How do you all get rid of ants in your homes? Seems they are everywhere this year.

Similar to killing roaches. Shop at your local Walmart.

Draw chalk lines under/in front of your doors and windows. Ants hate crossing a chalk line.

I always leave a few dead ant carcasses right in their path. That's so they know what happens when they mess with me.

Not sure if it works, but I certainly feel better about it.

Are others having lots of problems with ants this year?

Are others having lots of problems with ants this year?


Not yet this year. Last year I noticed some HUGE black ants in our garage. I was afraid they were carpenter ants so I sprayed and put chalk down in front of the garage doors. That seemed to take care of them. Saying that I should probably take a close look tonight just to make sure. I hate bugs.

How do you all get rid of ants in your homes? Seems they are everywhere this year.

Charlie, we had ant problems when we moved into our house 3 years ago, and don't anymore. Here's what I use, and I highly recommend it.

I spray Ortho Home Defense Max all around the inside of the house. Baseboards, window sills, and air vents. Check it out here:
Ortho® Home Defense MAX® Perimeter & Indoor Insect Killer - Scotts Miracle-Gro (http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/productTemplate.jsp?tabs=general&proId=prod70044&itemId=cat10040001&id=cat50008)

Outside, I use Bayer Advanced Complete Insect Killer for soil and turf. It comes in granules, and a spray. I use the granules in the front lawn. I use the spray in the flower beds, all around the foundation, all over my fence, some outside walls, concrete, and in the back yard (it dries fast, and I have 2 dogs.) Check it out here:
Outdoor Pest Control - Bayer Advanced (http://www.bayeradvanced.com/productFamily/outdoor-pest-control.html)

You can get both at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Lowes. Very inexpensive. Try it out.

Charlie, we had ant problems when we moved into our house 3 years ago, and don't anymore. Here's what I use, and I highly recommend it.

I spray Ortho Home Defense Max all around the inside of the house. Baseboards, window sills, and air vents. Check it out here:
Ortho® Home Defense MAX® Perimeter & Indoor Insect Killer - Scotts Miracle-Gro (http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/productTemplate.jsp?tabs=general&proId=prod70044&itemId=cat10040001&id=cat50008)

Outside, I use Bayer Advanced Complete Insect Killer for soil and turf. It comes in granules, and a spray. I use the granules in the front lawn. I use the spray in the flower beds, all around the foundation, all over my fence, some outside walls, concrete, and in the back yard (it dries fast, and I have 2 dogs.) Check it out here:
Outdoor Pest Control - Bayer Advanced (http://www.bayeradvanced.com/productFamily/outdoor-pest-control.html)

You can get both at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Lowes. Very inexpensive. Try it out.


Thanks, I have been using the Terro ant traps but they still come in to get the liquid and that brings even more in so the counter tops are useless for preparing food or anything on when ants are all over them

Thanks, I have been using the Terro ant traps but they still come in to get the liquid and that brings even more in so the counter tops are useless for preparing food or anything on when ants are all over them

We had the same problem with the ant traps. If you try what I did, and it still doesn't work. You may have a bigger problem. My parents had to get a professional exterminator because theirs was so bad. You could have something out of sight attracting them. Good luck!

thank god, i thought it was just me , this year we have seen little tiny black ants in our dinning area, my wife and i paniced, we cleaned and cleaned, its hard with two little ones who spill juice everywhere. we sprayed the door to the back yard and the area in the backyard going into the house, it seemed to work. soeome told me to put cornmeal out because it kills them? has anyone tried this?

How do you all get rid of ants in your homes? Seems they are everywhere this year.

After the rains we had ants everywhere and I do mean everywhere! We called Terminix and they came and sprayed the house inside and out. That was ten days ago and we've not had any ants or bugs bother us since. We signed up for a maintenance program (contract). It's not cheap but it's worth it to us to keep those buggers out.

I have ants in my home too. Recent rains probably have something to do with it.

Yeah, at least they are not harmfull just annoying as all get out.

Mom have a HUGE pecan tree out in the back yard and many years ago, we used to have a lot of huge black ants that made home inside this HUGE tree. I have no idea how much damage they had done inside the tree, but there was hundreds. Once in a while, a few of them would make their way into the house. Many time, we sprayed inside the opening and a bunch of them swarmed out dying. Now, the past few years, not sure how long, there wasn't anymore sighting.

I've never had a problem with ants and excessive bugs when I live on my own. Sometime a few here and there make their way inside, which freak me out totally, especially spiders.

The only issue I have is to contantly keep a close watch on the bunny cage, because this specific bunny seem to have a powerful effect to produce flies from his poo poo and pee pee, and he usually waste his food digging, which all together produce flies.

I'm sure Karrie understand what I'm talking about, she has a ferret. Pets like these living in a cage must be under close supervision to clean out corners every few days.

i use this stuff inside - works great... got it at Farmers Grain in Edmond...

http://www.stgl.us/gstore/productcart/pc/catalog/anteaterlarge.gif

Ants in my place in J-Park. Talked to the landlord who in turn called Terminex. They told her they are everywhere this year.

