Ants

[oliegirl]

Because it's 7000 degrees outside and it hasn't rained in about 40 years, we have ants trying to break into our apartment...so far they have been successful. I've found and eliminated 3 infestations in 3 different rooms - they are coming in under the window sills...we have a bunch of trees by our apartment, which is great, except in cases like this. The complex came out and sprayed today, but that is all they will do b/c the only stuff they have to put down is very toxic and since we have animals, they refuse to put it down. Is there something that I can put down to kill the ants, but that won't kill the dogs and cats if they were to inhale/ingest it?

[Lathum]

They sell traps in the store.

[oliegirl]

Yes, I know...but if the dog/cat/kitten/puppy were to eat it, it would make them very sick and they could die...hence my request for a non-toxic solution to the problem...

[bulletsponge]

try Terro. its a sticky ant poison you put on paper strips and place where ants travel. they love the stuff and it kills a lot of them. we use it. im unsure though if its dangerous to animals because we put it on counters.

[oliegirl]

Thanks! I'll see if I can find some tonight...website says it has Borax which is the least toxic chemical for this kind of thing...

[Eaglesfan27]

My grandmother is the ultimate animal lover and Borax is the only chemical she would let me use when I was living with her while growing up and wanted to kill pests. It works ok and our pets never seemed to get sick from it.

[bulletsponge]

Thanks! I'll see if I can find some tonight...website says it has Borax which is the least toxic chemical for this kind of thing...


the stuff is like an ant smorgasborg.

[Lathum]

Yes, I know...but if the dog/cat/kitten/puppy were to eat it, it would make them very sick and they could die...hence my request for a non-toxic solution to the problem...

the traps are designed so pets can't get to them

[Antmeister]

My grandmother is the ultimate animal lover and Borax is the only chemical she would let me use when I was living with her while growing up and wanted to kill pests. It works ok and our pets never seemed to get sick from it.

Agreed. My grandmother mixed Borax with sugar and placed them where the ants were entering. Was very effective. Definitely got rid of the ant problem.

[spleen1015]

Agreed. My grandmother mixed Borax with sugar and placed them where the ants were entering. Was very effective. Definitely got rid of the ant problem.

Now, Dodgerchick has the Ant problem.

[Lathum]

Now, Dodgerchick has the Ant problem.

ZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rizon]

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/board/showthread.php?t=32305&highlight=ants

[sterlingice]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Tamandua_tetradactyla_-_Joseph_Smit.jpg?

SI

[Mike1409]

It also depends on what kind of ants they are. Ghost ants divide their colonies when under attack and when you try to eliminate the problem by spraying they reappear in greater numbers somewhere else. For these I would reccomend terro on the outside of the sills. Carpenter ants don't like bait and have to be sprayed or dusted directly. They also like insulation and build a large colony in the attic or walls.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Glad I saw this thread yesterday since I woke up this morning to discover a horde of tiny black ants around one of the cats food bowls.

There's now a light dusting of Borax snow in the general vicinity (I moved the bowl halfway across the room), we'll see how it goes. On the one hand my mother said their vet recommended Borax as safe for use for both fleas and ants. On the other hand, there's a dozen or more websites I've found this morning that warn against letting pets near the stuff. I'm planning to split the difference, keep the cats as away from it as I can & leave the stuff on the floor for 2-3 hours then sweep it into the cracks & clean up the rest. Repeat as needed I guess.

[lordscarlet]

Glad I saw this thread yesterday since I woke up this morning to discover a horde of tiny black ants around one of the cats food bowls.

There's now a light dusting of Borax snow in the general vicinity (I moved the bowl halfway across the room), we'll see how it goes. On the one hand my mother said their vet recommended Borax as safe for use for both fleas and ants. On the other hand, there's a dozen or more websites I've found this morning that warn against letting pets near the stuff. I'm planning to split the difference, keep the cats as away from it as I can & leave the stuff on the floor for 2-3 hours then sweep it into the cracks & clean up the rest. Repeat as needed I guess.

I have had a severe ant problem this summer as well. As for keeping it away from the cat foot, I fill a casserole dish with about 1/8" of water and put the food dishes inside -- the moat keeps the ants out of the food. I then have traps, which my cats don't seem to get into. I try to put them in places they are unlikely or unable to go (they being the cats). I also broke down and got some RAID spray. I found where they're coming from outside and sprayed them there.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Just to follow up a little -- looks like half the ants thought the white powder was sand and brought beach chairs. The other half thought it was snow & brought skis.

In other words, the borax didn't do jack for me.

[Castlerock]

Diatomaceous Earth.

It is a dust that has microscopic abrasive particles. It scratches the exoskeletons of insects and they dehydrate. It's completely safe. Pets can even eat it.

[Toddzilla]

Orkin.

You call them, give them some money, and they kill all the ants for you.

[RendeR]

Orkin.

You call them, give them shitloads of money, and they kill all the ants for you, with the same shit you can buy for 5 bucks at home depot, because you were too lazy to do it yourself.


Fixed that for you.

[Toddzilla]

Orkin.

You call them, give them some money, and they kill all the ants for you.

Fixed that for you.

Lazy = works for me. :)

[Mr. Wednesday]

Diatomaceous Earth.

It is a dust that has microscopic abrasive particles. It scratches the exoskeletons of insects and they dehydrate. It's completely safe. Pets can even eat it.
It's not completely safe — don't inhale the dust, it does bad things to your lungs.

(At least, this is what I was told when I worked with DE on a co-op job ca. 1997.)

[Antmeister]

Just to follow up a little -- looks like half the ants thought the white powder was sand and brought beach chairs. The other half thought it was snow & brought skis.

In other words, the borax didn't do jack for me.


Man, not straight Borax. Borax and sugar just like my grandma used to make:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/sugar-ant-hotel.html

[oliegirl]

I am glad to hear I'm not the only one with an ant problem. We've started taking the dog/cat food off the floor and putting it up high where the ants (hopefully) can't find it. Yesterday they were in the kitchen, trailing over to the fridge, not sure if they thought they could band together and open it, but I ended up vaccuming them up and found where they were coming in from - a phone jack. So I took the cover off the jack and put a shitload of the boric acid in there. Seemed to have taken care of them...then this morning I find the damn things trailing in the laundry room and also coming in under the window they were coming in the other day. So tonight I'm hitting Home Depot or Ace Hardware and buying some serious poison so I can nuke thier asses...might just lock all the dogs/cats in one ant free room and lay the poison down all over the apt.