Help, we have ants!

[disneynan]

I posted this on the budget board, but then realized that the great campers over here may have a solution.

Since yesterday we have had tiny ants on our kitchen counter and wall.
My DH is going to get ant cups today, but I worry about having the chemicals so close to our food areas.

Does anyone know of a chemical-free way to deal with this?

 

[2goofycampers]

Not chemical free but this stuff works and it is not messy.



http://www.terro.com/

 

[neffernie]

This isn't a permanant solution, but I have used vinegar before to keep them away from the areas I don't want them. (pretty much everywhere!). Just rub plain old white vinegar on the counters where you see them. For some reason they wont walk through those areas. If you can find where they are getting in from, rub the vinegar there too. Again, this doesn't work forever; you have to keep applying everyday. What you can do with it is steer them to where you have the ant bait. Then you don't have to put the bait as close to the food areas.

Good luck, you bringer on Ant Armageddon!

 

[disneynan]

I applied the white vinegar to the counter and wall a few hours ago and while I am still seeing a stray ant, the marching has decreased considerably! Thanks for the advice, DH is looking for the Terro. You guys rock!

 

[2goofycampers]

I applied the white vinegar to the counter and wall a few hours ago and while I am still seeing a stray ant, the marching has decreased considerably! Thanks for the advice, DH is looking for the Terro. You guys rock!

Lowes.

 

[ntsammy5]

Most of the chemicals are pretty much contained, so there really shouldn't be a problem.

You could also try one of these but they're hard to house break.

 

[terri01p]

Al it took me a while looking at that picture to figure out what the heck it was...lol...

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Me too!!!!! I never realized how evil ant eaters looked!!! Im used to them looking like this guy....from the Pink Panther cartoon!!!

 

[neffernie]

Where exactly does one get an anteater? I bet my neighbors would hate it if I had one of those tied up in my yard.

 

[Rhonda]

Anteater for Sale

 

[DisCamper]

Where exactly does one get an anteater?

Ebay

 

[LarryJ]

I posted this on the budget board, but then realized that the great campers over here may have a solution.

Since yesterday we have had tiny ants on our kitchen counter and wall.
My DH is going to get ant cups today, but I worry about having the chemicals so close to our food areas.

Does anyone know of a chemical-free way to deal with this?

The best way is to keep things squeaky clean and look around the stove for any food, etc. that have gotten stuck in there. Am assuming this is in a RV and not at home, but the same applies at home. If there is no food there will be no ants, **** roaches, etc.

Larry

 

[des1954]

In Florida, those tiny little ants are called Pharoh or Sugar Ants. They are attracted to sweet things, hence the name. They can also come inside your home in times of drought looking for water.

Our pest control technician told me that Terro is good to use, but to clean everything with ammonia & water. Ammonia kills the scent of the pheremones, which the ants use to track each other. Makes sense to me, as I always see ants following each other in a direct line & not coming on like a "wall" of ants.

Another way ants come into a MH & TT is thru the supply hoses. So we always spread some Sevin Dust around the hook-up area to prevent "bugs" from finding their way into our space!!

You should be able to get Terro at any hardware store. It's about $3-4 per bottle. It's consistancy is a little thicker than Purell. You just squeeze a "blop" on a 2x2 piece of card board & put in strategic locations.

I don't recommend using Terro if you have toddlers in the household. My cats never bothered it - but if you have pets, keep a watchful eye that they don't play with your ant bait.

 

[des1954]

Where exactly does one get an anteater? I bet my neighbors would hate it if I had one of those tied up in my yard.

My dad threatened to get a tapir to keep in the yard. Our neighbor wasn't sure if he was kidding or not!!

 

[neffernie]

I'll keep those in mind if I can't get the anteater. There's just something about the long tapering snout that should make my bible thumpin neighbor have kittens.

 

[djblu883]

I learned this trick from a park ranger! get a tall can of Comet cleanser AND SPRINKLE it all around anything that touches the ground around your camper...tires, hitch, hoses, electric cords. and sewer. They don't like the chlorine!! Works great...as soon as I saw them I put it out and don't have any now...they also make ant baits that are self contained that come on stakes...no worries if animals or kids pick them up....for less than 5 bucks for both products you can be rid of the pests!! Down on the coast where I'm working they are a problem as soon as it warms up until the weather cools down again!!

 

[dtum]

I too have been told about the comet around everything on the ground...landing gear, electric cords & cables, etc. I found if i wiped everything down with those Lysol wipes that they left pretty quick (just happened to have a container of them that I travel with). Maybe be the same principle as the vinegar. Hate ants! I also put every scrape of food that wasn't in plastic in the frig...even things in boxes that were open. Just don't want to take a chance of them coming home with us.