Consider the Ant

How to get rid of Ants
It seems to be those small tiny ants that scurry around all over our ovens, sinks, table tops and whereever there has been food. Although you clean and keep your food surfaces clean, they just don't seem to go away. You cannot spray with a pest control spray because there are kids that make sandwiches and spill food etc., all over the counter tops. So what do you do? Where can you find a workable result?? It is certainly a dilema. So one country remedy is to put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so,especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Then for immediate results try:











This spray has been the most effective spray I have personally found that is non-toxic and controls the ants both inside the house and outside the CMU hollow tile walls from ever getting in. The only problem I have is knowing when you have an ant problem. I need to be notified as soon as you detect ants so that I can spray them. Or you can purchase this product at Home Depot and spray them yourself. (so far, Home Depot is the only store I have found to carry this same product). There may be other products that work equally as well, but so far, this is the best I've found. If you choose to purchase the product, I have found that the one that works best for me is a light colored Orange spray with the words "COMMERCAL LINE" by Johnson.

Just got my call back from the distributor SC Johnson, in the mainland. For some reason, Fantastic Orange will no longer be shipped to Hawaii. Go figure. Find something that works and they discontinue it. I'll have to look for another product now. grrrrrrrrrr













Next on my search for a cure is Grant's Kills Ants from Pioneer Ace. I didn't see ants around for about a week then after the first week, the ants are back. So far, I am disappointed with their performance, but in all fairness to them, On May 28, 2011, I have posted a comment on their consumer feed back and will keep you informed as to their response. So far on June 1, 2011 I have not heard back from Grants mfg.












Here's what the Grant's kills ants product looks like from the inside after 1 weeks of use. I opened up one of their traps and this is what I found. The bait had no evidence of being touched, there was no evidence of any eating of the bait or evidence of ants having gone into the bait trap whatsoever. From my point of view as it currently appears. This product is completely ineffective if used as instructed. There is no information on the package I could find that identifies what is the key/main ingredient such as arsenic, boric acid, sulfer powder or organic germanium. http://grantskillsants.com/consumer_feedback.php I contacted them by Email this morning May 27, 2011. I will post their response when I get it.

info@excelmktg.com Or call: 1-800-265-0761
Grant Laboratories
14688 Washington Ave.
San Leandro, CA 94578



Next on my search is going to be a product from TERRO, liquid ant baits. This product does list the active ingredient Sodium Tetroborate Dechaydrate (Borax)5.4%. We'll see how this one works. I installed TERRO in my unit on May 27,2011

One day I will find something that works and then we'll post that for you all to see and use.

Commentary: Depending on the kinds of ants, certain commercial baits can be ingested by workers, taken back to the nest for consumption or regurgitated to feed and kill others in the colony. Commercial bait syrups such as borax (Terro) will kill ants that feed on sweets. Toxic fast-acting baits kill foraging workers quickly, but are less effective as those that are slow-acting, which are taken back to the nest for consumption. Place baits directly on the ant trails away from children and pets. Other baits include boric acid plus mint apple jelly (Drax), hydramethylnon (Maxforce), methroprene (Pharorid), bendiocarb (Ficam), propoxur (Baygon) and sulfluramid (Pro-Control). A spray that has proven affective is made by Fantastik. It is an Orange spray with citrus in it. It kills ants instantly when they are seen in the open, but will not kill the main nest since the main nest or colony is located in an unknown different place. I continue to look for a point of entry but as yet have not found it. It may even be in the vents, in the attic, under the slab or even in the hollow tile, but where ever they are, what I have done has not stopped the penetration.

House Foundation Spray (Outdoors)
To prevent ants from entering the house, use a perimeter spray, treating the foundation as high as two feet and out three feet into the soil, especially around windows, doors, etc. with the insecticide mixed in water, preferably as a wettable powder formulation, to avoid plant injury. Dursban, Diazinon, Baygon and D.E. or Diatomaceous Earth give good control.

