getting rid of ants

[eyemaster]

Does anyone have any suggestions on getting rid of ants. We had tons last year, and they are back already this year..

[Sergeant Slabber]

In or out of the house? I had ants in my house for the past three winters. It was strange. We would notice them around Feb. and they last until it gets nice out. I tried all kinds of different poisons and they would only seem to work for about a week and then they would be back in full force again. I finally had to bite the bullet and call the big wigs in to spray their "special" sauce. The numbers have gone way down. I'm only noticing a few here and there now. The company will be back in about a week or two to spray the perimeter of the house. I figure with all the money I waste on putting a band-aid on the problem, I might as well spend that towards having it done right.

[eyemaster]

we have them both in and out, the outside ones do not bother the wife however.

Most concerned about the ones in the house.

[oscar]

Its kind of funny seeing this post because I've been trying to get rid of the ants in our house for the last two weeks. We normally have a few in the summer, but this is as early as I've ever seen them, and they showed up in full force. The ants are really small black and brown ones. I've used a bunch of different products without any luck, but last week I tryed Terro liquid ant baits. The ants really loved it and in a few days our problem was solved. Good luck .

[eyemaster]

did you put them in the house or outside the house

[oscar]

I actually put baits both inside and outside of the house in areas that had lots of ant movement. I don't know if that was necessary but the baits were not overly expensive so I figured I would use plenty of them.

[Ufatz]

Please be very careful in the use of poisons, of ANY kind, in or out of your home. Sometimes the stuff has an odor that dogs and cats can't resist. Then too, poison can kill all sorts of friendly lil' critters like chipmunks,squirrels and birds.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Quote:

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Please be very careful in the use of poisons, of ANY kind, in or out of your home. Sometimes the stuff has an odor that dogs and cats can't resist. Then too, poison can kill all sorts of friendly lil' critters like chipmunks,squirrels and birds.

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Chipmunks and squirrels are only friendly when they're not in the walls of your house!!

Terro is what we use. Put about a 'dime' sized dollup on a piece of cardboard, the box usually comes with them. Put the 'traps' in areas that you see the most ants.

The ants think it's food, then take it back to their nesting areas and it gets rid of the rest.

[oscar]

I guess I should of mentioned that I don't currently have any pets around the house. The active ingredient in Terro is borax which I believe is in soap. Use at your own risk. My wife was willing to take the risk that it may kill the occasional chipmunk or squirel running around in our kitchen.

[IFallsRon]

I have had the best luck with Terro spray, purchased at Fleet Farm. I also use boric acid and a granule poison, using both around where I find the ants living. You may also want to use a spray on the foundation of your place.

[joe_stack20]

Sounds funnny i know but Bay Leaves crumbled up in the spots you find ants will do the trick. Sounds crazy but thats what i use in the summer....and it works great

[Surface Tension]

Terro, Terro, Terro!

Do yourself a favor and get Terro. You'll be surprised how well it works. Give a little time and you won't see anymore ants.

[MLaker2]

In order to stop ants long term you need to look outside. Once I started using Tempo for spider control our ants in the house issues pretty much quit. I spray the side of the house once a month (June 1, July 1, Aug 1, Sept 1) and also spray a 2-3 ft border at the base. Rarely need Terro any more. Oh, and no more spiders/cobwebs on the outside or inside.

[waskawood]

Where do you get Tempo?

[MLaker2]

Waskawood, I've seen you post before, I assume you are in my local area. I get it at the ag coop store in Starbuck. Comes as liquid, you'll have to buy 8 fl oz, which will last you a while. I don't recommend the dry alternative they have as it leaves a residue on siding which will still be there the following spring.

[IFallsRon]

I was looking at a concentrate at Menards today. Mixed properly, that quart of concentrate was sposed to make 128 gallons. I don't think I'll live long enough to use that much and if I mix it strong, I could end up with a Joe Dirt situation on my hands.

[MLaker2]

8 oz of Tempo lasts me 2-3 years, so at around $60-$70/bottle not bad for spider/ant control per year compared to $100+/yr for the professional job. And my wife complains less about the job I do than the pro.