Getting Rid of Ants

The previous post discussed the benefits of using ant bait stations as a method of ant pest control. This post goes on to consider the various types of baits which may be used. Whilst there are many different types of commercially available ant baits available over the counter (and online) – it is perfectly possible, and in many ways better, to simply make your own. Why not make getting rid of ants that little bit more ‘hands on’ by creating your own homemade ant bait. The reason we say that it can be ‘better’ to make your own bait is simply because it allows you to have complete control over the strength of the bait, and to modify it according to circumstances. All will be explained!

Why Homemade Ant Bait?

Whilst commercially available ant baits generally contain a slow acting poison (often around 5%) combined with an inert sugary based product (around 95%) – the proportions of poison in these mixtures are set at a fixed percentage. The advantage of making your own homemade bait is that you can constantly adjust the proportions of the various ingredients in the mixture yourself, once you observe how the ants are reacting.

Bear in mind that the ants which you are able to see only represent a fraction of the total number of ants in the colony. To eliminate the entire colony it is necessary to find some way of ‘using’ these visible (usually worker) ants to somehow unwittingly cause the destruction of their fellow ants and, ultimately, their queen. This is where the ant bait station comes in to play. The idea behind an ant bait station (also sometimes called an ‘ant control center’) is to provide a place which the worker ants will identify as a source of food. We want these ants to consider it as a food haven! What will then happen is that the worker ants will take some of the food back to the colony to share with the other ants – and ultimately the Queen. If the food that they are taking back is ‘laced’ with a slow acting poison, this should ultimately kill the queen. Remember that to completely eradicate a colony the Queen must die!

As the majority of ants are sugar loving, the principle source of food used in any ant station should be based upon a sugar source. You can make a simple sugar source by simply mixing around 7 oz of water with any sugar product such as honey, sugar cubes, molasses, etc. For the first couple of weeks do not add any poison to this sugar source. Let the ants get used to using the ant station as a source of free food. One tip here – try to keep the bait out of direct sunlight to prevent the sugar water from fermenting. Ants learn very fast and remember what they have learned so hopefully, within a short period of time (a few weeks), the ants will be using your bait station on a regular basis as their primary source of food. By placing your bait station(s) initially close to areas where you have had a problem with ants, what you will find is that these ‘problem’ ants are now using your station instead of wondering over your home or garden (wherever your problem areas were). Now start to move the ant stations gradually away from these problem areas and you should find that the ants will move with them. This is effectively a method of ant ‘displacement’. The size of the ant colony will be unaffected but the effect is to remove the problem to a different area – usually further away from your house. For some people, this may in fact solve the problem itself – you may be happy simply to displace the ants to a different location without actually having to kill them. Remember that the primary purpose of the ant bait station should be to control the ants. It does not necessarily have to be to kill them – although it has to be said that commercially available stations invariable include some form of poison in the bait. If, however, you find you are able to use your homemade ant bait to control the ants without needing to resort to the use of poison then so much the better.

Time to add the Poison!

Assuming that the ants have been using the ant station for a while and seem to be quite content to regard it as their primary food source then, if you consider it necessary, you may proceed to eliminate the entire colony by the subtle addition of poison to your homemade bait. The easiest and most effective form of poison to use for this purpose is boric acid. Boric acid was first registered as an insecticide in the United States in 1948 and basically acts as a stomach poison affecting the insects’ metabolism, whilst in dry powder form it is also abrasive to the insects’ exoskeleton. Please be careful when handling boric acid in concentrated form. Whilst is is generally considered to be not much more toxic than table salt – it can be dangerous if taken internally or inhaled in large quantities. Please wear gloves when handling it and keep away from children and pets. Boric acid is generally available over the counter at a local pharmacy (drug store), hardware, or garden store.

How much Boric Acid?