In the Yard and Garden (Outdoors)
Ants can injure plants by tunneling around the roots, causing them to dry out. Sprays or dusts, applied directly in the ant mounds and around the area a few feet, will eliminate the problem. If needed, repeat the application according to the label directions and safety precautions. Again, Dursban, Diazinon, Baygon, carbaryl (Sevin), and bendiocarb (Ficam) will kill ants.

On Trees and Shrubs (Outdoors)
Eliminate aphids, mealybugs and scale that secrete honeydew to reduce ants. Apply similar insecticides as for the yard and garden to tree trunks, shrubs, bushes and the soil to kill foraging workers. Use insecticide formulations that will not cause tree and shrub injury.

Labeled Insecticides
There are literally hundreds of insecticide formulations labeled for ant control. Some are labeled for general use (homeowners) while others are restricted use (licensed pesticide applicators only).

In many cases, once an ant infestation has been found, control measures are best accomplished by a licensed, professional pest control firm. Homeowners often do not have the experience, availability of certain insecticides and equipment needed to perform the job effectively on certain ant species.



Learn a lesson from the ANT

When we examine their design and activities, even the things that can be called “the smallest of the earth” provide lessons for us. For example, consider the instinctive wisdom of the Ant. Proverbs 30:24-25. Here we read: “There are four things that are the smallest of the earth, but they are instinctively wise: 25 the ants are a people not strong, and yet in the summer they prepare their food;”

Some researches believe that for every human, there are at least 200,000 ants, all of them busily toiling on and under the earth’s surface. Ants are organized into colonies, and in most colonies, three types of ants can be found: Queens, males and workers. Each group contributes in its own way to caring for the colony’s needs. One particular ant, the South American leaf-cutting ant, could be called a sophisticated gardener. This little insect fertilizes, transplants and prunes its fungus gardens in ways that maximize its yield. Researchers have found that this skillful gardener adjusts its efforts according to the amount of food that is needed by the colony.

We can learn from the ants. They teach us that diligent effort is needed if we wish to produce good fruitage. The Bible tells us: “Go to the ant, you lazy one; see its ways and become wise. Although it has no commander, officer or ruler, it prepares its food even in the summer; it has gathered its food supplies even in the harvest.” Proverbs 6:6-8.

There are many types of ants in this world. There are fire ants, carpenter ants, acrobat ants, pharaoh ants, little black ants, pavement ants, crazy ants, Caribbean ants, crazy raspberry ants, odorous house ants, Argentine ants, ghost ants, white footed ants and thief ants to mention a few. And although absolutely nothing here is worth remembering or even considering, it can never be said that you were not given a chance to meet your ant when visiting Hawaii. And if you stay in your unit with your mate and a couple of kids that you should expect to see your fair share of ants . . . approximately 800,000 for your portion :-) You may want to complain when you see less than your fair share.

Here are some of the scientific names they go by:
Common Name Scientific Name
Carpenter Ant Camponotus spp.
Cornfield Ant Lasius alienus (Foerster)
Larger Yellow Ant Acanthomyops interjectus (Mayr.)
Pharaoh Ant Monomorium pharaonis (Linn.)
Thief Ant Solenopsis molesta (Say)
Pavement Ant Tetramorium caepitum (Linn.)
Little Black Ant Monomorium minimum (Buckley)
False Honey Ant Prenolepis imparis (Say)
Allegheny Mound Ant Formica exsectoides Forel
Lawn Ant Iridomyrmex pruinosus var. analis (E. Andre)
Acrobat Ant Cremastogaster lineolata (Say)
Odorous House Ant Tapinoma sessile (Say)
Crazy Ant Paratrechina longicornis (Latrielle)

Although some scientists state that ants have been living on the Earth for more than 100 million years and can be found almost anywhere on the planet, we read from the Bible that all animal creations were made in the 6th creative day. Being that (according to those same biblical scholars that each creative day is 7,000 years long and that we are still in but nearing the end of the 7th creative day) It has thus been concluded by most biblical scholars that the ant along with all other land creatures that it was created approximately 14,000 years ago. It is estimated that there are about 20,000 different species of ants. For this reason ants have been called Earth's most successful species.

