pis-ants

[mthieme]

Darn pis-ants showed up all over the kitchen counter yesterday. This critters usually show up in spring not fall and I haven't had them in years. I usually put several TAT ant traps around in strategic places in spring, but they only last a few months according to the instructions - they were overdue for replacement. I told the wife to give the counter a good cleaning, she did. I stopped at the hardware store yesterday and picked up a pack of Hot Shot traps since they guarantee them gone in 24 hours (including "severe infestations"). I sprayed with some other stuff where I could including the perimeter of the house. Usually I can see the hills outside, but none seem to be active. I can't find the source. although diminished in ranks, they are still present. I guess I'll give it 12 more hours to see if this stuff works.

If anybody has a better suggestion...please jump in.
We've got the grandkids this weekend, so the food bits here and there are not helping.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: pis-ants

I'll be watching this one closely. We lived in a house that was built in 1957 for 13 years and never had a single ant in it. There were lots of those water roaches that get almost 2 inches long and plenty of gaps but never an ant. Built the new house and sealed it TIGHT. Darn ants all the time. Keep the place clean with no food laying around, counter cleaned, floors sweeped and mopped, etc. No good, still got 'em.......

 

[mthieme]

Re: pis-ants

My house is pretty old - 1928 vintage and it sits on piers...lotsa places for critters to get in. I've been tightening her up through the years, but I may not last long enough!
About half dozen years ago my wife called an exterminator because of spiders. This worked out well, no more mice, ants, crickets, etc. and it was only $75 every quarter. Unfortunately, I had a falling out with the company as I had a problem with their management - whenever they wouldn't do the inside of the house, they billed me for it anyway.
So, I guess I really need to find another company.
I'm hoping someone will post the panacea.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: pis-ants

I get problems on my porch where we BBQ and eat outside. I use some stuff called Terro Ant Killer II. It looks like Kero corn syrup. Just put a few drops in places the kids can't get to. Never mind about putting it where the ants are at, because this stuff will attract them. They ingest it and carry it back to the nest. There, the queen will get a taste of it as well. Usually just one application in the spring will take care of the whole summer season. I got a 2 ounce bottle of the stuff about 7 years ago and it is still 3/4 full.

 

[mthieme]

Re: pis-ants

I'll look for that. Thanks.
Looks like I'll be taking Hot Shot up on their guarantee. They're still crawling around the counter.
The wife wants me to run up and get more TAT traps.

 

[CN Spots]

Re: pis-ants

Ditto on the Terro. Put a drop in a corner and the little devils line up around it like cattle at a watering hole. Got mine at Wally World.

 

[jsfinn]

Re: pis-ants

I'm no expert here but I do have some ideas that seems to work for me.

I don't ever use a spray killer and bait at the same time. I always go for the spray killer first and if that hasn't solved the problem in a day or two, then I'll put out the bait but as soon as the problem is gone, you have to remove the bait.

The reasoning is:

Baits attract ants. If you put out a bait, you'll probably kill what you're trying to but maybe you also attract another colony and make it move closer.

Also, because it attract ants, I've got to figure that more of them are going to come in temporarily until they are dead... well.. I don't want more dead ants where I can't get to them to clean them up. That's why I try a spray killer first.

You've got to wait a few days after you spray to do the bait because if the ants are sprayed and take 2 hours to die, they may get sprayed, come in side for the bait and then never make it back to the nest which is where you want a bated ant to die so it infects the rest of the colony. Also, you won't know which method was most effective to post back and help your fellow iboaters.

Also, remove the bait as soon as the problem is gone so that you don't start attracting other ants later.

We seem to get a small ant problem each spring. This past year was the first time I had to use a bait inside. We had a small infestation in the unfinished part of the basement. 24 or so hours later, no more ants.

Good luck with your problem!

 

[mthieme]

Re: pis-ants

Well, times up for the Hot Shot.
I went up to the hardware store.
They did not have Terro, but they had another expensive product in a 1 ounce bottle. I passed on that not having any references. I'll find the other stuff.
I bought some fresh TAT. Put a couple of those around the trouble area. They're still here, but I see they are carrying the poison off.
I guess I'll have to sit back and wait. Smartly, TAT doesn't offer a money back guarantee for "sever infestations" like Hot Shot.