The trick here is to add just enough boric acid to your sugar bait so that the ants ingest enough to act as a slow acting poison. We want the worker ants to take it back to their colony and share it with their fellow ants and, especially, the queen. If you add to much boric acid, you will find that the worker ants will die before they can make it back to the colony and deliver their poisonous food. (This is not only ineffective but actually counterproductive since the ants which will be using the ant station are merely sterile female worker ants. If you merely kill them, the queen may simply produce more to replace them.) If you add too little boric acid, the problem is the reverse – the ants will simply not die. It is recommended that you start out by adding one teaspoon of boric acid and then observing the results. If you find that after a month or so, the ants are not dying, then increase to two teaspoons per cup. Alternatively, if the ants appear to be dying whilst at the bait station then the mixture is too strong.

We hope that you have found this information useful and informative and wish you every success in your efforts at getting rid of ants forever!

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How to Get Rid of Ants acid, ant pest control, boric, Boric acid ant bait, eliminate ant problem, homemade ant bait

Ant bait traps, sometimes referred to as ‘Ant Cafes’ or ‘Ant Bait Stations’ are a highly effective technique in the management of the vast majority of ant species. We use the term ‘vast majority’ rather than simply stating ‘every single species’ since research suggests that ant baits do not work particularly well with certain species of ants. When it comes to ridding your home and garden of ants, baits are, in practice, probably most effective with sugar loving ants.

So what is the idea behind an ant bait trap and how does using one help you to get rid of ants? Well the basic idea of an ant cafe is quite simple. The ant cafes are designed to lure the ants to use them as a source of food and are therefore placed in areas where we wish the ants to find them close to the ant trails. The idea is to stock the ant trap with food which is appealing to the ants and which they will carry back to the colony to give to the queen. An ideal bait will consist of some form of slow acting poisin so that the queen, and hence the colony, will be eradicated.

There are a number of commercially available ‘off the shelve’ Ant Cafes and Ant Bait Station products for sale along with various types of ant baits. When it comes to baits, there are a number of points to remember:

                Ant Baits must not be too strong (poisinous) otherwise they will kill too many worker ants before sufficient bait makes it’s way back to the colony to kill the queen.

                Ant Bait must work slowly in order to affect the ability of the colony to survive by killing the queen and causing a significant drop in the numbers of workers that gather food and maintain the colony.

                Bait must also, of course, be attractive to the target ant and be available in sufficient quantity and over a sufficient period of time in which to be effective.

 It is very important to be patient when using this ant  elimination technique as we wish for the bait to act slowly so that it has time to work it’s way back to the queen and eventually eliminates the entire ant colony. Baits can take up to several weeks or even months depending on the size of the colony.

Please bear in mind that you must not use toxic chemical sprays at the same time as this is entirely counterproductive since all that will happen is that you will kill the ants before they are able to take the food back to the colony. This defeats the whole purpose of using ant bait in the first place!

Snippets from around the Blogosphere:

How to Kill Ants in Your Home with Natural Pest Control

When all else fails, and you still cannot identify the source of your ant problem, turn to the professionals or purchase a store bought ant trap, or bait station. They look like little black or white plastic disks.

Homemade Ants Baits

Most of the time 100% syrup baits work fine. If ants seem to be ignoring the bait stations try adding a little vegetable oil. Commercial ant baits vary in concentration of boric acid between 1-5%. 

A Guide to Controlling Ants « How-To Australia

Baits are easy to use and often effective. Place the baits next to wherever ants are seen, preferably beside ant "trails". Note: Do not spray other insecticides or cleaning agents around the bait stations.

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How to Get Rid of Ants ant bait, ant bait stations, ant cafes, ant traps, baits

Lets face facts. We humans cause substantially greater harm to our environment than ants ever could. Furthermore, the toxic chemicals we use to try and kill ants will always be doomed to failure because the ants will eventually return, only stronger than ever. Ants are survivors!