Here is a cut and paste excerpt from Google on this marvelous little creature:
Ants build many different types of homes. Many ants build simple little mounds out of dirt or sand. Other ants use small sticks mixed with dirt and sand to make a stronger mound that offers protection from rain. Western Harvester ants make a small mound on top, but then tunnel up to 15 feet straight down to hibernate during winter. Ant mounds consist of many chambers connected by tunnels. Different chambers are used for nurseries, food storage, and resting places for the worker ants. Some ants live in wood like termites. Army ants don't make a home at all but travel in large groups searching for food.

Sociology: Ants are social insects, which means they live in large colonies or groups. Some colonies consist of millions of ants. There are three types of ants in each species, the queen, the sterile female workers, and males. The male ants only serve one purpose, to mate with future queen ants and do not live very long. The queen grows to adulthood, mates, and then spends the rest of her life laying eggs. A colony may have only one queen, or there may be many queens depending on the species. Ants go through four stages of development: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

Anatomy: Ants have three main parts. The head, the trunk(middle section), and the rear or metasoma. All six legs are attached to the trunk. The head consists of the jaws, eyes, and antennae. The eyes of ants are made up of many lenses enabling them to see movement very well. The antennae are special organs of smell, touch, taste, and hearing. The metasoma contains the stomach and rectum. Many species of ants have poison sacks and/or stingers in the end of the metasoma for defense against their many predators. To see a diagram and learn more about ant anatomy visit our Ant Anatomy page.

Organs: Ants do not have lungs. Oxygen enters through tiny holes all over the body and Carbon Dioxide leaves through the same holes. There are no blood vessels. The heart is a long tube that pumps colorless blood from the head back to the rear and then back up to the head again. The blood kind of coats the insides of the ants and is then sucked into the tube and pumped up to the head again. The nervous system of ants consists of a long nerve cord that also runs from head to rear with branches leading to the parts of the body, kind of like a human spinal cord.

Communication: If you watch ants for any length of time you will see that they really do communicate with each other and very effectively too. Ants communicate by touching each other with their antennae. Ants also use chemicals called pheromones to leave scent trails for other ants to follow.

An ant observatory lets you watch and learn about the fascinating world of ants in your own home. Life Studies will be happy to get you started. We have everything you need including an Ant Observatory and Instructional Video about ants. We will also send you some good tunneling ants tunneling ants (Western Harvester ants) for your observatory. Use these links to find out more about ants and start your own observatory.

The anatomy of ants is very interesing. Use this diagram , that shows the main body parts of ants, and the information below to learn about about the anatomy of ants.

The first thing you will notice in this diagram of an ant's anatomy is the three main divisions. The head, the trunk, and the metasoma. Ant bodies, like other insects have an exoskeleton . Their skeleton is on the outside - not covered by skin, muscles, and tissue like humans.

The head of an ant has several imporatant parts. First the eyes. Ant eyes are a lot like flies. They have many small eyes connected together. This enables ants to see movement very well.

Also Attached to the head of the ant are two feelers. The feelers are special organs of smell that help ants communicate. If you have every seen an ant find a food source, it is not long before the ant communicates to his friends and their are many ants there. Ants release pheromones (chemicals that have different smells) to communicate with each other. The feelers pick up these smells as signals.

The head also has two strong pinchers which are used to carry food, to dig, and to defend. Just inside the mouth is a small pocket where ants can store food. They can give this food to other ants in need.

The trunk of the ant is where all 6 legs are attached. At the end of each leg is a sharp claw that helps ants climb and hang onto things.

The metasoma of the ant is a poison sack. Ants are closely related to wasps and other stinging insects. Many types of ants have stingers and can inflict a very painful sting. This is a useful way to defend against the many predators ants have.
Inside Ants do not have lungs. Oxygen enters through tiny holes all over the body and Carbon Dioxide leaves through the same holes. There are no blood vessels. The heart is a long tube that pumps colorless blood from the head back to the rear and then back up to the head again. The blood kind of coats the insides of the ants and is then sucked into the tube and pumped up to the head again. The nervous system of ants consists of a long nerve cord that also runs from head to rear with branches leading to the parts of the body, kind of like a human spinal cord.