FWIW.

Knock on wood, I haven't seen any this year (probably just jinxed myself), but years ago I lived in a condo and got an infestation of the small, black "sugar ants" in my pantry. I found the mess that was attracting them (an apparent spill in the back of the pantry), doused the entire pantry area with white vinegar, and after a couple of days the ants were gone.

I had to repeat the vinegar once or twice as I recall, but it was an easy, inexpensive and environmentally-sound way of getting rid of them. Personally, I try to go the natural route first (don't want the harsh chemicals in my home if I can help it), and if those methods don't work, then I work my way into the harder stuff.

Since this was posted in "Pets" - I thought maybe someone was going to tell me how to train my ants to a leash.

Oh well, guess it'd be hard to find collars to fit anyway.:doh:

We have them as well and it has been dry down here, May is usually a wet month for Austin but the drought has been continuing. The ones that we have are small reddish ones outside and the small black ones inside.

Since this was posted in "Pets" - I thought maybe someone was going to tell me how to train my ants to a leash.

Oh well, guess it'd be hard to find collars to fit anyway.:doh:

Well there really wasnt a good forum spot to post my question in, pets seemed the most likely place to place it.

We've not had them in the house, but I've noticed a serious increase in antbeds in our yard. We're going to have to get serious because nothing gives me the heebies more than sugar ants in my house. Not even the roaches that have invaded us from next door recently. The exterminator we called seems to be feeding them roach fertilizer because they're getting bigger and more aggressive. I haven't seen any dead ones yet. I'm going to have to find a different exterminator, clearly. I'm starting to see things move in my peripheral vision, so they have GOT to go.

Same problem here. I use the Ortho Home Defense Max stuff, but sometimes I won't if it really ever works. LOL

Just the little black ants so far this year, first time I've really had to deal with them in this house that I've been in for 5 now. Will probably look into the yard treatment here if they keep up. The ones I'm waiting for are the scorpions. Usually always get one or two in the house every year...if anyone knows how to get rid of those things totally, I'm all ears.

This subject came up today as I was talking to my mom. She had an ant infestation in her mailbox of all places. She sprinkled some cayenne pepper inside there, watched them scurry, and the next day, they were all gone.

Ants- their job is to make tunnels in the earth. If you have red clay soil you might see more red ants. They break up the clay with their tunnels and take nutrients down into the soil. The queen is the one you must move. Pelleted Gypsum for this soil will change it and the ants will move their tunnels. Use lightly. May work for other types of ants. The rain has filled the tunnels. The ants must move to higher ground. There is a "fire" ant product made by Ortho. The ants take it to the queen. Dead colony.
30 years Organic Gardener experience. I don't like to spray poison if I can avoid it. No roaches or spiders in my house. I use 5 % Sevin along baseboards and in the back of cabinets. Doesn't seem to phase the fleas on my dog this spring. Sevin may be too old.
Go to GARDENERS HAUNT too gro better gardens, write stories with depth (http://gardener.toogroagency.com) for other garden helps.

My parents had ants coming into their house, so their steward wiped all the counters down with vinegar and they disappeared and haven't been back.

The Ortho products mentioned and the advice are excellent here. I fought ants for years at a home with a very wooded lot.

One thing to be very watchful of is those large black ants. If you see them, you must give them an all-out attack, because those things eat their way into oak trees and kill them, or at the least weaken them severely.

I've seen this repeatedly, and I saw an oak tree with a 10" trunk break off near the base in a big windstorm once, and it revealed that the inside had been hollowed out by those ants.

They also seem to like to live inside railroad ties, so keep an eye on those.

yea they are a nuisance, darned carpenter ants i believe.

drumsncode, my mom have two nice oak trees in her front yard. One of them has not been doing well the past several years. They bloom late, in small amount, and fall very early. We see no ants in the dirt around the tree (pix provided in another thread). We do not know what is cauing this oak to be weak. It used to be beautiful. Maybe there are ants inside them? I dunno, but we may find out if this oak tree really do fall over one day.

drumsncode, my mom have two nice oak trees in her front yard. One of them has not been doing well the past several years. They bloom late, in small amount, and fall very early. We see no ants in the dirt around the tree (pix provided in another thread). We do not know what is cauing this oak to be weak. It used to be beautiful. Maybe there are ants inside them? I dunno, but we may find out if this oak tree really do fall over one day.

Of the trees I've seen with carpenter ants (I'll assume that's what they are), there was really no visible dirt or any signs of traditional "ant bed", like you see with red ants out on country roads. I actually think they just climb up the trunk a few feet and bore right into it, or some other sneaky way.

I had a house with dozens of oaks, most post oak and black jack, and they seemed to love getting into black jack oaks. They only way I could stay on top of the situation was to spray Dursban or something like that a few times a year, and I'd make sure I coated the bark of the tree a few feet up, and tried to soak the ground around it.