Not only may toxic chemicals be harmful to humans (particularly children) and animals, but When these chemicals are applied directly to the soil, they purge it of all living things by completely sterilizing it and in the process killing off all the good ‘beneficial’ organisms within it. This soil will no longer be capable of supporting life as dead soil is a non functioning system. Plants growing in such soil will be subjected to stress and most likely ultimately die as a result. Furthermore, as the beneficial organisms are unable to flourish, the predators will gain the advantage. Thus the problem becomes apparent – the toxix chemicals destroy nature’s balance causing the natural systems to break down which in turn results in infestations of pests or disease.

Anyone who has ever employed the services of a pest control company utilizing chemicals will be familiar with the infamous "Do not walk on the grass for 48 hours" sign which is put up after somebody has sprayed your property with toxic chemicals. The problem with this approach is that it creates numerous health hazards in the process and ultimately, only serves to increase the ants’ resistance as the ants rapidly acquire an immunity to the chemicals used, thereby requiring even stronger chemicals the next time around.

So when it comes to ant extermination, give a thought to natural methods of ant elimination.

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How to Get Rid of Ants natural ant control, pest control

Did you know that Ants can lift up to 6 – 10 times their own body weight? They are then capable of carrying this load over obstacles, up inclines, for considerable distances. This makes them one of the strongest creatures on earth, at least relative to their size. Some estimates would say that it takes almost half a million ants to make one pound in weight, an incredible statistic when one then considers that the combined weight of all the ants on the planet actually exceeds that of humans! It will therefore come as no surprise to learn that ants outnumber all other animals in the world today.

Ants combine superior intelligence with an advanced social structure which has enabled them to survive for millions of years in a wide variety of different habitats – indeed ants are just as happy in a city apartment as in a jungle swamp, provided they have access to food and water. Ants have even been known to have been found on board airplanes! Observing a single ant only provides a small clue as to the level of group intelligence behind it. One ant may be busy dragging a piece of food significantly larger than itself whilst another is following a scent trail leading to a water source. This trail will then be marked for others to read and follow. Ants have a very sophisticated method of communication so that whenever the colony requires something, a message goes out and the worker ants tell the scouts what is required. The scout ants then go off in search of whatever was required (ie. food) and when they manage to locate it they then relay that message back to the colony, at which stage the worker ants will then go off en masse to fetch the required items. Impressive or what!

Finally, please try and remember that although we regard ants as pests, they actually play a very important role in the plant kingdom. Rather than pests – try and think of them as ‘nature’s gardeners’! When confined within suitable boundaries, ants perform many functions which are vital not only to the plant world, but to all living creatures. Ants show us the importance of the balance of nature and serve as useful indicators to inform us when there is a balance and when there isn’t. When it comes to getting rid of ants it is important to bear in mind that to eliminate ants completely is not only unrealistic and unnatural but would also lead to a great deal of damage. The real solution lies not in seeking to eradicate ants off the face of the earth, but in learning to control them. Furthermore, we would suggest the use of organic methods of ant control over toxic chemicals when seeking a safe, environmentally friendly method of ant control.

Video extract courtesy of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) Television:

Ant Fact Snippets from the Blogosphere:

Interesting Facts about Ant

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ANTS. Like all insects, ants have six legs. Each leg has three joints. The legs of the ant are very strong.

Some Common Facts About Ants

Ants are known to be very adaptable insects capable of living in the harshest habitats all over the world. An ant colony, which can have inhabitants of more than a million , has three classes of “citizenry”: the workers, the soldiers.

Interesting Ant Facts

Interesting Ant Facts. Some researchers say that fire ants have an internal “compass” created by eating tiny bits of mineral called magnetite, allowing them to navigate.

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How to Get Rid of Ants ant control, Ant facts, natural methods

Here in the Midwest people who like cooler weather enjoyed their summer. We had very few days above ninety degrees.

Cool climate makes the insects lazy, and I don’t see a lot of activity bug wise.

