ISO- HELP: Black ant infestation!

[Alix]

If you don't want a sticky mess then mix equal parts icing sugar and borax and sprinkle around doorways, windows, any point of entry you see and they will take it back to their home. Bye bye ants.

They hate Dawn dishsoap too. It doesn't kill 'em but they run away from it.

 

[bakechef]

I've had really great luck with Terro ant baits (they are borax). Borax seems to be slow acting, so they can take it back to the nest and die, and the other ants will die from eating them or getting it on them.

 

[CWS4322]

The plan is thus: caulk any gap behind the drywall patch and the floor behind the baseboard (this was a dampness issue, so according to what I've read, a place carpenter ants like). Use Zodiac FleaTrol along the walls (supposedly it works on ants, and I happen to have some on hand), mix up borax and corn syrup, put that on cardboard squares and hope they take it home. Although, I still must say, zapping them with a dollop of shaving cream stopped the ones that were invading in their tracks. Any that are silly enough to come investigate why their buddies didn't return, will bring back goodies to the queen and her workers. Bah! This I didn't need! Thanks all for your help. I can't put out the Ajax because of the girls. But the wood pile that is outside of this room will be moving.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Just one thing about ant psychology: they don't care of their buddies don't come home, nor will they send missing ant investigators. They make 'em faster than you can kill 'em. All they care about is buddies who come home bearing gifts (food). When that happens they send more and track them back to the food source.

You've identified the most important problem and solution: fill the holes so they can't some in. Even if you did nothing else that would eventually solve the problem.

Once you have plugged the holes you can spray the remaining invaders with Windex or Lysol and clean them up with paper towels.

 

[Merlot]

Sounds like you are on the right track but just for the record I also used Terro ant baits at the beginning of spring, I havent seen another ant since the day I put them out, about 2 hours into it.

 

[CWS4322]

Sounds like you are on the right track but just for the record I also used Terro ant baits at the beginning of spring, I havent seen another ant since the day I put them out, about 2 hours into it.

+1

 

[CWS4322]

Just one thing about ant psychology: they don't care of their buddies don't come home, nor will they send missing ant investigators. They make 'em faster than you can kill 'em. All they care about is buddies who come home bearing gifts (food). When that happens they send more and track them back to the food source.

You've identified the most important problem and solution: fill the holes so they can't some in. Even if you did nothing else that would eventually solve the problem.

Once you have plugged the holes you can spray the remaining invaders with Windex or Lysol and clean them up with paper towels.

Because I clean with steam, I don't have those products (Windex or Lysol) in the house. I do have rubbing alcohol...

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Steam would do a pretty good job of "cleaning" them.

 

[buckytom]

it also helps to press their teeny uniforms...

 

[CWS4322]

Steam would do a pretty good job of "cleaning" them.

The steam would scorch them...oh, I can see where this is going, chocolate-coated ants!

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Well, scorching was the idea. It gets them dead. I presume your steam cleaning has a vacuum function.

Steaming has an additional benefit: it will destroy their scent trails. Without the scent they won't know how to follow the trail to the source of the food.

Ants are exploring as much territory they can get into all the time. There's probably always a few ants patrolling your house if they can get in at all. (That's why you need to plug any entrance holes.) If they don't find any food they explore somewhere else. If they find food they follow their own trail back to the hive, and bring more ants on the trail they blazed. The trail gets thicker and thicker.

The other important thing with ants is to never leave any food or food residue they can find. (Including food spills or splashes.) If their scouts don't find any food they will have no interest in returning with the army.

 

[CWS4322]

I have several steamers--handheld, steamer only, and steam and vac. I obviously don't like mopping floors or doing windows. The one I was thinking of using was the steamer only with the floor cleaning option, but zapping them with a jet of steam and then steaming the floor afterward with the floor attachment.

 

[taxlady]

apparently people are taking food grade DE saying it cures what ails you, I would have to do a little more research before I digested the stuff, LOL

Yeah, I've heard the DE works great for insects and is one of the best things for bedbugs.

I would be scared to ingest diatomaceous earth. It kills insects by cutting there thoraxes. Those diatoms are sharp little buggers. I don't want tiny scrapes or holes in my intestines.

 

[buckytom]

If their scouts don't find any food they will have no interest in returning with the army.

wait, i thought we were talking about the navy.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

wait, i thought we were talking about the navy.

You're confusing ants and cockroaches!

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Help--I have black ants all over one room in my house.

Do you realize that THIS is the most popular topic on the forum today?

 

[CWS4322]

Ding! Ding! Ding! Gagnons! Winner! What's my prize?

 

[buckytom]

a naval themed ant farm?

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Ding! Ding! Ding! Gagnons! Winner! What's my prize?

I think the forum members should make you eat chocolate ants!

 

[taxlady]

I think the forum members should make you eat chocolate ants!

Ick. I have eaten chocolate covered ants. It did not improve the chocolate and I had little legs and antennae in my teeth. Ptui.