ants--the small ones

[robren]

Getting small ants on kitchen counters. Not a lot, they are easy enough to remove and clean up, but I'd like to hear your remedies for both the small ones and the larger carpenter ants.
Thanks

 

[so lucky]

Can you see a trail they are following? You might try putting diatomaceous earth down on the trail. My son had those little black ants really bad last year. He sprayed and powdered and everything else. They got into all the food in the kitchen. Granted, he's not the tidiest person, but still!
At my house, we have not had to deal with roaches for many years, but we have seen a few lately. They have come in with the mail, of all things. I went out and sprayed the mailbox with Raid.

 

[~gd]

Getting small ants on kitchen counters. Not a lot, they are easy enough to remove and clean up, but I'd like to hear your remedies for both the small ones and the larger carpenter ants.
Thanks

For the tiny ones I have had good luck with a 50/50 moc of sugar and borax as a dry powder. The little buggers cary it back to the nest to share. It is not a fast killer. I have seen a few wandering around the next day. This will work with carpenter ants but they are not attracted to the bait. the usual way is that they will walk thru the powder and get a dose when they clean up the tiny hairs on their body. This kills one at a time and does not wipe out the nest. Try a professal if you have a real problem.

 

[robren]

Not a big issue...yet. I find about a dozen maybe every 2 or 3 days. I'd like to stay away from the chemicals, so was wondering if anyone had a better way to eliminate them.

 

[Denim Deb]

Put out some corn meal for them where you see them. If I recall correctly, they can't digest it.

 

[moolie]

Mint or pennyroyal--sprinkle it where they travel and they (usually) won't cross it. I've used mint for years

 

[Hinotori]

Try the diatomaceous earth. It's just the shells of tiny plankton like creatures, not a chemical. It works mechanically to scratch the shells and membranes of insects and dehydrate them. Use food grade not pool grade as that is bad for the lungs.

I've used the borax and sugar with good success over time. Borax doesn't hurt mammals or birds.

 

[~gd]

Put out some corn meal for them where you see them. If I recall correctly, they can't digest it.

Well fire ants just love the stuff!

 

[~gd]

Try the diatomaceous earth. It's just the shells of tiny plankton like creatures, not a chemical. It works mechanically to scratch the shells and membranes of insects and dehydrate them. Use food grade not pool grade as that is bad for the lungs.

I've used the borax and sugar with good success over time. Borax doesn't hurt mammals or birds.

Both food grade and pool grade DE are bad for the lungs. When used as an insectice the directions say to use a filter mask while handling it. My brother used to be the prof. of Entomology [study of insects] in MO and he got sick of discussing the benefits of DE with the greenes so he gathered a collection of common insects and their food source in collection jars. each jar was theated with DE. If he did a talk he took the collection with him. his speel was something like this: yep kills maggots to keep the flies down But it kills common earthworms which you want in your garden/farms. Kill grubs? only if you dig them up and a shovel will do the job. Each Jar would be passed around so all could see with their own eyes. I don't remember the whole thing but the rule was If when you crush them they crunch DE isn't likely to work the body is just to tough. if they squiss it probably will kill them if you can get it on them or have them eat it. Ants Crunch.

 

[so lucky]

Fortunately, the ants we have around here aren't big enough to crunch.
DE is used for fleas; I would think they would "crunch"