Bring water to a boil, mix in salt to make a strong salt solution and pour down nest. Make a homemade ant bait by thoroughly mixing one part borax with 3 parts powdered sugar. They may be if they’re taking over your home, but outside they’re very much needed. I’m going to clean with vinegar and then sprinkle cinnamon by the door where I think they are coming from. Orthene powder (acephate is generic). Sarah…that sounds like a living nightmare! Do this around the surrounding area as well, for at least three days. So please, let’s keep things simple…life’s complicated enough!!!!!! They are big black ants that I believe are carpenter ants. A case of caulking every visible and invisible crack… if you see an ant disappear,, caulk. If you want to use Borax to eliminate your ant problem, read on. So either I have super resistant ants or those plants just aren’t working. Sooooo… what really kills rather than deters them, that isn’t toxic to pets? I’m looking for a formula to use on my vegetable garden. Stopped a severe carpenter ant (Florida) infestation cold by putting out the borax and sugar mix in their activity area. Hope that helps. My wife and kids have been telling me for the past few weeks about isolated ants in the kitchen and family room — probably were the explorers. I would like to know wher to buy TBS Boric Acid (Borax). We also can advise about global warming and antibiotics. I added some jelly and sugar to it also and the ants are going to it ALL THE TIME! This post may contain affiliate links, read our Disclosure Policy for more information. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. So in our motor home I put cotton balls w/ a few drops of oil in little cups and placed them in drawers and under counters so far works well and smells good too! Borax is found in the laundry aisle in grocery stores. LMAO. You may find that a sugar bait will be popular for a few days, then a protein one is needed as they switch to protein. You can also use grits on a live ant bed. It’s not necessarily the talc it’s the powder that gets in their lungs. (on the carpenter bees!) Seems to me that I once looked at the ingredients on a box of “BORAX” and it just listed “BORIC ACID”- Don’t remember if that was the “active ingredient” OR the ONLY ingredient lol… After reading these tips I now know HOW we are getting ants! This is why a “tried and true” recipe that came highly recommended doesn’t work for you, the treat holds no interest for the particular critters in your home. I put a wide strip going up a pole to my flowers and was amazed at how many ants and ear wigs I stopped from wreaking havoc on my hanging flowers. They are 2 very different products. In the house I let the spiders stay and they keep the ant population down. So, overall, I am quite happy. If we want great content, let's encourage it! Is it too harsh for rubbing on wood? The ants could be attracted to your pet’s supper dish, a potted plant or dish of candies. Homemade Ant Killer – The Recipe. Did You Know: If a colony senses something is up when its members start dying and begins to feel stressed, the Queen will likely give orders for the colony to split up into a few smaller colonies, trying to preserve as many members as she can. Gonna try some of your tips now so Thank you tipnut!! I mention this because I hope that the fake vanilla extract as a strong attractant, to resistant ants, can help some people. They do not like peppermint oil and 99% will not cross, it kills them. ^_^. I since tried to use it on the tinest ants at the cottage but they have no interest in it!!! Amdro I heard has a pheremone to attract them and kill the whole colony. Ants can alternate between protein food sources and sugar sources. I’ve looked under the sink, window sills – everywhere. Sugary Baking Soda Ant Killer. An effective ant killer featuring Borax involves mixing sugar, Borax and warm water. Protein Bait 2 TBS Boric Acid (Borax) Peanut Butter or Bacon Grease. I sprinkled the powder along the perimeter of the kitchen and in a boot tray, which I placed the dog’s food and water bowls in. 4. Not only is this all natural ant spray an ant contact killer, but the solution also removes the pheromone ant trail. Insects have tiny pores in their exoskeletons that allow oxygen gases to enter. Google it…. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, thank you! If you poison the mice and a Owl or an Hawk eats it, it will kill the bird. Sugar ants every summer.Have tried many things.They are everywhere.Old house with alot of cracks and leaks. it worked again. I am going to have her try the baby powder. Now if someone would just solve the carpenter bee problem. You just mix up a few ingredients in a saucepan. I think I would rather have spiders over centipedes. There is a difference. I’ve used mint tea bags… they work and they are clean. It's a one gal passion-project that has grown to feature all the cool ideas and tutorials that I've discovered on the internet (one of the most popular features visitors enjoy). And i didn’t want to use toxic chemicals anywhere near my bed and belongings. Sorry if I sound like a nerd, I can’t help it. They are after the flower nectar. OH – I HAVE MORE THAN I CAN DEAL WITH! I like it because it kills pests inside the house but doesn’t harm us. I’d love to find ways to solve the problem. In the fall scatter horse chestnuts about. They are all over it. So far I have used 3 tubes of white caulk and one tube of clear silicon. This worked for a year, & I’m not complaining because I’m allergic to their bites. Will report my findings at a later point in time. I can always find three horses brand, I’ve been using it for years on my organic garden bed for slugs I sprinkle it on the wood surrounding the garden. Give it time to work…up to a week. There is no way to easily remove the salt after it’s poured onto the ground. