Dear Obby: I've got ants...

[mcs328]

and they're not in my pants but in my kitchen and pantry. I've bought ant baits and traps but the buggers won't go in. Is there something else I could do besides the obvious like throwing out trash and clearning dishes right away? I don't know where they're coming out from but I've been thinking og caulking up the edges on the kitchen countertop unless they can bore their way through. Thanks :wavey2:

[DarkFury]

Hot Shot Ant Baits... works everytime. :thumb: :D

[irwin]

and they're not in my pants but in my kitchen and pantry. I've bought ant baits and traps but the buggers won't go in. Is there something else I could do besides the obvious like throwing out trash and clearning dishes right away? I don't know where they're coming out from but I've been thinking og caulking up the edges on the kitchen countertop unless they can bore their way through. Thanks :wavey2:

Mix four teaspoons of boric acid powder (which you can find in most pharmacies), three cups of water and one cup of granulated sugar in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir to dissolve the solids. Place several small, shallow containers of the solution near the invading ants. Containers such as the caps from gallon milk jugs and bottle caps were recommended. This solution can be harmful to children and pets if consumed in large amounts, say officials with the state Poison Control Center hotline, so be cautious.

The ants eat the sugary solution and carry it back to their nests. The boric acid forms crystals in their stomachs and the ants die from exploding stomachs. Other ants eat their dead partners and they, too, will die.

from: http://www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/...ine/3953829.htm


^---- really works. :)

[CynJon]

Terro (http://www.terro.com/) ant killer is awesome...basically the same recipe Passwird posted only pre-made...:thumb:

[Memo]

Ya the passwird solution works but so do the ant baits you buy in the store. I had them for a while and finally bought some ant baits. Put 3 in the kitchen and very soon after they all dissapeared. It's been months and they have not come back.

[brainsmile]

move :P

[oblongmelon]

Terro (http://www.terro.com/) ant killer is awesome...basically the same recipe Passwird posted only pre-made...:thumb:
EXACTLY! you can buy it at any place like Agway, or Lowes...I have both the powder and the spray..if you lay a thin line of it around the baseboards in your kitchen-and then spray the cracks and crevices with the spray you should be good to go...I also use the powder to spread around the foundation of my house...it lasts forever-even through rain. If the ants can't find a way past the Terro they can't terrorize you. PS. make sure you have thoroughly cleaned any ant trails with bleach water-that means-anywhere you saw ants, wash down the cupboards with straight bleach and let dry-then put the terro around. It's great stuff..oh yeh, and another precaution I take every spring is to spread ant/grub/flea/bug granules all over the lawn..that seems to keep the buggers to lower numbers.

[look_ma]

Same topic, different bug. I have cock roaches, big ones (3+ inches). What is the best method for getting rid of those? I always kill them when I see them, but I am just one man. Anthing like terro for roaches, went to their site and did not see anyhting.

[gear02]

Same topic, different bug. I have cock roaches, big ones (3+ inches). What is the best method for getting rid of those? I always kill them when I see them, but I am just one man. Anthing like terro for roaches, went to their site and did not see anyhting.

3 inch roaches??? wow...that's huge!

[zenbooty]

Same topic, different bug. I have cock roaches, big ones (3+ inches). What is the best method for getting rid of those? I always kill them when I see them, but I am just one man. Anthing like terro for roaches, went to their site and did not see anyhting.
You live down south? That's the only place where I've seen roaches that size. They drink up bug juice like its Bud Light. I'd say get a gun.

[look_ma]

Yuh, I live down south. 2 days ago I was taking a shower and I had just hopped in. I looked at the loofa (sp?) and there was this huge roach looking me right in the eyes. I only see them mainly in the bathroom, i am guess water source and or humidty.

PS I exaggerate, they are not 3+ they are really 2-3 inches, the one in the shower was 3.

[zenbooty]

Yuh, I live down south. 2 days ago I was taking a shower and I had just hopped in. I looked at the loofa (sp?) and there was this huge roach looking me right in the eyes. I only see them mainly in the bathroom, i am guess water source and or humidty.

PS I exaggerate, they are not 3+ they are really 2-3 inches, the one in the shower was 3.I don't know if they're attracted to the water source or humidity, but generally wherever you run pipes and have water is where the housing structure is going to deteriorate and rot first. So that's where roaches will most likely get in from.

[oblongmelon]

boric acid usually helps...but if you are living down south I've heard the only method to keep those big ass roaches at bay is to have your place exterminated once a month.

[look_ma]

but if you are living down south I've heard the only method to keep those big ass roaches at bay is to have your place exterminated once a month.

I am afraid you are right. It is not my place, I live with the guy that owns the place and rent out a room from him. He will not sport the cash for extermination. That is why I was trying to find a cheap solution. Thin I will try that acid stuff.

zenbooty: good insite as to why they are coming from the bathrrom, make perfect sense because this house is 20ish years old.

[ufcrusher]

Ants supposedly wont cross chalk lines. I know that sounds odd, but my step mother tried it and says it worked, at least for the sugar ants. (If you are from the South you know what sugar ants are)

[DarkFury]

Ants supposedly wont cross chalk lines. I know that sounds odd, but my step mother tried it and says it worked, at least for the sugar ants. (If you are from the South you know what sugar ants are)I'm from the South... and I know about "fire ants"... but "sugar ants"? :shrug:

Nah dawg... that's not what I call a common ant name. :2far:

[oblongmelon]

I am afraid you are right. It is not my place, I live with the guy that owns the place and rent out a room from him. He will not sport the cash for extermination. That is why I was trying to find a cheap solution. Thin I will try that acid stuff.

zenbooty: good insite as to why they are coming from the bathrrom, make perfect sense because this house is 20ish years old.

Look for Borax in the laundry Isle and use that...it works good.

[slaus]

We had roaches in our home until my gf brought over a solution from China. In 2 days, no more insects at all. I'm really afraid to get the translation off the bottle. :P

[ufcrusher]

I'm from the South... and I know about "fire ants"... but "sugar ants"? :shrug:

Nah dawg... that's not what I call a common ant name. :2far:

Sugar ants are those damn little micro ants that almost every house in Florida has. They are about 1/4 the size of a fire ant and are the annoying ones that show up all around your home, no matter how clean it is. Almost everyone I know calls them sugar ants.

I have unfortunately had a run in with a fire ant mound when I was younger and to this day still bear a mark from one of the bites/stings.

[DarkFury]

Sugar ants are those damn little micro ants that almost every house in Florida has. They are about 1/4 the size of a fire ant and are the annoying ones that show up all around your home, no matter how clean it is. Almost everyone I know calls them sugar ants.

I have unfortunately had a run in with a fire ant mound when I was younger and to this day still bear a mark from one of the bites/stings.
Ok then... but I'd never heard them called "Sugar Ants". :shrug:


I guess in the hood.. they were just "ants" :D

[oblongmelon]

Ok then... but I'd never heard them called "Sugar Ants". :shrug:


I guess in the hood.. they were just "ants" :D

we called em sugar ants too-they are the ones that would be all over your popsicle in like a second if you dropped it on the sidewalk as kids-those little brown ants...

[cheapchinese]

how do i kill flea's and ticks???
i think i got me some when friend brought over his cat and dog :(
itching around the ankles...

[oblongmelon]

also-borax powder-sprinkle it around the carpets-then buy yourself some furniture flea spray...and VACUUM really well.

[kimchicowboy]

would it be mean to use that borax solution on ants that aren't a problem? i see these monster ants and i just want to play around with them. hee hee