We have Ants!About 5 years ago, we discovered an ant infestation in our home. I tried lots of remedies, to no avail. I found the spot where they were entering our home, and I doused it with red pepper, vinegar, cinnamon, baking powder, you name it. The only thing accomplished was a spiced house, the ants trudged right through.
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We eventually called an exterminator, but I wasn't happy. We had children and pets to worry about, so the thought of insecticides in and around our home made me very uneasy.
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We have another infestation. I am determined not to use the dreaded exterminator. I can't find their entrance point, but I have determined what is luring them inside our home. I first discovered them enjoying a donut that I left on the counter for my son. Next, I found them feasting on pancakes.
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They are foraging for fat, sugar, and carbohydrates. They didn't touch the store bought ant traps, so I had to think smart.
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I made my own concoction. After thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting the kitchen and other areas they have been spotted, such as near the dogs' food bowls, I set out my traps. Here is the recipe:
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1/2 cup lard (or other hard vegetable oil)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup borax
Mix the ingredients together until well incorporated. Place chunks of this paste on jar lids or other small flat surfaces that are OK to be discarded. I used a flat pint jar liner that is damaged and can't be used for canning. Place in areas where ants have been noticed.
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Store any extra in airtight containers properly labeled in the fridge, or if you have little ones (or husbands that don't read) that might nibble it... throw the extra away. Make more if you need to, it's not very expensive. It might take a day or two for the ants to discover the poison treats, but once they do.... Bwah, ha, ha!
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Borax is toxic to ants, but not to humans or dogs. I wouldn't leave the poison where it can be easily consumed by small critters, it will make them sick, just like any soap product would. The ants eat the borax and take it back to the nest to share with their fellow ants. The borax makes a gas in their entrails, they have no way to relieve this gas. We do, and so do our dogs. Sit next to one of our dogs after dinner... you'll know it's true. But the ants can't, so they explode. If they bring enough borax back to their home, no more ants.
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You can see in the picture how much the ants love this recipe. I'll post again soon to update the ant project.
3 comments:
I had what I refer to as piss ants..and I did what you did...well it killed them all, so now the piss ants have been replaced by their meaner badder uglier big black ants..I don't want something that will invite them in even if to kill them...I want something that will scare the little fuckers away with out bringing them in the house.
I honestly think this is really mean...why don't you just pour a few piles of sugar and leave it outside. They don't die or enter your home and they still get the food they need for their little ant family. It's what my mom did and it worked just fine for us. And it's even less expensive than buying Lard, Borax, etc.
Hello, I have a quick question for you about your site. If you could please get back to me at your earliest convenience I would greatly appreciate it. Have a great day!
Thanks,
Dan Gilbert
Communications Coordinator
Primrose Schools
dgilbert@primroseschools.com
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