We have had some seriously schizophrenic weather here in the O.C. in the past week.
First there was a string of really ridiculously surface-of-the-sun type hot days in the 100+ range.
Then, poof! The hot weather disappeared and there was a thunder-lightning-downpour with a nice cool breeze.
All that to say that when the weather changes in these crazy ways, we usually get ants in the house. Which I hate. (I usually spray them with Windex, which kills them and then I can just wipe the counters down and that doesn't seem as toxic as ant spray, but they seem to keep coming back for a while, but that's not important right now.)
So, I've been spraying and cleaning and moving food away from the pantry and onto the kitchen table because I figure that's more of a challenge to the ant colony.
I've been checking the kitchen every few hours, making sure every dish was clean and that there was no sign of food anywhere on the counters (which is a challenge because I'm a super messy cook, but that's not important right now, either).
The ants would return and I would spray and clean and so it went.
Eric, however, is not as patient as I am, so when I said, "I think they're coming from behind that outlet," he took matters into his own hands.
My hero. *sigh*
What do you do when (if?) you get ants? Tell me.
Heather Solos says
Terro. It’s basically a sweet liquid with borax, it’s very safe for use around kids and pets. Not that your kids are at the age that they’d eat it, but still.You can also run a line of borax powder around where they enter. Make sure there isn’t any liquid out. Ants are attracted to liquid, food, and a good place to hide.
Have fun 🙂
Can’t wait until I can see you again.
Mary Lynn C says
I call the exterminator. I have had serious problems in the past with faroe ants. They are teeny tiny and like moist places, like the kitchen and bathrooms. YUCK!
Jana Miller says
I feed them….outside where they are coming in or even on my counter and at first more come and then they all die.2 cups hot water, 6 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon borax (laundry stuff). Mix together and then let cool. Pour over a paper towel in a little jar or can and put it right next to the trail.
They love this stuff…can’t get enough. And after a couple days they are gone. You just have to put up with seeing a lot of them, those first couple of days.
Ivon Pacheco-Pedraza says
LOL!!! Awesome and Too Funny all at once! 😀 .. I hate the ants too and like you, I’m constantly cleaning to make sure they stay away, but nope they keep coming back 🙁 *blah, rainy season* I finally just caved in & sent the hubby to Home Depot to get unscented fumigating spray & so far if I’ve seen a slight few, it’s too much 😉 Buena Suerte..
Marta M. Darby says
I love how you all know so much!Adding “terro” and “borax” to my shopping list……
Also….hiding the duct tape. 😉
Amanda says
Terro liquid baits. The ants in my ‘hood love my kitchen and bathrooms, but the Terro baits work wonders!
Carie says
Hola! I had carpenter ants right outside the back door. So I read up on it and ants hate cinnamon and like to eat cornmeal until they bust. So I went to the dollar store and bought tons of cinnamon, you’re supposed to mark in a trail like way away from the house and it really worked. I didnt do the cornmeal thing cuz I didnt want all those exploded ants around. ha ha ha ha Buena suerte!!
Cristina Molina says
I use “esa cosa de los Chinos” which loosely translates into Chinese chalk. I guess you can get it in Chinatown or anywhere that sells Chinese stuff. They “claim” it’s non-toxic (ummmmm, yeah, ok) and it’s chalk in a small, red and yellow box. You use the chalk to draw around the area where you want to keep the ants away from ( like your line in the sand) and they hate the stuff. The come up to it, try to get past it and they can’t. I don’t know what’s in it, but I like it because it works!
Eric says
Thanks for the tips. Duct tape only served to re-route the little creatures. I like the idea of exploded ants though. Seriously – ants are amazing.
Ody Fabregas says
I use Terro also and it works like magic for months. All I do is put a drop on a little piece of cardboard or paper, whatever you prefer and then I place it in the corners or window sills etc. Usually no more than one or two. 24 hours later, they are gone. Just did it recently cause we too had a lot of rain.
Marta M. Darby says
I went out and got the Terro Ant Bait and for a while it reminded me of the buffet line on the cruise ship! Needless to say, I was a little freaked out. I had to work through the “bait” part of the process.Now it’s been just a few hours and the numbers are already dwindling. It’s kind of amazing.
Ta
Hanks again to all of you for your valuable input.
Besos,
Marta
Marta M. Darby says
Ta Hanks. Or Thanks.Silly iPad. 😉