An ant observatory lets you watch and learn about the fascinating world of ants in your own home. Life Studies will be happy to get you started. We have everything you need including an Ant Observatory and Instructional Video about ants. We will also send you good tunneling ants (Western Harvester ants) for your observatory. Use these links to find out more about ants and start your own observatory

There are several kinds of ants that may occur in and around the home ranging in size from about 1/32 to 3/4 inch long and colored yellowish, light brown, reddish-brown, brownish-black or jet black. Ants, as all insects, have three body parts, head, thorax, and abdomen. Most are wingless, but the homeowner sometimes may confuse swarming, winged ants with swarming, winged termites, causing alarm. Ants can be easily distinguished from termites by several characteristics:
· Ant bodies appear constricted or pinched in at the waist (shaped like a figure 8), while termites do not have the waist constriction.
· Ants have elbowed antennae, while termites have straight, bead-like antennae.
· The forewings of ants are much larger than the hindwings. Termites' wings are equal in size and shape.
· Ant wings are transparent or brownish, while termite wings are milky-white or grayish and longer than the body.
· Ant wings are firmly attached, while termite wings are easily removed or shed (fall off).
Differences between a winged termite and a winged ant.

Life Cycle and Habits
Ants are social insects that live in colonies or nests usually located in the soil near the house foundation, under concrete slabs, in crawlspaces, in structural wood, in the yard or garden, in trees and in other protected places. Ants have three castes, namely queens, males and workers. Queens and males are the reproductives. Workers are sterile wingless females. New ant colonies are started by a single fertilized queen that lays eggs and tends her brood (larvae and pupae) that develop into worker ants. Tending of the brood is then taken over by the worker, which may shift the brood from place to place as moisture and temperature fluctuate in the nest. When workers forage for food for the queen and her young, they often may enter houses and become a nuisance by their presence and contaminate food.

Carpenter Ant
These ants are the largest found in Ohio and rank number one in inquiries over all other ants. They are a nuisance by their presence when found in parts of the home such as the kitchen, bathroom, living room and other quarters. They do not eat wood, but remove quantities of it to expand their nest size, sometimes causing structural damage. Winged males are smaller than winged queens. Wingless queens measure 5/8 inch, winged queens 3/4 inch, large major workers 1/2 inch and small minor workers 1/4 inch. Workers have some brown on them, while queens are black. Workers have large heads and a small thorax while adult swarmers have a smaller head and large thorax. The petiole has one node and the profile of the thorax has an evenly rounded upper surface (workers only).

Cornfield Ant
Nests are very commonly found in fields, lawns, between bricks in the walk, beneath rocks, in pavement cracks, etc. Numerous mounds of its nests are commonly seen in the lawn. They invade the home for sweets. They live on nectar of flowers, live and dead insects and are very fond of honeydew. They collect the eggs of corn root aphids, storing them in burrows during the winter, then in the spring, carry young to the roots of corn. Yellowish, retarded corn and the presence of anthills around the injured corn plants are evidence of this dependent relation between the ant and aphids. They also transport strawberry root aphids to the crowns and roots of strawberries. Workers are about 1/10 to 1/4 inch long, light to dark brown, soft-bodied, robust, one node petiole (long pointed segment), 12-segmented antennae, without an antennal club, with the anal opening at the end of the abdomen, circular, and surrounded by a fringe of hairs. They have large eyes on the head and, when crushed, emit a strong odor of "formic acid."

Larger Yellow Ant
These ants are often mistaken for winged termites since the winged adults swarm through cracks in basement walls or floors, crawl around and are attracted to lights. They live in the soil next to the building foundation, under basement floors, in concrete voids or in rotting wood, and feed on honeydew of subterranean aphids and mealybugs, which live on the roots of shrubs planted near residences. Winged forms are dark brown or blackish-brown with brownish, somewhat clouded wings and bodies measuring 3/8 to 1/4 inch long to the wing tips. Workers are pale yellowish-brown, about 5/32 to 3/16 inch long. They cluster around cracks and crevices and, when crushed, give off a strong odor, smelling like "citronella" or a certain kind of toilet soap. They are smooth, shiny, quite hairy, have 12-segmented antennae, one node petiole (long, pointed segment), small eyes on the head, uneven thorax profile and the anal opening at the end of the abdomen is circular surrounded by a fringe of hairs. Workers stay underground during the day and forage at night.