That’s deceptive though, because we’re entering the peak season for insect attacks. They’ve spent the summer hatching young and growing their populations. They lurk in their nests somewhere, waiting for warm days to heat them up so they can erupt from their holes, and swarm at us.

I see evidence of pending pest attacks from ants. Twice I spotted a group of them working inside my house. They weren’t active enough for me to track them back to the colony location yet, but I’m waiting.

Mosquitoes are bothersome enough when I spend time in my yard. They aren’t the nuisances now that they are on hot evenings, but my experience shows that mosquitoes come at you no matter what the temperature – during the summer and early fall months that is. They just don’t attack in as big an army when it’s cool.

The good thing is when the temperature stays lower bugs are easier to control.

Those ants you see in groups are picking up food. You don’t need to find where the colony is. Get some ant bait (make sure you identify the type of ant, and get a bait that’s formulated for that species), and place that bait right there close to where you see them gathering. They’ll find the bait, carry it back to the nest, and soon enough you won’t see those ants. They’ll disappear for a year or two, spending all their time rebuilding the colony.

If mosquitoes particularly plague you try to figure out where their breeding spot is. Maybe you have an area of standing water they’re laying eggs in. Eliminate the cause of the standing water if you can. An occasional spray (with an approved mosquito aerosol) around the property helps eliminate these bugs.

If you’re planning a cookout spray the area an hour or so before any other preparations, and place some citronella candles around the perimeter. That way you keep mosquito bites to your guests at a minimum.

This time of year, and especially with the cooler weather, insects shouldn’t be much of a problem for you. Their numbers aren’t that big, the nuisance factor is small, and you’re ready for them.

Haven’t you been waiting for them to ambush you all summer long anyway?

Author: Joseph Jackson

Joseph Jackson is an experienced pest control technician and author of ANT RIDDANCE a how to guide for performing do-it-yourself pest control for controlling ants, and BUG BE GONE a how to guide for performing do-it-yourself pest control for controlling mosquitoes and fleas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Jackson

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How to Get Rid of Ants keywords

Ants are pests especially when they come in droves. That is how they always come, you will see one now and after 10 minutes, you will see hundreds of them later. It does not stop there as the numbers increase. So if you see an ant now, better check where that ant is going so you will be able to fix the problem. Remove the reason why they are there and learn how to kill ants.

There is no doubt about it, ants are considered as one of the most annoying pests in the home or the garden because they are very difficult to get rid of. They actually come in different forms and sizes. There are ways to kill an ant so you do not have to call the pest control agency right away. You can get rid of your own pests at home.

It has been a known fact that ants can be killed by cinnamon so you can sprinkle it at the area when you see them. The ants eat them up because of the sugar content in the cinnamon but it eventually kills them. Vinegar is also a useful tool to kill ants. All you got to do is squirt vinegar on areas where you frequently see ants such as kitchen counterparts or cabinets. When the vinegar dries up that is when its potency comes in. It can kill ants and prevent more from going inside the home.

So you see you do not have to call for the ant exterminator as soon as you see ants, all you got to do is learn how to kill them and you are well on your way to having an ant-free home.

Author: Cheryl Forbes

Cheryl Forbes writes about how to kill ants at her website http://all-natural-insecticides.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Forbes

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How to Get Rid of Ants ants, exterminator, kill, naturally

Ants, aren’t they enough to make you start buying canned foods only?

Remember watching ants as a kid? Remember that they always travel in two lines — one going from "home" to a food source, and one coming from the food source to "home"?

Those ants don’t actually follow each other, they follow a scented path. As ants move away from their home point, they leave a pheromone residue that guides them back. Like Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumb idea, the pheromone keeps the ants from getting lost. It also gives them a "road" to travel back to any food that they find.

