in our bathrooms. I would put out one of these baits out in the area where they were and within an hour, there were tons more ants, crawling in and out of that thing. But within another couple of ours, the procession had slowed significantly and would then stop. I saw them in each of our bathrooms once and used them, and never saw them there again. I highly highly recommend them!

THANK YOU ALL!! Sorry you all had ants too

So re Sugar Ants .... what are they exactly?

ok, I googled and don't think thats what we have. It says sugar ants are browish and these are definitely black, ugh

 

[yeahdisney]

We had ants too only in the summer for two years. Tried the Turro bates they did work, at least the ants were attracted to them, but they went on marching in the home, they followed one tile, carpet line. They also were making a hole in our son's window sell. So we had Orkin come out. They sprayed the foundation on the house, his base of his window sell, and the inside of the garage. Orkin did say they would come back a second time for only $25 if needed. They also sprayed a home of ants (red) in the house's front door walk line, those ants were different from the ones in the house, but I did not want those to come in too. I don't remember it being too costly, we only needed them one treatment. We are two summer ants free now. And when we replaced the carpet 2 years ago I made sure I remembered (at midnite) to spray the base where those darn ants loved to travel between the tile and the carpet line.

 

[cglaura]

A tip for the puppy's food: fill a plate or shallow dish full of water, then put the bowl of food on/in it. The ants won't be able to get over the water to the actual food.

I have used Ortho Home Defense for years with success. It didn't work for my friend though, but he had success with Terro. I would try one of those before an exterminator.

 

[poohbear158]

I swear by Terro.

 

[sandynd]

Also ants won't cross a chalk line. When we had ants I sprinkled boric acid in inaccessible areas and then drew chalk lines across wherever I saw ants. They left within a week. I second sealing everything up.

 

[cm8]

I swear by Terro.

We've had success using that as well

 

[mafibisha]

Thanks again for all the tips.

Heading out to get Terro.

Is it safe to have around with pets?

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

I agree with all the Terro supporters. This stuff works fantastic.

http://www.terro.com/

 

[lovetoscrap]

Thanks again for all the tips.

Heading out to get Terro.

Is it safe to have around with pets?

I love Terro but you need to keep it away from pets, food and people. And it is sweet so animals my want to get to it. They make Terro traps that are much better to use than the straight liquid because they are enclosed.

We have a terrible ant problem every year and the Terro always and a treatment outside always takes care of it. I called the exterminator one year before I discovered the Terro and they laughed at me! Said they would come out but it would be a waste of my money and to get the terro.

ETA: Well the website says it is safe to use around people and pets but I swear I was always told to be very careful to keep it away and not let pets get into it.

 

[mafibisha]

I love Terro but you need to keep it away from pets, food and people. And it is sweet so animals my want to get to it. They make Terro traps that are much better to use than the straight liquid because they are enclosed.

We have a terrible ant problem every year and the Terro always and a treatment outside always takes care of it. I called the exterminator one year before I discovered the Terro and they laughed at me! Said they would come out but it would be a waste of my money and to get the terro.

ETA: Well the website says it is safe to use around people and pets but I swear I was always told to be very careful to keep it away and not let pets get into it.[/QUOTE]





Bought the traps and don't see where they're a threat to pets .... but we're hiding them and being very very VERY careful....
I'll let you know how it goes! Fingers crossed! LOL

THANKS AGAIN ALL! I the DIS!!!