I'm suddenly infested with ants. They're in the wierdest places. Not on food, but on the woodwork and baseboards or crawling up the walls. Even in my dishwasher on the clean dishes! I had to rewash everything. I put fire ant powder down, but the little buggers are still everywhere.
I buy the little white--and some are black--ant traps. Within a week or 2 I am sweeping up dead ants and I don't get them back. Ithink Raid makes the white ones. Yu can get them at a drug store or Target/Walmart.
Chalk works too... draw a line where you see them coming in.. and they wont cross that white line
We've had the problem this year also. If you aren't against using chemicals, I suggest the liquid ant bait (we use Terro). I just take a plastic spoon and put a couple of drops in the spoon and leave it in their trail. It's sweet, so within a day or so you will see them around the bait eating it. They bring the bait back to the "mound" and they all die. I like using the spoon because it's easy clean up and you can put it most anywhere. Of course, my kids are old enough they know to leave it alone and we don't have pets, so keep that in mind also.
Good luck!
Yikes! We used sprinkled ground up cinnamon where we saw the ant trails and around the areas where they were entering our home. It took 2 weeks, but it totally eliminated the problem. The cinnamon kills them when you sprinkle it on them directly but creates more of a repellant than anything. We didn't have fire ants, though, but it's worth a try. I couldn't use the ant traps because we have a toddler and baby that would get into anything poisonous.
I know how much of a problem this can be! We used a mixture of cornstarch and ceyenne pepper, and placed "barriers" everywhere we saw them come in. For some reason this worked I dont recall why but it works! We would even see the ants come up to the "barrier we created and they would turn around. Ants are creatures of habit and they follow very specific trails that they will not break on their own, so you need to help them out! Eventually we they stop coming, so give it a shot!
If they are black ants, then put down Terro. It's like $4 at Home Depot. Really easy to use and non-toxic. The scavenger ants eat it, take it back to the nest and everyone dies! It's amazing stuff!
If they have wings, they aren't ants, they're termites. Get it looked at.
Beware of using anything made with synthetic chemicals - - especially chemical pesticides. Europe has banned 1000 chemicals that are still used in products sold to Americans. Many of the chemicals banned in Europe are KNOWN to cause cancer, yet US companies are still allowed to use them. For organic or natural methods, visit Elizabeth Anna's Old World Gardens website: www.elizabethanna.net or the "Dirt Doctor's" website.
are you sure they are fire ants? If not fire ant killer is not what you need. They could be carpenter ants, they eat wood. You will need to have the house treated before they do too much damage. Call an exterminator out for an estimate. We used Atomic Pest Control when we moved in because the previous owner had never treated them we found a lot of damage.
Try Home Defense spray - spray the borders of the house inside and out. You can get it at Lowes/Home Depot, etc . . . works great, dries quickly . . .
Call Jeff with Crown Pest Control 1 (817) ###-###-####. We have him on contract to keep bugs away from our house. We had a big ant problem last year. It took a lot of work, Jeff took care of it and so far we're ant free this year!
I had them too and called a company to fix it but over and over monthly charge and cost me $800 before they were gone. They come through the wiring of the home. So I also had them in the dishwasher and microwave. Even washing and using the microwave did not keep them from coming. So I thought about it. I went trhough my pantry and bought a huge plastic ben with a lid and put all the snack stuff I have for my day care in it. I store it in my bedroom closet as there is no other place. All snacks, cake mixes, cereal, and any cheese its or anything. Bisquick I may put in the refer if not in the bin. They disappeared. I am very careful to put any opened packages in plastic zip locks or hard locking containers. I have not seen an ant in a long time. Also thought they liked my toothpaste as they were in the master bedroom. But saved so far anothyer $800 this year. I thought when I called them they would spray and that was it but they were careful because of the kids and put poison inside the electrical switch plates. One time I had a ton coming in around a baseboard into the dog food. I sprayed it and wiped it up and have not had the problem since. Even if you do not see them in the food they may be attracted by the smell. So that is my advice and hope this works for you G. W
I use dryed molasses to protect my house. You can buy a 50 lb bag (about $10 - will last all summer) at any feed store. Sprinkle in all around the outside walls of your house, like a border. I think it has the same result as cream of wheat, the ants eat it and the stuff expands and kills them. Anyway, it works. You will have to repeat process throughout the summer or when it rains.
I learned this from a workman that works for the city and an old time texan