I didn't spray the problem area. I periodically spray the perimeter of the house and some choice nooks and crannies inside. With grandkids running around the past few days, I'm not too happy using any pesticides inside. This was just a trigger for the routine maintenance.

 

[avenger79]

Re: pis-ants

we used Andro crystals for fire ants. small pile of it they take it in the hill. then the ants all die. great stuff.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: pis-ants

I've used this in the woods around my trailer. Keep the little buggers on the outside. sprayed directly on their hills when they pop up. Not sure if it'll work for your ants.

Ortho Home Defense. However, their powder version is supposedly more effective called Ant B Gone

http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/p...sp?navAction=jump&itemId=cat50088&id=cat50008

 

[dave11]

Re: pis-ants

Try spraying the area with swimming pool bleach. It is about 3 or 4 times stronger than Clorox. Be careful with it. It is a hazardous material. Pay attention to the MSDS.

 

[Turin]

Re: pis-ants

An old Dutch trick is to pour petroleum in the nest it stinks fo a wile but they will be gone.

don't light it

 

[mthieme]

Re: pis-ants

Ortho Home Defense. However, their powder version is supposedly more effective called Ant B Gone
http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/p...sp?navAction=jump&itemId=cat50088&id=cat50008

Used the Ortho.
I'm convinced that anything "over the counter" is a waste of money.
Little buggers are still around although fewer in numbers.
Wish I could find the source.

 

[Pierutrus]

Re: pis-ants

Take a look at this site.

http://kill-fireants.com/mcart/index.cgi

Look at the baits.

I use the granular ant bait. Works great. The little bugger's take it back to their nests and kills the queen.

For all other 6/8 legged types, I use a spray once a month around the perimeter of the house. Also if your property is a regular residential lot.......
Spray the perimeter of your lot. Spray the block wall at the top and bottom hitting all open cracks. That way your neighbors bugs stay at the neighbors.

The only bugs I've seen since using this method (about 5 years), that is if I see any at all are on their backs and not moving.

 

[Pierutrus]

Re: pis-ants

An old Dutch trick is to pour petroleum in the nest it stinks fo a wile but they will be gone.

don't light it

They really frown on doing that here in the states. Something about contamination of ground water I believe. Let alone, that method would only make them pack their little bags and move. Keep in mind that ant hills have 2 or more entrances/exits. They'll just close off that hole and keep operating out of the others. That's why diazinon (I can't spell, the granular stuff you get at home depot) doesn't work. You need a bait to kill the nest.

 

[45Auto]

Re: pis-ants

We used to have a bunch of them along one door of a hanger we work in. Tried all sorts of things, never could get rid of them. One day we had a 5 gallon bucket of liquid nitrogen (321 degrees below zero Farenheit) we had been using to shrink some parts. Decided to get rid of it by pouring it all over the ants. Never seen another one since then! Probably don't want to use that technique in your kitchen though ......

 

[mthieme]

Re: pis-ants

Two weeks later and they're still here.
I'm gonna try the local farm store and see what kind of snake oil they have.

 

[mthieme]

Re: pis-ants Update

Re: pis-ants Update

I got some Terro brand liquid traps last night. The lady at the store said I'm not the only one with this problem. Well, I set three out on the counter last night. Evidently, they only liked one trap which is full of 'em, not a one in the other two.
Maybe I'm on to something (?).

 

[MrBossman]

Re: pis-ants

We had a problem with ants and after calling the bug man they still came back.Wife found a solution in the net..Said to sprinkle heavy around the entire base of house and windows with sevin powder.....it worked

 

[mthieme]

Re: pis-ants

I think the Terro might have worked. I haven't seen one since this morning. They have been more active at night. This time last night they were swarming over one of the baits. Nary a one in sight.
I use Ortho Home Defense around the outside perimeter of the house and inside too. So much for that. There are probably hundreds of anthills outside in two areas of the yard which I've sprayed in the past. I'll have to find something to put on those. The house sits on piers about a foot above the ground...it's inaccessible. I hate to think what could be under there.

Addendum:
7:30am this morning - one stray ant.
I hope I'm on the downside of this.