I had to put ant baits in my kitchen, all the sudden the ants were trying to haul off my sugar jar. Haven't seen them since! Every couple of years I get an incursion, the fun of living in a basement, you never know where they come from.
What are you doing?
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I had to put ant baits in my kitchen, all the sudden the ants were trying to haul off my sugar jar. Haven't seen them since! Every couple of years I get an incursion, the fun of living in a basement, you never know where they come from.
Dawgluver
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PrincessFiona60 said:
I had to put ant baits in my kitchen, all the sudden the ants were trying to haul off my sugar jar. Haven't seen them since! Every couple of years I get an incursion, the fun of living in a basement, you never know where they come from.
I have to put a couple in the kitchen every spring. Best I've found for indoors is Terro, with a tiny drop of goop (borax) on the included little cardboard tabs. I used Grant's metal encased bait for the mailbox. Apparently, they last a couple years. I just couldn't believe how quickly the ants established a colony! Thankfully, they were the little black ants, and they didn't carry off the mailman!
I had to borax the front window, flying ants...
Dawgluver
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PrincessFiona60 said:
Ah. Those are the ones that carry off mailmen.
Haven't seen them this year...thank Heaven!
blissful
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I've used the terro product too--it works.
Last year I bought food grade diatomaceous earth--sprinkled it around the kitchen, bathroom and all around the outside of the house--and all the ants were gone. It did take a few weeks but it was a green solution. I'll do it again this year--around the house (outside of the house).
Last year I bought food grade diatomaceous earth--sprinkled it around the kitchen, bathroom and all around the outside of the house--and all the ants were gone. It did take a few weeks but it was a green solution. I'll do it again this year--around the house (outside of the house).
Dawgluver
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PrincessFiona60 said:
So no mail?
Dawgluver
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blissful said:
Diatomaceous earth works for slugs outside too.
Is that just the same kind of borax one would use in laundry? Or is it a special grade, and if so, where does one buy it?
Dawgluver
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taxlady said:
Terro uses a convenient gel in a bottle, it's all borax. It doesn't say what the inactive ingredient is. Maybe some borax powder mixed really well with petroleum jelly or baby oil and put on a little cardboard piece? I got my Terro at Walmart I think.
Oh, I would never have thought to buy something like that. I'm always looking for the environmentally friendly option.
Just out of curiosity, why does it need to be food grade for killing insects?
I use the laundry Borax, put it in a ketchup squeeze bottle and spread a line in the window tracks. I like the borax because it won't hurt the cats.
Kewl
You know what else laundry borax is really good for? Cleaning the porcelain tub and sink! Just sprinkle some on and rub it off with a damp sponge.
I'll put some out the next time we get ants. We don't get them every year, so I won't bother until I see them trying to get in the house.
There is an extremely finely ground version of boric acid that exterminators use. It's not toxic, but it messes up the thoraxes of insects that walk on it. I don't know where you can buy it.
Years ago I was cleaning my new kitchen with 409 cleaner, after moving into a new apartment. I saw a line of little ants coming down from the ceiling directly into the kitchen. Having nothing else to use, I sprayed the wall with the 409 and wiped the ants off, as far up as I could reach. They never crossed that patch of wall again.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
If you have a local hardware store in your area like Aces Hardware, you can get borax powder for crawly critters there. Home Depot or Lowes even should have it.
Claire
Master Chef
I've used boric acid when I had roach problems in Hawaii and DC. I bought it at the hardware store.
Ant traps work well, I put them in places my pets cannot reach. It draws the ants and they go back to their nest and it kills the nest.
Ant traps work well, I put them in places my pets cannot reach. It draws the ants and they go back to their nest and it kills the nest.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
Good morning everyone. I am off to Winthrop this morning as part of my six month checkup. And my resolution of stop being so stubborn. I really don't want to go, but I will. 
And I am now headed to work! It's going to be a good day!
