kgmunro
Well-known member
anyone know the best home or store bought remedy for getting rid of ants? There are a ton of them under and around my concrete pad by the shop.
ants
- Thread starter kgmunro
- Start date
Vernmotor
Well-known member
same here ! dam things...if you spay them out side .they want to go inside !! I have to spay the walls of the house and shop first .them spay them..But they come back every year
krusty the clown
Member Emeritus
i have been fighting them for 4 years now. the best way if find thier colony and kill them there. i finally found the colony in a fence row i took down, it had been covered in leaves and mulch. i treat the hill before every rain with boric acid.
redneckprofessor
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2007
- Messages
- 104
X2 on the Malathion
Jay H 237
Well-known member
I got them around my yard too. I put down traps but it looks like I'll have to try the diazinon.
OccupantRJ
Well-known member
Google for Termidor. Controlled, but some bad azz stuff. Poisons slowly from one to another in a viral fashion. I had some homes treated for termites with with it, and it was well worth it. Kills fire ants, too.
kartracer23
Well-known member
Is spaying ants difficult? Do you neuter the males as well? LOL!
I was moving some pavers in front of my porch 2 weekends ago and found a colony of them. I didn't have any bug spray so I grabbed a can of brake cleaner and used the whole can on them. Needless to say, they all died on contact.
beetlepower
Active member
baby powder works well too
nate379
Banned
The little plastic food house things seems to work. Poison food they bring back to mama ant. No mama... no babies... no more ant problems.
g.corey74
Well-known member
To help the plastic poison house, cut a 1/2" hole in the top. Mix in a little honey or other sweet with the poison material. Place them from pets and wait for ants to find. It might take a few days but then there will be two paths of ants, coming and going. Right back to the nest. They even bump into each other.
+1 I had red ants in my bathroom and three of the houses killed em all in a couple of days. Then my little dog ate three of the houses, plastic and all but she is ok. My bad on that one.
Now that the red ants are gone we have carpenter ants in the kitchen. I don't know if they have a colony in the house or if they are coming from outside somehow - there are a lot of ant hills in the yard I need to destroy. I have not found any wet or rotting wood which they would use for a colony either in the house or outside. Hmmm
bgott
Well-known member
You could always give the neighbor kid a can of lighter fluid and a book of matches, that always worked when I was a kid....
Cypermethrin works great for me. I just sprayed last weekend and that will probably last me until mid September. I generally only do a quick spot spray where needed at that point, not a whole perimeter job. The little ants have never been a problem, but the big carpenter ant are always trying to set up a colony in my house or garage. I hate ants
e-tek
Well-known member
BORAX and ICING SUGAR. It's a remedy that is touted around here all the time and works well. One part Borax to 2 parts icing sugar. Kills Ants DEAD.
iron dragon
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2009
- Messages
- 40
I have had great results from this:
Later, David
Later, David
tomstin
Well-known member
I recently tried this on ants around my concrete driveway and it seems to be working well. Of course time will tell, but after about two weeks it seems to have stopped them.
http://baitisbetter.com/index.htm
http://baitisbetter.com/index.htm
DB2
Well-known member
You can buy all the "pro" stuff online, legally, without a license. I got some stuff from this place:
http://www.epestsolutions.com/Ants.html
The products at HD and Lowe's are diluted significantly and have a short residual life.
http://www.epestsolutions.com/Ants.html
The products at HD and Lowe's are diluted significantly and have a short residual life.
marty_p
Well-known member
RE: Ant Situation
I avoid repellents, as they merely chase ants to other locations, like your house.
I have personally used Talstar granules exclusively for the last 5+ years, and would never think of trying anything else. You'll pay about $40 for a 25# bag of the stuff (shop around), but here's the value: it lasts for six months, the bag will treat approx. 1/4-acre, its heavy sand core granules penetrate mulch and grass, you don't have to water it in, it's super easy to broadcast using an inexpensive hand or rotary speader, and it kills all species of lawn ants, plus chinch bugs, fleas, ticks, mites, and mole crickets.
You be very happy with the results!
I avoid repellents, as they merely chase ants to other locations, like your house.
