I live in florida,sugar ants in my home!How do I get rid of them?
Other - Home & Garden - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Use an ant BAIT. Place in area where you see ants and they will take the bait back to the nest. We use with success the Raid Ant Spikes. They worked great with carpenter ants and the sugar ants.
2 :
Ants (Hymenoptera Formicidae) -- few pests are harder to get rid of, once they've established themselves in your home. Sprays and baits don't always work (and they aren't safe if you have young children, pets or chemical allergies). Here's an alternative, using common baby powder. This method comes from a kitchen staffer at an upscale, pesticide-free restaurant. 1. Follow the trail of ants to determine where they are entering the home. 2. Locate the hole(s), making sure that you've found them all. 3. Apply Diatomaceous earth (available at most hardware stores) to the holes or cracks which the ants are using to enter the home. (Some baby powders contain Diatomaceous earth). 4. Check to see that the ants are no longer using the hole. 5. If they are, apply more baby powder and check the trail to be sure you found the right hole in step two. 6. If the ants are no longer using the hole and they start to scramble around, you've broken the chain of ants leading from the colony into your home. 7. The ants on either side will not cross the line of baby powder. Ants that come in contact with the powder will die almost immediately. 8. Kill the remaining ants by sprinkling the baby powder on them. After they're dead, sweep away the ants and excess powder. Tips: * Make sure to leave an adequate amount of baby powder around the entrance the ants have been using, so they don't return the next day. * Try mixing baking soda and icing sugar in equal parts and leave it in small piles. Some people say this won't work, but keep at it and you'll see your ant population shrinking. * A natural remedy for ant problems is to fill a spray with water and a few drops of peppermint essential oil. Spray this wherever you see ants,and they will soon go elsewhere. * Another option is to leave piles of borax crystals around your property. * For grassy areas, try adding 1/4 cup liquid dish washing soap (Dawn is the best) to a 5 gallon bucket of water. Fill the bucket half way then add the soap. Do this on the grass and about 4-6 feet uphill from the ant hole. Let the suds spill out as you fill the bucket. Once the bucket is full then you can slowly pour the soapy water (hold bucket about 6 inches off the ground while pouring) around the hole (no more than a 3 foot radius or you'll be too far out to saturate the ground well enough) working inwards toward the hole. Finishing off with some of the soapy water directly in the ant hill. This won't hurt the grass and when the ants breath in (to hold their breath because of the water) they get soap bubbles, which will block their air supply. You can use this soapy water technique for the breaks in sidewalks and cracks in driveways and other such areas. * Once your house is ant free, there are simple money efficient ways to keep them out. Sprinkling coffee grounds (buy a cheep brand for this) around your house prevents ants from coming into your home, as they wont pass the grounds. Another easy way to keep them out is to soak a long piece of string in peppers or cinnamon. * Planting mint plants along the side of your house will keep ants at bay. Warnings: * Like most powders and dusts, be careful not to use the baby powder in a room without some type of ventilation. * If you opt for the borax solution, be extremely careful. Borax is a very strong poison; you should wear gloves when using it, and not place it in a high traffic area. * When soaking string in pepper be careful to wash your hands, contact with eyes could be potentially hazardous.
3 :
You need a sugar-based bait that they will take back to their nest. Check at your farmer's co-op. Brand names differ in different parts of the country.
4 :
ant spray, red pepper over the area they enter, bleach, vinegar on their trails, there are lots of unusual methods, i had ants really bad when i moved in here, then last year they were bad outside, this year they are not as bad outside and didnt come in at all, i use raid ant and roach spray for the ants.
5 :
Terro Ant. Comes in liquid and baits and even bait you put outside your home. Excellent product. I use the liquid when they come around my kitchen window occassionly. Just drop it down between the window sills so you dont have to see all the dead ants!
Read more discussions :
