Natural means of getting rid of black ants?

Rebecka

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I am looking for a natural method of repelling or otherwise getting rid of black ants. I need to be careful what we use since I have indoor cats and a dog and soon will have bee's in the hive outside. I don't want to risk anyones health.
 

TanksHill

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They say borax repels aunts. Or perhaps you could try the food grade diatomaceous earth. I know in works on most bugs. chalk also repels ants. Draw a line and the wont cross it.

Just a couple ideas.

gina
 

Dace

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You could do a search, we had a long thread going because I had a serious ant problem last spring/summer.

The DE is what worked best for me.
 

noobiechickenlady

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DE for sure works. They die quick. And its a physiological response, not chemical. So no build up of immunity. There is conflicting opinion about the safety of DE & bees though, I just learned. I use it, but I will be careful not to spread it on any flowering parts. Just to be safe.

If you keep having trouble with them in different areas, borox & sugar water, soaked into cotton balls & placed in a jar works, if you have a inaccessible location, especially inside. You can also poke some decent sized nail holes in a jar lid (big enough for an ant) and lay the jar on its side. That will kill the ants but your bees won't be able to get to the borax.
 

Ohioann

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To repel ants indoors use cinnamon. Just sprinkle it in cabinets or on counter tops. They leave! It's a little messy but safe. Have never used it outside but it should work there too.
 

Beekissed

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I put a small lid filled with corn meal on the counter top and soon, no ants! They take it back to the nest for feed and are unable to tolerate the corn diet....ulcerates their digestive systems and they die.

I've even used grits for this. It may take a few days to start noticing that there aren't as many coming in. Then you look around and don't see any at all.
 

freemotion

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TanksHill said:
They say borax repels aunts. Or perhaps you could try the food grade diatomaceous earth. I know in works on most bugs. chalk also repels ants. Draw a line and the wont cross it.

Just a couple ideas.

gina
I only have one aunt that I want to repell....how can I let the others in and just repell that one aunt? :D



I love typos!

ETA: I spelled repel with two L's!!! In all fairness, I cannot edit that now..... :lol:
 

abifae

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wormwood works GREAT. when i've had ants, i sprinkle the herb around the edge of the areas they come in and they don't come through it.

i think the smell messes up their sensing their own trails.
 

Rebecka

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OO a bunch of really great ideas! I think I am going to give the cornmeal a shot in the kitchen and the wormwood in the bathroom. Thats the only critter free zone we have in the house. I can't use it in the kitchen because I have a cat that thinks far to highly off the stuff and he will make himself sick on it. Thanks so much! I will let you know how it works out :)
 

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