Pharaoh Ant
This ant is a serious nuisance in hospitals, rest homes, apartment dwellings, hotels, grocery stores, food establishments, etc. They feed on jellies, honey, shortening, peanut butter, corn syrup, fruit juices, soft drinks, greases, dead insects, and even shoe polish. They have been found in surgical wounds, I.V. glucose solutions, and sealed packs of sterile dressing in hospitals. These ants are capable of mechanically transmitting diseases, Staphylecoccus and Psuedomonas infections in hospitals. Workers are very small about 1/16 inch long, light yellow to reddish-brown colored with the hind portion of the abdomen somewhat darker. The petiole has two nodes and the thorax is spineless. The antennae has 12 segments with the antennal club composed of three segments.

Thief Ant or Grease Ant
These ants are prevalent around kitchen sinks and in the cupboards, feeding on grease, oils, cheese, meat, dead insects, etc. They don't seem to feed on sweets. Workers are very small ants, about 1/32 to 1/20 inch long, smooth, shiny, yellowish to bronze colored with two nodes in the petiole, a 10- segmented antennae with a two segmented club, thorax without spines and small eyes on the head. It nests in the soil or wood, robs the food and brood of other ants, hollows out seeds for the oil content and may feed on dead rodents.

Pavement Ant
This is one of the most common tiny house-invading ants in Ohio with nests usually found outdoors under stones, in pavement cracks, along the curb edges and in crevices of masonry and woodwork. Pavement ants may forage in the home throughout the year, feeding on grease, meat, live and dead insects, honeydew, roots of plants and planted seeds. Workers are sluggish, between 1/12 to 1/4 inch long, light to dark brown or blackish, hairy, 12-segmented antennae with a three segmented club, a pair of short spines at the rear of the thorax, two nodes in the petiole, pale legs and antennae, and the head and thorax furrowed with parallel lines or grooves running top to bottom. In winter, nests may be found in the home near a heat source.

Little Black Ant
These are the common house ants which nest in woodwork, masonry, soil and rotted wood. They feed on sweets, meats, vegetables, honeydew and other insects. Workers are about 1/8 inch long, slender, shiny black, sometimes dark brown with two nodes in the petiole and a 12-segmented antennae with a three segmented club. Nests in the ground are detected by the very small craters of fine soil.
False Honey Ant or Small Honey Ant

These ants, sometimes called "cold weather ants," normally nest outdoors in the soil, but occasionally can be found in kitchens feeding on food and beverages. They forage along scent (pheromone) trails on counter tops with 12 or more ants in a line. Workers vary from light to dark brown (almost black) in color, are very shiny, have a triangular abdomen and are about 1/8 inch long. The petiole has one node, the profile of the thorax is uneven and the first antennal segment (scape) is longer than the head.

Allegheny Mound Ant
This ant normally lives outdoors with nests consisting of huge conical mounds, sometimes measuring nearly three feet high by six feet in diameter. Undoubtedly, some enter homes occasionally since they are fond of sweets, but normally attend honeydew-secreting insects on plants and are predaceous on other insects. Workers are about 1/4 inch long with a blackish-brown abdomen and legs, while the head and thorax are rust red. New colonies are founded by extension of or breaking off from existing colonies when workers migrate away with one or more queens. Related field ants may be brown, black, red or of various combinations of these colors.

Lawn Ant
This ant nests in well-drained, clay or gravelly soil and makes the well-known small anthills with a central entrance. Workers are about 1/4 inch long, yellowish in color occurring in lawns, golf courses, pastures, under walks or stones and on trees. The abdomen is light tan with a darker brown band on each segment on the under and hind region. The head, thorax and legs are slightly darker orange-brown than the abdomen.