If you destroy that "road" you remove the pheromone, and the ants on the outbound side of your point of destruction become lost. They can’t find their way home. You also force the ants at home to start new searches for food because they don’t know where that last one is anymore. Once you hinder their foraging, it’s time to attack the colony, and rid yourself of this nuisance. The problem is if only 10% of the colony survives your attack, that 10% can build a new colony equal to the size of the original…and larger.

That makes ant invasions tough to control. Certainly they’ll disappear for a while during that colony rebuilding, but keep a watch for them because after a season or two they come back, and you must launch a new attack.

By the way, do you know how to distinguish an ant from a termite? They look almost exactly alike, but have two major differences:

• Ants have a "pinched" waist. Think of a woman’s body measurements of 36 – 24 – 36. Ants have the 24-inch waist. Termite bodies are even along the whole length; they don’t have a "pinched" waist.
• Ants have "elbows" (or a bend) in their antennae. Termite antennae are straight.

Keeping the above criteria in mind saves you frustration and worry when you see a swarm and need to identify quickly which type of insect it is.

Speaking of swarm now is a good time for me to explain what I mean by that word. Both Ants and Termites have swarming seasons. This is their mating time. The reproductive members of the colony come out all at the same time. This often looks like a sudden cloud of bugs.

Reproductive ants have wings and normally fly toward a light source when they emerge from the colony. If the colony is under the floor inside your house, or inside a wall, you’ll see these winged ants gathering around a window. The ants mate and the males die. The females return to the walls, floors, or ground to start new colonies.

Not all species of Ants emerge into the open when they swarm. Even still, be aware of this possibility, and be prepared to identify which insect you have invading your home.

Having the ability to distinguish between these two species of insect saves you from suffering ulcers when you know you’re only looking at an ant. You should also remember that there are many methods of eliminating ants naturally without resorting to the use of toxic chemicals.

Author: Joseph Jackson

Joseph Jackson is an experienced pest control technician and author of ANT RIDDANCE, a how to guide for performing do-it-yourself pest control for controlling ants.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Jackson

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How to Get Rid of Ants ants infestation, eradicate ants

You will find that ants are found all over the world and all over the world they are considered to be pests. They just seem to be able to cause such a nuisance of themselves by getting into your food and destroying your plants because they build anthills at the root of the plants and using the nutrition of the plants as their own food. There are various types of ants and all types do not live in the house. There are some types of ants which live outside the house and some live inside the house. The most commonly known ants are weaver ants, leaf cutter ants, fire ants, driver ants etc. The ants live in a colony and they have lots of unity amongst themselves. It is very difficult to drive away an ant as it has the tendency of finding out ways and means to reach the food material that it wants to carry to the anthill.

 
Using Pesticide to Kill Ants

As with any pest that you have on your property, you will want to eradicate the ants. There are two basic types of ants that invade the house. One is the black ant that lives outside the house and enters the house in search of food. These ants are harmless. The other is the carpenter ant which makes cavities inside the house which is very harmful as in the long run these cavities may cause damage to the structure of the building. So it is highly essential to eliminate these ants totally from the house. When searching for ant killer you will see that there are a number of different methods to choose from. Although pesticides can be used you need to know that they can be quite harmful to the environment and you should keep them away from children and any pets. We would strongly suggest that you do try natural methods of ant pest control before resorting to the use of toxic chemicals but if you feel you wish to use the chemical approach we suggest that the best way is to call the pest control department and ask them to use their pest control device to kill the ants.

Are There Any Natural Ant Killers?

If you do not want to use chemicals to kill the ants there are various things available on your kitchen shelf and on the dressing table which can kill the ants. These natural products do not have any harmful effect on the members of the house. If you see hordes of ant in the kitchen follow their trail and then fill the hole with turmeric powder, also line the entire area from the hole to the place of their invasion with turmeric powder and after some time you will find the ants have vanished. Wipe the floor with vinegar mixed in water and the ants will not enter the house. The colony can be wiped off by pouring boiling water in the slits where the ants have made the ant hill. So use the natural methods to deal with your ants infestation problems!