I have personally used Talstar granules exclusively for the last 5+ years, and would never think of trying anything else. You'll pay about $40 for a 25# bag of the stuff (shop around), but here's the value: it lasts for six months, the bag will treat approx. 1/4-acre, its heavy sand core granules penetrate mulch and grass, you don't have to water it in, it's super easy to broadcast using an inexpensive hand or rotary speader, and it kills all species of lawn ants, plus chinch bugs, fleas, ticks, mites, and mole crickets.
You be very happy with the results!
nate379
Banned
I think it might be the spring weather waking up all the bugs. I have been getting alot of spiders in teh house for the past few weeks.
I haven't been able to find any spider poison houses, do they make them even?
I haven't been able to find any spider poison houses, do they make them even?
nadogail
Well-known member
I call the professionals, we have had a contract with Westen Pest Control for years.
619 579 1656 They use the right stuff, safely.
619 579 1656 They use the right stuff, safely.
Jaguar Fan
Well-known member
I thought they banned Diazinon a few years ago.
marty_p
Well-known member
RE: Ants and Spiders, oh my!
nate 379: use Suspend to get rid of your spiders.
And yes, neither Diazinon nor Dursban are available any longer.
nate 379: use Suspend to get rid of your spiders.
And yes, neither Diazinon nor Dursban are available any longer.
RobSmith
Banned
In Australia I have a problem with black ants. They are little units about 1/8" long. they are very active and lately thay have been coming up through the expansion crack in the garage concrete floor. I figured that they like the warmth from the concrete and the dryness underneath. Ants learn where the good places are. I simply set up a drip feed of water into the crack and eventually the ants left...too damp !
On the other hand I have a brick veneer house and there are two ant nests in the west facing walls. ( using the suns warmth ) I have had absolutely no problem with these ants. They live in the wall and never come inside. I've heard that if the black ants are around. They attack any white ants (Termites) So I leave them alone.
On the other hand I have a brick veneer house and there are two ant nests in the west facing walls. ( using the suns warmth ) I have had absolutely no problem with these ants. They live in the wall and never come inside. I've heard that if the black ants are around. They attack any white ants (Termites) So I leave them alone.
DB2
Well-known member
Re: Ant Situation
This is exactly what I used, and I can confirm it works great. I also got the generic liquid version ("Bifen") and used it to barrier treat the perimeter of my house every 3 months...zero bugs.
I have personally used Talstar granules exclusively for the last 5+ years, and would never think of trying anything else. You'll pay about $40 for a 25# bag of the stuff (shop around), but here's the value: it lasts for six months, the bag will treat approx. 1/4-acre, its heavy sand core granules penetrate mulch and grass, you don't have to water it in, it's super easy to broadcast using an inexpensive hand or rotary speader, and it kills all species of lawn ants, plus chinch bugs, fleas, ticks, mites, and mole crickets.
You be very happy with the results!
This is exactly what I used, and I can confirm it works great. I also got the generic liquid version ("Bifen") and used it to barrier treat the perimeter of my house every 3 months...zero bugs.
phartman
Well-known member
We had a horrible problem at one point two summers ago. The ONLY solution that worked after trying them all was a product called Terro Ant Killer. It is liquid ant baits. You clip off the end and scatter them around inside the room or area. It attracts the ants and they take the liquid back to the nest. Kills them ALL in a couple days. There was a reoccurance or two. Now we none at all.
First solution was the spraying, which worked sort of...but they would always come back. With Terro, there has been no reoccurance in two summers.
Pete
Richmond, VA
First solution was the spraying, which worked sort of...but they would always come back. With Terro, there has been no reoccurance in two summers.
Pete
Richmond, VA
sharage71
Well-known member
I heard the other day that if you take some ants from different mounds and mix them with other mounds they will actually kill each other. I haven't tried it yet but seems feasable.
sammerdog
Banned
Re: Ants and Spiders, oh my!
To help keep ants & spiders at bay, twice a year (spring & fall), I put down about a six foot swath around the perimeter of the house with an insecticide and a cranked hand spreader.... think of a moat around a castle. Well - maybe more like a moat around the village idiot's thatch hut.
