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.

 

[plasticman33]

Pour gasolene down their hole, then strike a match, BBQ'd ants!

 

[someplace]

I'm guessing you are fighting the common black (aka "sugar" or "egypt") ants. I don't know where you are, but down where I live, ants = fire ants. And you wouldn't have to worry about upsetting any neighbors, because they're all using whatever is strongest on the market.

I'd suggest a trip to your local home building supply yard and find the stuff that kills the Queen. That should make them leave.

 

[Guest]

 

[estevie]

Call the Orkin man.

 

[Cheyenne]

Call the Orkin man.

Yup! Especially if they are carpenter ants or something that will eat your home.

 

[Guest]

 

[Ishmael]

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.

What kind of ants?

Ishmael

 

[crysede]

Pour gasolene down their hole, then strike a match, BBQ'd ants!

See above note re: pissing off neighbours

I'm guessing you are fighting the common black (aka "sugar" or "egypt") ants. I don't know where you are, but down where I live, ants = fire ants. And you wouldn't have to worry about upsetting any neighbors, because they're all using whatever is strongest on the market.

I'd suggest a trip to your local home building supply yard and find the stuff that kills the Queen. That should make them leave.

I'm in Eastern Canada, and they're large, non-stinging, black ants.

That's the stuff I'm using. Apparently their queen is easily replaced (Figures I'd wind up with freakin' Borg ants )

Pour Gatoraide at the base of your neighbors shrubs, then trail a bit of it to said ant colony

That sounds entertaining - but I think feeding the ants may be a strategically bad move.

 

[crysede]

Re: Re: Ant Annihilation - Ordnance Advice Needed

What kind of ants?

Ishmael

Evil terrorist ants!!!

And tell your FBI contacts that they may have WMD - I think air-strikes are called for. (That should get rid of 'em )

 

[crysede]

Call the Orkin man.

Hey - I don't need The Man telling me how to get rid of ants!

(Well actually I kinda do - but I can't afford him, and righteous indignation is more empowering than poverty )

 

[Cheyenne]

Hey - I don't need The Man telling me how to get rid of ants!

(Well actually I kinda do - but I can't afford him, and righteous indignation is more empowering than poverty )

He is a lot cheaper than having to repair your home that has been chewed up by ants. Seriously. Call an exterminator and ask for their free consultation and quote as to what they would do.

 

[Ishmael]

Re: Re: Re: Ant Annihilation - Ordnance Advice Needed

Evil terrorist ants!!!

And tell your FBI contacts that they may have WMD - I think air-strikes are called for. (That should get rid of 'em )

Sounds like 'special legislation' is called for.

If you are fighting this battle on their home turf, you're going to loose. These are 'insurgent' ants after all.

You have to 'seal' your borders and protect only your core territory before you take it to the enemy. Attacking them in their nest only induces them to move in on you. Unless they're carpenter ants as previously mentioned, in which case you may be forced to hire mercenaries.

Ishmael

 

[Olivianna]

You may want to consult some readings by Gandhi and Ashis Nandy, for some ideas about dealing with the colonial enemy.

 

[estevie]

He is a lot cheaper than having to repair your home that has been chewed up by ants. Seriously. Call an exterminator and ask for their free consultation and quote as to what they would do.

I agree.

Check for coupons in your yellow pages or your hometown newspaper.

 

[SleepingWarrior]

Drain-O will kill em off quite nicely... don't know what it would do to your house and/or lawn though...

 

[Guest]

The black ants you speak of are common in eastern North America and don't do a bit of harm to any structure. They will eventually seek other sources of food other than the crumbs you leave out on your counter. Colonies are usually located in or near mature trees.

Perhaps you are the invader!

 

[crysede]

Update: I consulted some entomology sites, and these ants are definitely not carpenters.

I haven't noticed them doing any damage to the house (unless you count taking over the front yard), they seem to be strictly in it for the sugar.

If I were a more tolerant petty-dictator I'd just co-exist with them peacefully, and merely great them with benevolent good-humour when they accidentally fall off the ceiling on me. Sadly, I'm not - the ants must die!

 

[linuxgeek]

Does the colony seem to be outside and they just find your territory rich in resources or does it seem they have taken up residence in the building structure?

 

[LadyG]

I have them in southern Ontario as well.

Try to find their nest, not their anthill, and pour your chemical down there.

They're harmless, just annoying.

 

[John Doe]

Napalm.

 

[LadyG]

Yeah but the neighbours get pissy.

No sense of humour, those people

 

[catfish]

Do you have a farmers Co-op in your area? There is white powder, I don't know the name, that we use for fire ants. Not good for pets or humans, but it kills some ants.

 

[John Doe]

Yeah but the neighbours get pissy.

No sense of humour, those people

Who's joking?

 

[linuxgeek]

If they are coming from outside, may be able to deplete their numbers and take out a good number of their scouts with double stick tape.

When I was a kid, my favorate way to deal with an ant hill was to pour hydrocloric acid on it--sulfuric acid if I had gotten ahold of some old car batteries.

Second favorite was to get 90% or better isopropyl alcohol and pour it around and down the nest. And if letting your inner pyro loose, you can always light it and get some low grade heat going.