Ant Annihilation: Ordnance Advice Needed

[crysede]

Hostilities were initiated one year ago, by the ant colony, when they invaded a sovereign dwelling.

Since that time I have been flooding their tunnels with weekly poison bait attacks (Raid liquid bait, 7.7% Borax). Unfortunately, a year of chemical warfare has left the enemy only slightly diminished. Ant moral remains high.

Seeking advice on how to escalate my offensive without poisoning/maiming/or otherwise pissing-off the neighbours.

 

[Guest]

 

[crysede]

They're large, single-node, non-stinging, black-ants (definitely not carpenter ants).

I know where the colony is, so I've just been pouring liquid ant-killer (borax) into their tunnels every week. By "dry granular" stuff do you mean diatomaceous earth? Since that wouldn't actually get to the queen I figured it wouldn't be as effective as the borax. Of course, since the borax ain't been too effective maybe I should try the powder lol

Thanks

 

[Guest]

 

[Fox]

Hmmm... should I throw in my vote for the faithful standby of granular borax and icing sugar? Maybe your ants are smarter than their Canadian cousins.

Good luck!

 

[crysede]

I've picked up the granular stuff at Home Depot in 10 lb. bags. When I get home, I'll check and give you the specifics.

Lime

Thanks!

Hmmm... should I throw in my vote for the faithful standby of granular borax and icing sugar? Maybe your ants are smarter than their Canadian cousins.

Good luck!

I guess I should try granular borax too, might work better than the liquid - I've just been getting the liquid because it was so easy to pour into their tunnels.

They're Nova Scotian ants - but perhaps they're smarter than their Western cousins (or just too damned stubborn to die lol)

 

[Fox]

They're Nova Scotian ants - but perhaps they're smarter than their Western cousins (or just too damned stubborn to die lol)

It's entirely possible that their PEI ants, given they refuse to give up. It could be they waited in their hills for a hundred and thirty years for the Confederation Bridge and just finally got there... In which case... you can either start growing nice potatoes, or give up. lol Or I suppose you could start playing Stompin' Tom's "Margo's Cargo" and see what happens. Yikes.

Cheers!

 

[I'm Wild Cherry]

Over and Out

My exterminator recommended Over and Out for those "between visit" ant piles. I don't know if it will work on the type you are describing... ours are nasty, stinging fire ants. It can be purchased at home improvement stores like Home Depot.

I really loved the Amdro commercials in which they talked about the ants "DESERVE TO DIE." Oddly enough, the commercials were yanked because of people objecting to them. I've never had a pesticide make me laugh before!

 

[Weird Harold]

Seeking advice on how to escalate my offensive without poisoning/maiming/or otherwise pissing-off the neighbours.

I've gotten consistently good results with Combat brand Ant Bait. One or two of the baits placed in the path of the ants normal movements and about a week later, the whole colony is dead.

 

[TNRkitect2b]

Re: Re: Ant Annihilation: Ordnance Advice Needed

I've gotten consistently good results with Combat brand Ant Bait. One or two of the baits placed in the path of the ants normal movements and about a week later, the whole colony is dead.

I second this... I too had to defend my realm at school from an invasion of ants. The Combat brand Ant baits did the trick, and they haven't been back since. Hopefully, when I get back to school this fall, they wil lstill be gone, but that will be my method of choice should they have reinvaded while i was away.

 

[Dstorage]

I agree with what fox said, mix boric acid and confectioners sugar 50/50 or whatever, it doesn't matter that much what the ratio is, and place is little piles in the corners and in cabinets. It takes a week or two, you'll have to keep putting the bait out and you'll soon find where they are most busy, but when it kicks in it will kill the entire nest.

Now if you don't mind chemicals, after you have killed the colony get some diazanon granules and pour a little circular path all around your house. It will prevent many bug re-infestations.

 

[Mary Hall]

You keep nuking ants with poison and they`ll eventually adapt and become immune.

 

[anders^g]

Hostilities were initiated one year ago, by the ant colony, when they invaded a sovereign dwelling.

Since that time I have been flooding their tunnels with weekly poison bait attacks (Raid liquid bait, 7.7% Borax). Unfortunately, a year of chemical warfare has left the enemy only slightly diminished. Ant moral remains high.

Seeking advice on how to escalate my offensive without poisoning/maiming/or otherwise pissing-off the neighbours.

Try going to a pool supply or hardware store and pick up some Diatomaceous Earth (DE) which is used in pool filters (among many other places), spread it where the ants are, or where they walk... It'll rip them up! DE is sharp fossils which are safe to pets and humans (some farmers uses it in the feed to kill parasites) but roaches, ants and many other insects can be easily killed with it too.. Do a google search - you'll be amazed

Totally non-poisonous and pet safe!

 

[Lust Engine]

I've used that Terro stuff. You lay out a handful of droplets on cardboard, the ants will swarm to this stuff (it does get a little disturbing at first seeing so many), resist the temptation to swat them all, and with any luck they'll take it back to their nest to destroy all the others. It's worked so far in my house.

Good luck.

 

[crysede]

Thanks for all your recommendations!

The shopping list so far . . .

Granular borax
Icing sugar
Diatomaceous earth
Amdro Ant Bait
Combat Ant Bait
Diazanon granules

[ominous horror movie voice] Abandon All Hope, Ye Ants Who Enter Here [/voice]

You keep nuking ants with poison and they`ll eventually adapt and become immune.

Hey - quit raining on my poison parade (If they become immune I'll eventually adapt )

 

[zhukov1943]

Never battled the black ones - around here it's all "fire ants" - but I can tell you that "Amdro" (Andro?) has worked really well. Just resist the temptation to drop it DIRECTLY on the hill, and put it a few feet away. Renew the bait every few days or after it rains (it's not as tasty after it gets wet, evidently) and the whole hill should be dead in about a week.

 

[Dstorage]

Thanks for all your recommendations!

The shopping list so far . . .

Granular borax
Icing sugar
Diatomaceous earth
Amdro Ant Bait
Combat Ant Bait
Diazanon granules

[ominous horror movie voice] Abandon All Hope, Ye Ants Who Enter Here [/voice]


Hey - quit raining on my poison parade (If they become immune I'll eventually adapt )

You are forgetting boric acid, it works a gazillion times better than granular borax (which is found in the detergent aisle and known as "20 mule team" borax) You get Boric Acid at a pharmacy, it is a powder and comes in plastic jars usually. Again remember the philosophy that you want something that is slow acting, so it will take about a week to kill them and you will be discouraged after 5 days because it seems like you are not affecting them but just have faith....

 

[Weird Harold]

Thanks for all your recommendations!

The shopping list so far . . .

One word of caution -- Pick one method and stick with it for at least two weeks.

A product like Combat Ant Bait doesn't work if you're using something else that kills the ants before they can take it home and feed it to the queen and drones that never leave the nest.

A multi-mode attack might eventually be necessary, but do it one poison at a time to avoid interactions that prevent the product from working as intended.