Acrobat Ant
These ants may invade the home for food (sweets and meat). They feed on sweet juices such as honeydew of aphids, nectar, plant sap, etc. They build "cowsheds or tents" of plant or earthen material over aphids, which they tend. Workers are about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, light brownish-yellow, and are recognized by a heart-shaped abdomen, flattened on the upper surface and curved below. They have a two node petiole attached to the upper part of the abdomen and a pair of spines on the thorax. When disturbed, they elevate their abdomens, directing them forward in an acrobatic manner and bite fiercely. They nest under wood, such as stumps, under boards, in hollow trees, under trash, rocks, in windows and door frames. They have an objectionable odor.

Odorous House Ant
These ants occasionally forage indoors for sweets and other foods. They give off an unpleasant odor when crushed, smelling like "rotten coconuts." Workers are brown to dark-brown in color, about 1/10 inch long. The petiole has one node (hidden by the abdomen) and the profile of the thorax is uneven.

Crazy Ant
These ants will feed on sweets and kitchen scraps, but prefer to feed on animal matter and insects such as fly larvae and adults. Ants present the appearance of running aimlessly about a room and, thus, named "crazy." Workers are about 1/10 inch long, with slender long legs, dark brown to black in color, one node petiole, the profile of the thorax not evenly rounded, and the abdomen tip has a circular fringe of hairs.

Control Measures
The most important step in ant control is to locate the nest and destroy the colony. Sometimes a chunk of jelly, spoonful of honey, pile of sugar or piece of bacon, placed near the site where ants are found, will attract them and help in locating their nest. Once the route is discovered, treatment can be made in the crack or crevice, greatly reducing or eliminating the problem. But this takes time and patience waiting for them to take the bait and watching where they’re heading. Adults in the first batch are few and smaller than normal; they emerge from the nest to forage for food to feed the second larval brood. The queen then becomes an egg-laying machine.

Queens may live from 12 to 15 years, workers three to four years; because of this, the colonies may persist indefinitely.

In the Home (Indoors)
It has been advised by many manufacturers that to treat entire walls, floors, countertops, cupboards, etc. may not be as good as a brush on application. Apply all insecticides only on cracks, crevices or hole treatments, avoiding food, children and pet contamination. Dusts, such as bendiocarb (Ficam), chlorpyrifos (Dursban) or boric acid (Borid), puffed into holes can give good coverage of voids where ants can be killed or carry the chemical back into the nest, killing others. Apply in light amounts, but be aware that these dust type articles can become airborne. So if you are sensitive to boric acids, this may create an additional problem for you. Aerosol sprays can be applied, but dispersal or area coverage may not be quite as good. The use of a paintbrush to apply a thin layer of an oil-based insecticide into cracks along baseboards, window and door frames, around plumbing or heating pipes, etc., can be effective.


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Home / Categories / Home and Garden/ Gardening/ Garden Pests and Weeds
How to Kill Ants Without Pesticides
originated by:John Kummailil, james_uk, Ben Rubenstein, Anonymous (see all)

Article Edit Discuss View History
Ants love the summertime...Pesticides get into your ground water and contaminate wells. Here's a relatively benign way to kill ants using biodegradable materials.


Click onto his website then click onto any of the links below for additional ideas.
http://www.wikihow.com/Kill-Ants-Without-Pesticides
Contents
1 Video
2 Steps
2.1 Pipe tobacco method
2.2 Trail stoppers
2.3 Chalk for windows
2.4 Lavender oil
2.5 Soap water method
2.6 Dish soap method
2.7 Sticky tape method
2.8 Finger method
2.9 Hot water method
3 Tips
4 Warnings
5 Related wikiHows



BEHAVIOR
Ants are social insects, like honey bees and termites; they have three distinct caste members within the colony-queen, male, and worker. The soldier is a large worker. Each caste performs very specialized duties that contribute to the function and survival of the colony. Primitive species are solitary and live in small colonies, while colonies of more advanced species may contain thousands of individuals.

MANAGEMENT
There are some 40 to 45 species of ants in Hawaii, and although not all are pests of homes and gardens, a few species can be troublesome when they invade your kitchen, bathroom, and plants.