I once uncovered a big nest of these black ants in a railroad tie, they'd been living there for years and we never could figure out where the nest was. I remember rushing to mix up a gallon of spray, and I just flooded the area with it. They were not happy!

I hate ants, but hate mice and wasps even more!

.oO(I thought chalk only worked if they truly believed?)Oo.

I had a house with dozens of oaks, most post oak and black jack, and they seemed to love getting into black jack oaks. They only way I could stay on top of the situation was to spray Dursban or something like that a few times a year, and I'd make sure I coated the bark of the tree a few feet up, and tried to soak the ground around it.

I once uncovered a big nest of these black ants in a railroad tie, they'd been living there for years and we never could figure out where the nest was. I remember rushing to mix up a gallon of spray, and I just flooded the area with it. They were not happy!



After reading your post I went out to check on a Huge Black Jack Oak right beside the driveway. I'd seen a few Huge black ants out there in previous years near the garage but thought I'd gotten rid of them. Yesterday I went and dug at a portion of the tree near its base that had some damage I thought was caused by a fungus. When I tore out a small piece of dead wood from the interior big black ants fell out. I stepped on em and left the dead bodies there as a warning to the others. Heading to home depot now to get some spray.

I'd hate to lose a tree that old and majestic. The base is probably 4-5 feet around in circumfrence.

After reading your post I went out to check on a Huge Black Jack Oak right beside the driveway. I'd seen a few Huge black ants out there in previous years near the garage but thought I'd gotten rid of them. Yesterday I went and dug at a portion of the tree near its base that had some damage I thought was caused by a fungus. When I tore out a small piece of dead wood from the interior big black ants fell out. I stepped on em and left the dead bodies there as a warning to the others. Heading to home depot now to get some spray.

I'd hate to lose a tree that old and majestic. The base is probably 4-5 feet around in circumfrence.

Oh man! I hate it when I'm right! Especially when it comes to ants. Soak that tree a couple feet up the trunk, and soak the ground around the tree. Maybe you can save the tree. Trees are pretty good at absorbing damage. Good luck, and kill some ants for me --- "make my day".

And keep an eye out for where the ants might try and migrate. Better yet, spray all your tree trunks and the ground around them, and also put a protective layer around the base of your house.

We have DEFINITELY seen an increase in the ant presence in and around our home. Very frustrating. In years past, we've put down just a one-time spray of basic ant killer and the problem would go away, but not this year. They're attracted to whatever scents or sugars are present in things like my wife's makeup (near the bathroom vanity), or (obviously) any kind of food residue, or the dark confines of my storage shed!!! ARGH!

We just noticed a new wave of ants this morning, running in an annoying stream from the back door to the kitchen cabinet...

We have DEFINITELY seen an increase in the ant presence in and around our home. Very frustrating. In years past, we've put down just a one-time spray of basic ant killer and the problem would go away, but not this year. They're attracted to whatever scents or sugars are present in things like my wife's makeup (near the bathroom vanity), or (obviously) any kind of food residue, or the dark confines of my storage shed!!! ARGH!

We just noticed a new wave of ants this morning, running in an annoying stream from the back door to the kitchen cabinet...

Ah, those sound like what I think are called "Sweet" ants. You can get some bait traps for those, I think the brand I bought a few years back is called "Tat".

You just place them around the house, or outside if the area is safe from the weather, and the ants go to those, eat the bait, and die.

And I just remembered red ant beds when I was a kid. I seldom see those anymore, unless I'm hiking. We used to pour gasoline in those and light it. Lots of fun!

I luv putting a firecracker in the ant hill entrance/exit. :LolLolLol

I luv putting a firecracker in the ant hill entrance/exit. :LolLolLol

Yeah, my cousin and I used to do that on the farm, it's pure fun, but when you really need to kill them all, ya gotta go with insecticide! It's fun though, to toy with them first with a little gasoline on the whole nest. Surprisingly, gasoline is still pretty gnarly when you toss a match onto it, even when it's soaked into the ground. (Don't stand over it!) ;-)

I guess somewhere in a parallel universe, ants are writing about humans on their own message boards, talking about how to get into humans houses where all the good food is! :-)

Diatomaceous earth canbe 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. 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.
This is what I have used. Very safe, FYI keep it dry.

If you happen to find a fairly large ant, pick it up with some tweezers, and use some tool to squeeze the rear portion of the ant... a oozy substance will seep out, not take a q-tip or something similar and coat it in the ooze. use the Q-tip or whatnot and if you have a localized area of high ant activity, drag the q-tip from where the ants are, to where you want them to be.. probably outside... the trail that you leave does not have the be visible, but these secretions are how the ants communicate with each other, and by leaving a trail leading outside, the other ants will think that a ant is telling them that there is food outside... of course this doesn't deal with the probblem of them potentially coming back, but it is a thought heh.

Is this in the right forum? Are ants pets?

Midtowner, it is the only thing closest to animals and insects.

Midtowner, it is the only thing closest to animals and insects.

Wait.. are you talking about the Oklahoma Legislature now?