Sugar Ants question

[hmp2z]

I have a question for you all about sugar ants. We live in an apartment in Florida, and have a big ant problem. We've tried spraying repeatedly, using ant traps (store bought as well as boric acid in jelly), keeping the counters clean (we'd do that anyway, but we're taking extra precautions to seal all food), but nothing seems to work.

Today we had gone to the Krispy Kreme, and brought back 1/2 dozen doughnuts. I put them in the fridge to keep them ant-free, but when I pulled them out 4 hours later, they were covered in sugar ants! I don't know how they are getting into the refrigerator, or how they are surviving in the cold, but I am just disgusted with these little bugs.

They don't seem to care whether there's food or not. There is a group of them who live in our closet and crawl on our clothes. Obviously, there's no food anywhere around there, but that doesn't seem to deter them. They're in the bathroom, but I assume that's to get water.

Has anyone had success in getting rid of sugar ants, and, if so, what worked?

Cheers!
Heather W

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Man that totally sucks! The only way to get rid of them fully is to kill off their nests and queens.
I would call in a professional, they have the "good stuff" to use.

 

[twinklebug]

Tell your landlord - it's their problem that you have them and don't take "keep the food off the floor" as an answer.

Talk with other tenents and get a few more to report it. You can't be the only one with this issue. They'll spray... You'll have to pull all the furniture away from the walls and empty your closets. It's a pain, but it usually works.

 

[Mono~rail]

We are temporarily staying in a corporate apartment. There are ants in this apartment! We've had the same experience as you with the exception of the refrigerator.

I've called the corporate housing office and complained. The first time the apt complex sent a pest control person. A few days later they were back and bit me when I put on my clothes! That time they sent a maintainance guy with a can of Raid. That guy asked Dh if we ate in the closet and bathroom.

The corporate housing office called me the other afternoon to check and I told the lady we were still seeing ants. Two days later the apt complex manager comes with the pest control guy. She said she needed to inspect the condition of the apartment. She then proceeded to go into our closets and move the clothes around with the end of an ink pen! Needless to say, she didn't find anything that we were doing to contribute to the ant problem.

 

[hmp2z]

We've spoken to our apt management, and supposedly they are sending someone out this coming Friday to spray.

HOWEVER, they are eejits. We have valet trash service, so have these big bins outside our doors, where we put out our trash every night & someone comes & takes it away for us. I've called 3 times since we moved in, complaining that there is still trash left over from the PREVIOUS residents! Nothing food, just things like their old shoes & an old can of Raid But still...

Each time I've called, I've been assured that someone will "get right out there & take it away." Still waiting...

So I am hopeful that they will come to spray, but realistically, it's doubtful.
Cheers!
Heather W

 

[lowie]

there is a product called 'terro' that you can get at home depot. you put it out on a small piece of cardboard and let the ants come to it. don't kill the ants because they bring it back to the nest. the stuff works well, but not as good as a professional.

 

[hmp2z]

Hi! We had been looking for Terro for a while, but didn't know where to get it; I'd read about it online. We stopped by Home Depot today & picked some up, so we'll see if that does anything.

Cheers!
Heather W

 

[Savsmommy]

I also recommend Terro. Great stuff. This is the only stuff that has kept the ants away.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

as others have said, Terro is the only thing that works for sugar ants. We get them every spring for a week or so. Terro is very toxic stuff, so don't put it on the floor if you have pets. What I buy at Target is a box of 6 individual containers, you cut the end off one and set it out. be careful not to dump the liquid out.

It only takes 1 container for my yearly infestation, the ants come in the back patio door, climb up to the counter level, and have at it. So I set the Terro right where they first get to the counter. They love the stuff and at first the problem gets worse as they bring in reinforcements to get the yummy treat then after a couple days there is just a few live ants, the Terro container has several floaters, and by the end of the week problem solved.