Ant control in and around the home requires multiple plans of attack, persistence, and a knowledge of their social habits. With one or two exceptions, it is not always necessary to know which type of ant you have. Control measures are often the same.
An exception may be the Hawaiian carpenter ant. It does not bore into wood as some mainland species do; however, it is often found nesting indoors inside hollow spaces such as doors, pianos, storage boxes, and termite-eaten wood. Elimination of the nest is the easiest and fastest method of control.

The second exception to general ant control is encountered with the Pharaoh ant. Chemical control (sprays or dusts) applied to foraging workers may split the colony and create one or more satellite colonies. This may result in a larger number of ants, which can complicate control efforts. The use of a slow-acting poison incorporated with an appropriate bait appears to be the best method of control.

NON-CHEMICAL CONTROL
Physical exclusion and sanitation are probably the most feasible non-chemical management tools for ants. Obvious entry points into a home should be caulked, food should be refrigerated and/or bottled, floors and counter tops should be free of food debris, etc.

Removal of plants attractive to ants, tree and shrub trimming to eliminate entrance via branches, reducing moisture sources including condensation, sealing pipe and utility line entrances are other methods of non-chemical control.

CHEMICAL CONTROL
If a trail of ants is discovered, it is often possible to keep them out by tracing the trail back and sealing the entry point with caulking or applying a pesticide spray to only that area. The spray will disrupt their foraging trail, and indoor foragers will probably abandon their efforts Spraying all visible ants is often unneeded. Chaulking and spraying at the point of entrance may cause the ants to find another entry point into the home.

If one can follow the ant trail to the nesting site, control measures will be more direct. This is done by surveying the outer perimeter, if the house is on a concrete slab, or surveying the perimeter and underside of post-on-pier homes. Look for trails of ants and follow them back to locate the nest, which may be marked by disturbed soil or by a hole with a lot of ant activity. At the nest there will be many individuals as well as whitish capsules, which are the larvae and pupal (growth stage) cases. Treat the nest site and area around it with an insecticide approved for outdoor ant control.

If outside ant activity is not found as a source for indoor problems, the ants may be nesting inside the home. If the nest cannot be found indoors, poison bait may be a solution.

Poison baits are an attractive alternative to other control methods, because you do not have to treat a large area or know exactly where the nest is. When this method is chosen, it is absolutely necessary not to use insecticide sprays or dusts. For the poison bait to work, forager ants must eat the bait and then live long enough to carry it back to the colony to feed the reproductives, other workers, and developing young.

The success of the poison bait to eliminate an ant colony depends on several factors. First, the workers must be attracted to the bait. They will not be if there is other food around or if the bait is unsuitable. If they are not attracted to the trap, try another brand. An alternative would be to experiment to determine what they like. Try a water solution containing table sugar. Place a drop next to an ant trail and see if they readily feed on it. If not, try unused or room-temperature leftover cooking oil, but be aware that oils can become rancid and repellent to ants. Add one or two drops of the attractant to the commercial trap and repeat the experiment. If the ants enter and exit the trap in large numbers, do not disturb the area; allow them to forage. Remember, do not use insecticidal sprays or dusts.
Second, the poison bait must be lethal and slow-acting. If many ants die too soon, live ants will abandon trap area. Third, the trap must be placed where the ants can find it, such as along trails or next to entry points. Even if all goes well, it may take several weeks to eliminate the colony.

The insecticides used in bait traps vary according to brand. They may contain such ingredients as arsenic, boric acid, chlopyrifos, or hydramethylnon. Traps also come in various configurations, which is a factor to consider before purchase if children and pets will be present. Consult your local pesticide distributor.

Broadcast application of pesticides for preventive ant control inside or outside the home is not recommended. Pesticides labeled for ant control do not last and will require repeated applications. This may result in unnecessary added expense and dangers to the environment.

Without persistent treatment, the ants may refuse to leave; or they may return after a time, regardless of the treatment. If that happens, call your local resident manager and together you will be able to discuss further options. We have further learned that prayer does not always reduce the population of unwanted ants.