Author: April Kerr

April has written a number of articles relating Ant Pest Control including: Natural Ant Killer and Exterminators in Georgia.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=April_Kerr

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How to Get Rid of Ants ants infestation, eradicate ants

Ants can be very annoying pests, they are not easy to get rid of, are pretty resilient and there are so many of them. But do not worry, there are some easy ways to get rid of them without using chemicals. Here are five natural ant repellent that won’t put you in danger form using toxic products.

1. Vinegar:Vinegar is such a powerful natural ant repellent, it will cause those pesky critters to run away from wherever you put it. If ants are coming inside your house, spray some around the doors or windows. They won’t ever try to go inside your house with the odor of vinegar. You can also spray some on their nests, they won’t stay there for long you can be sure about that.

2. Black pepper is another very powerful ant repellent, because they don’t like it. If you sprinkle some pepper around your house and near ant nests, they won’t come near your house and move away. Just sprinkle some until they are completely gone from your garden or lawn.

3. Cayenne pepper is similar to black pepper, ants just avoid it because of the strong smell. So again spray some around where you don’t want to find ants and near their colonies. They will run away in no time.

4. Cinnamon is another natural ant repellent that you can use. It has a similar effect to the different peppers. You can buy it in bulk for pretty cheap and sprinkle it everywhere you don’t want ants. It is a lot cheaper than getting chemicals and very effective. It won’t kill them, but they will not bother you again.

5. Boiling water is a bit more brutal method to get rid of those ants, but usually works pretty well, if you can get the queen. Usually it won’t be a problem if you put enough water down their nest. A few gallons of water should be enough.

Author: Lance Pierce

Learn ways to get rid of ants quickly and easily at http://howtopreventpestsnow.com a popular website on pest removal that provides tips and advices about natural ant repellent and other pests.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Pierce

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How to Get Rid of Ants get rid of ants forever, tips

The Ant season is looming fast!

As the ground warms up in the spring, ants who have been dormant in the earth during the colder weather warm up and come to the surface. Queen ants fly off to find new nesting areas…and before you know it, ants are back in our world.

Whilst it is true to say that ants do have an important role to play in the ecosystem, it is no picnic when they become pests in our world. But all too often, when people have a pest problem they either call the ant exterminator or else run to the store and purchase a can of toxic pesticide, come home and spray the pest.

Whoa! Let’s step back and take a look at handling the issue of ant extermination using a least toxic approach.

Perhaps we should first define ‘least toxic approach.’ Essentially, what this term really means is that you attempt to solve the insect problem with the least toxic material. If that doesn’t work, then you might try something a little toxic but not as toxic as poison. You keep trying to solve the insect problem using progressively more toxic substances until you find something that works. Using this approach, the solution to your insect problem can range from doing nothing to spraying toxic insect killer, if that is the only thing that works.

Why should you bother with a least toxic approach? For one thing, studies are beginning to reveal the serious side effects of the overuse of toxic pesticides in our environment.

Did you know that evidence suggests a risk for some types of cancer and even genetic damage from exposure to pesticides?  And perhaps worst of all, children are especially at risk.

Why wait until science finally makes a direct link to damaged genes and pesticides? By that time, the damage could already be done to your genes and those of your children.

You can help protect yourself, your children and our planet by doing your part to be a good steward of our environment right now. One way to do that is to adapt a least toxic approach to pest problems…and that’s what our article series on getting rid of ants is all about.

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

 
Chris Wells is the author of How to Get Rid of Ants: 137 Non-Toxic Ways to Get Rid of Ants Using Common Household Items and Products, an 88-page book chock full of non-toxic solutions to ant and insect problems. Go to www.howtogetridofants.com for more information.

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How to Get Rid of Ants ant extermination, exterminator, pest control

Ants are common company to humans and efforts to make them crawl back to their own homes outside your apartment may prove worthless.