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It won’t eliminate the problem, but it will take out a significant number. Fire ants make tunnels about 75 feet long. If your dwelling exterior will tolerate it without staining (test a small area first), spray a mixture of liquid dish detergent and water around the foundation. Change your method as needed. Probably the most effective naturally occurring protective powder, this is a great option if their nest is underneath a deck or patio and sidewalk blocks. 2) Buy a box of 20 Mule Team Borax. Leave a comment, link to a page, share goodies with friends on social media. Good luck to everyone! Does anyone have a great idea about finding the nest so I can rid my yard of ants? It’s for roaches and ANTS as well. They contain many dead ants. Recently i applied dry bleaching powder all along the periphery of my building as it is a commonly found chemical and comparatively cheaper and also i heard it repels flies and cokroaches. It’s close to a bedroom window, and I know how to deal with that area, but they’re already “in”, so I have to deal with the bed problem. Can you give me the amount of peanut butter or bacon grease to mix with the 2 TBS of Borax? We searched and finally found 5, 10, and 25 lb. I found this out from a friend. It’s used in pool filters. The best part about this ant killer recipe is that it is safe to use around kids and pets (unlike a lot of the toxic store-bought varieties or other DIY recipes that use borax). This year Ive ended up with ants in my ear twice and had to call a doctor. And if that’s the fact, then you need to determine what you are discussing. Don’t kill them because then there will be none. This article was great. Shake well before each use! I have the same problem as Donna and am going to just get pesticide – nothing natural is working. Like one of those containers they sell the sliced meat in at the deli. Boric acid does work, especially when mixed into a paste with cake sugar and water, though it can take a few weeks. LOL. I just soaked a cotton ball and made a circle so they weren’t ALL over my kitchen. thank you so much for the baby powder idea. Resolve carpet cleaner does the trick as far as killing the ones swarming on my carpet after the cat puked a hairball. Man I read all this and these comments…we are inundated with sugar ants in my kitchen. I got all the ingredients from WalMart. If all these efforts don’t work, you should call a professional. So, i actually spent a few days procrastinating. HEY LOOK HERE ABOUT BORAX VS BORIC ACID. Finding Nests: Bugs come out at night, so wait till midnight go on an extensive hunt with a good flash light. If it’s getting cold outside, they also like to settle in to find shelter. Excellent article and perfect timing! Can anyone help in on what will work to get rid of these ants? Red Chili Powder (sprinkle liberally or make a paste with water and apply at entrance). Babies. The ants love it too. It took weeks because of the infestation but finally got rid of them in kitchen. I have read on numerous sites that borax can be quite toxic if children or pregnant women are exposed to it. I know where the spiders live but keep it a secret to stop the kids from freaking out. Go to a grocery store, or home supply store. Its very strange. Put the mix into bottle caps and distribute close to the problem areas. Ants can and will be incredibly destructive if not stopped. This will destroy nests. Guess I’ll have to just use bait every so many feet outdoors from now on and stock up on some baby food jars. If you're ok with this, simply click the Accept button below. Not sure if I have to bait to get them to return to the colony. I’m also going to try that. Since one of the boys is autistic, I need to use something organic and safe so the area is not contaminated. there is still a lot of talc based powders on the market and they are usually cheap:). Repeat over three days (and pour over surrounding area as well to prevent them from rebuilding in the area). Hope this is helpful! We live in the country so our dog is inside our fence, & I’ve never found one overturned. The California desert has every kind of ant (black, red, fire, sugar, protein)and they ‘WERE’ all making homes on my little plot of land. this is a deterant, not a killer! I twist the bucket or pot a lit to get it into the ground a little. Helping to deal with pests is just one. You could also use glass jars sealed with lids–just poke holes in the top lid. What about cinnamon oil? I’m happy and they’re happy and they can continue to do what they are suppose to do. the top three boron containing ant baits: Drax (5% boric acid in a sugar solution) Enforcer (5% borax, 4% boric acid in a sugar solution) Terro-Ant Killer (5.4% borax in a sugar … It is only effective until it gets wet, so it’s probably better if sprinkle it when you’re sure you’ll get a few days in a row without rain. The type of grits is not signficant to making bait for ants. Does anyone know if white vinegar can be used instead of cider vinegar? The interior space of your dwelling place becomes part of their colony. Otherwise, wrap branches and pipes with a sticky substance that will trap them before they can find their way in (duct tape facing sticky side out should do it). 2. Usually in dollar stores and such. How do I find the nest? Another quick and safe way I’ve found to kill ants is the cleaner 409. HELP!!!! I’ve heard about the grits, but have never tried it. This is the best site! I AM HAVING A ANT PROBLEM IN MY LAWN.DON’T KNOW WHAT KIND OF ANTS THEY ARE BUT THEY ARE EATING THE GRASS ROOTS… MY LAWN IS COMPLETELY GONE IN SOME AREAS.I SEE THE ANT MOUNDS AND IT LOOKS LIKE A GRAY COLOR AND IS SANDY IN TEXTURE.ANYONE KNOW WHAT KIND OF ANTS THESE ARE AND HOW CAN I GET RID OF THEM? These were placed at the bottom of mesquite, palm, oleander, etc. It gave me a lot of ideas. I saw that baby powder worked for some people, would any kind of powder work for example face powder or body powder? All the workers in the colony can follow each others trails, so even if you killed off the first foragers, their partners will follow the trail they left. 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