The products listed above (Diazinon in particular) worked great, but like MartyP said - they're history. Nowadays I use Triazicide (sp?). Works good, but seems like I had even fewer spiders in the garage when I used the Diazinon stuff.
nate 379: use Suspend to get rid of your spiders.
And yes, neither Diazinon nor Dursban are available any longer.
To help keep ants & spiders at bay, twice a year (spring & fall), I put down about a six foot swath around the perimeter of the house with an insecticide and a cranked hand spreader.... think of a moat around a castle. Well - maybe more like a moat around the village idiot's thatch hut.
The products listed above (Diazinon in particular) worked great, but like MartyP said - they're history. Nowadays I use Triazicide (sp?). Works good, but seems like I had even fewer spiders in the garage when I used the Diazinon stuff.
ironroad 9c1
Banned
yea , I'm in the Richmond area Also and we get a horrible case of the little black ants (we use to call em sweet ants) every springs, usually after the heavy rains but man they love the terro ant killer. We get the big bottle,pour some on a paper plate and watch em come running, kinda like little pets you're gonna kill...lol works great, but for us they do return , but we are further out in the country than Phartman
ironman2424
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2009
- Messages
- 50
we will never ever be rid of fire ants. they will be here when we are extinct. best advice i can give from south arkansas (fire ant haven) is to always leave one ant mound alone. dont put anything on it, dont disturb it. find one thats away/off by itself and leave it alone. poison the rest of them. they will eventually go to that one mound that is'nt bothered and satellite mounds will dissappear. if you poison them all they will just keep making new ones. if you leave on alone then they will go to it over time and wont be as bothersom.
BigRed390
Well-known member
I just used a product from Ortho that worked far beyond my expectations. I had a 24 hour line of ants running from my trash can, in front of my garage, and up the brick wall beside it. This stuff is in tiny pellets. Sprinkled a line of it where they were. Ants gone. Next, they came in the house and infested the GF's ferret cage. Got the Ortho stuff back out and read the directions this time. Sprinkled it around the perimeter of the house and wet it with a hose. Ants gone. I don't mean they're reduced in numbers, or we've got a few left. They're GONE. These were tiny black ants, and we had a LOT of them.
Rich1028
Well-known member
we had carpenter ant this spring.
I tried the terro stuff,man did they keep on comming for that stuff,but then in a few days they would ignore it.and the ants where still around.
so we called in Orkin,and they came out and sprayed,well there gone now.
I tried the terro stuff,man did they keep on comming for that stuff,but then in a few days they would ignore it.and the ants where still around.
so we called in Orkin,and they came out and sprayed,well there gone now.
texmln
Well-known member
You need an anteater!
crashbumper
Well-known member
I used to work in the pool industry, and we used to sell diatomaceous earth for swimming pool filters, but is also works well as a natural insect killer. It is inexpensive from pool stores. Typically sold in 10 and 25lb bags. Even Lowes has it, 25lbs for $18.96.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=68533-1327-343
"Diatomaceous earth (pronounced /ˌdaɪ.ətɵˌmeɪʃəs ˈɜrθ/) — also known as DE, TSS, diatomite, diahydro, kieselguhr, kieselgur, Celatom or celite — is a naturally occurring, soft, chalk-like sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. This powder has an abrasive feel, similar to pumice powder, and is very light, due to its high porosity. The typical chemical composition of diatomaceous earth is 86% silica, 5% sodium, 3% magnesium and 2% iron.
Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used as a filtration aid, as a mild abrasive, as a mechanical insecticide, as an absorbent for liquids, as cat litter, as an activator in blood clotting studies, and as a component of dynamite. As it is also heat-resistant, it can be used as a thermal insulator."
Diatomite is also used as an insecticide, due to its physico-sorptive properties. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate. Arthropods die as a result of the water pressure deficiency, based on Fick's law of diffusion. This also works against gastropods and is commonly employed in gardening to defeat slugs. However, since slugs inhabit humid environments, efficacy is very low. It is sometimes mixed with an attractant or other additives to increase its effectiveness. Medical-grade diatomite is sometimes used to de-worm both animals and humans. It is most commonly used in lieu of boric acid, and can be used to help control and eventually eliminate a cockroach infestation. This material has wide application for insect control in grain storage.
Below found @ http://www.dirtworks.net/Diatomaceous-Earth.html
One is in it's purest form and it's called Fossil Shell Flour. It kills fleas, ticks as an external treatment and can be fed to animals of all types as a dewormer and mineralizer in their feed. It's used to treat grain stored in silos too. You can use it in your own kitchen to help preserve and keep insects out of your grains and cereals. Fossil Shell Flour is used for Bed Bug treatment too.
The second type is D-20 Pet & Animal. Its' Diatomaceous Earth (Fossil Shell Flour) with Pyrethrin (a digestible extract made from Chrysanthemum flowers) and a catalyst (Piperonyl Butoxide 1%. made from the Sassafras plant) added to it, to make it even more effective against external parasites like fleas, ticks, flies, ants, etc.. It is very safe. Pets licking their fur after application will not be harmed. It's not for feeding directly like the fossil shell flour however.
The third kind is D-20 Fire Ant Diatomaceous Earth. This type of DE is used to kill Fire Ants and any other type of ground nesting soft bodied bug you may need to eliminate quickly. Click this blue link text to view the page for D-20 Fire Ant Diatomaceous Earth and get more information.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=68533-1327-343
"Diatomaceous earth (pronounced /ˌdaɪ.ətɵˌmeɪʃəs ˈɜrθ/) — also known as DE, TSS, diatomite, diahydro, kieselguhr, kieselgur, Celatom or celite — is a naturally occurring, soft, chalk-like sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. This powder has an abrasive feel, similar to pumice powder, and is very light, due to its high porosity. The typical chemical composition of diatomaceous earth is 86% silica, 5% sodium, 3% magnesium and 2% iron.
Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used as a filtration aid, as a mild abrasive, as a mechanical insecticide, as an absorbent for liquids, as cat litter, as an activator in blood clotting studies, and as a component of dynamite. As it is also heat-resistant, it can be used as a thermal insulator."
Diatomite is also used as an insecticide, due to its physico-sorptive properties. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate. Arthropods die as a result of the water pressure deficiency, based on Fick's law of diffusion. This also works against gastropods and is commonly employed in gardening to defeat slugs. However, since slugs inhabit humid environments, efficacy is very low. It is sometimes mixed with an attractant or other additives to increase its effectiveness. Medical-grade diatomite is sometimes used to de-worm both animals and humans. It is most commonly used in lieu of boric acid, and can be used to help control and eventually eliminate a cockroach infestation. This material has wide application for insect control in grain storage.
Below found @ http://www.dirtworks.net/Diatomaceous-Earth.html
One is in it's purest form and it's called Fossil Shell Flour. It kills fleas, ticks as an external treatment and can be fed to animals of all types as a dewormer and mineralizer in their feed. It's used to treat grain stored in silos too. You can use it in your own kitchen to help preserve and keep insects out of your grains and cereals. Fossil Shell Flour is used for Bed Bug treatment too.
The second type is D-20 Pet & Animal. Its' Diatomaceous Earth (Fossil Shell Flour) with Pyrethrin (a digestible extract made from Chrysanthemum flowers) and a catalyst (Piperonyl Butoxide 1%. made from the Sassafras plant) added to it, to make it even more effective against external parasites like fleas, ticks, flies, ants, etc.. It is very safe. Pets licking their fur after application will not be harmed. It's not for feeding directly like the fossil shell flour however.
The third kind is D-20 Fire Ant Diatomaceous Earth. This type of DE is used to kill Fire Ants and any other type of ground nesting soft bodied bug you may need to eliminate quickly. Click this blue link text to view the page for D-20 Fire Ant Diatomaceous Earth and get more information.
ironman2424
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2009
- Messages
- 50
if you think your going to get rid of them completely, think again. ants have been here long b4 we were. they love the conditions a slab offers. dry, deep and protected. about the only thing that will help for years is to lay down lots of poison before the slab is poured but under the plastic. most folks don't even think about doing this but it works. it takes a long time to wash it away if its under the moisture barrier but over time it will.