In some ways, it can appear that the harder you try to banish these tiny horrible creatures, the more they discard their family planning skills and proliferate to fill your house.

They do not care that they are the ‘hosted’, the parents and their wealth of children may be found creeping everywhere any time.

What annoying pests!

People think that cockroaches are a symbol of dirty and unkempt homes, which admittedly may be true, but at least they have a bit more brains and common sense than ants as they do tend to hide during the daytime.

Ants do not appear to notice (or care about) the broad daylight or darkness of the night, but are simply on the job on a full time basis.

Just when one is sure the kitchen is clean with no food or sugar pellets lying on the floor, sinks and other surfaces, the ants will still be found taking stroll here and there.

Even clean and dry utensils are not spared either, a thing that makes me wonder what they feed on, so that I have to do the dishes all over again before serving any meal or drink.

You may think that these are not filthy, but sure they are because they can be found creeping on the toilet surfaces, garbage bags, now and later back to your dishes.

What I hate most is that many types of ants gather tiny particles of soil and entirely anything and before one know it, a heap of this is lying behind and under those huge sofas, cabinets, that one does not move often.

Why do they keep loitering?

Although the ants crawl anywhere, they are especially keen on the edibles traceable on their pathways.

If you have children who cannot be stable using the dinner table, chances are that you can find ants all over the place because children pour food pieces on the floor, sofas, beds and the like.

Ants are also fond of greasy and sweet foods and you may even find them on your sugar dishes.

If there are other insects such as cockroaches hosted by you, the ants will also feed on their remains lying where they can be accessible.

So it should be a big step to ensure proper kitchen and entire house cleanliness ahead of applying the elimination remedies.

Here is some information on some of the different methods people use to get rid of ants.

Methods to terminate ants:

Wonders of powders- from the testimonies I read, many people expressed their satisfaction with pouring different types of powders right where these ants originate from.

Examples of the ones cited included the red chili powder, Comet or Ajax powder, baby powder like the scented talcum and they are believed to cause upset to the ants and soon disappear to where they belong.

Natural way- there are several comments I read about people who have forced the ants out of their homes by applying natural ways.

Some examples of the ones I saw were use of black pepper, vinegar, old cinnamon, cloves, bay Leaves, cayenne pepper and mint among others.

By: Esteri Maina

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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How to Get Rid of Ants Ant, elimination

You have Ants outside the house and Ants inside the house. You have Ants in plants and Ants in the kitchen cabinet. Basically, Ants everywhere!. If this sounds all too familiar then you are one of many who have the misfortune to suffer from an Ants infestation. Please read on to discover some suggestions as to how to get rid of these unwelcome guests and some home remedies to kill ants.

Ants are the most common pests found in homes. They are found indoors as well as outdoors. You may be surprised to learn that there are in fact more than 12,000 different species of ants. They are social beings that live in large colonies. Although generally considered a pest to humans, it must be remembered that Ants have an important role to play in the environment, as they create an ecological balance by feeding on other pests, dead insects and decomposing tissue from dead animals.

Nowadays, instead of chemical pesticides, people are asking the question "how do i get rid of ants naturally?". There are two reasons for this change: firstly, using chemicals and ant poison can be dangerous, as they can have long term effects; and secondly, because home remedies are cheaper and less of a burden on the wallet. There are a number of home remedies to kill ants. Some of them are:

Borax: It is a laundry detergent which is mixed with sugar solution in water. This method is very effective. Ants carry the borax into their nests, which kills them. You can also spray the mixture.

Vinegar: Another very effective method to get rid of ants, is to spray vinegar on their entry paths. Strong scent of vinegar, repels ants. Hence, they will avoid vinegar because of its odor. The same can be accomplished with the use of apple cider, peppermint oil and black pepper.

Cucumber: Ants do not like the taste of cucumber. Hence, placing pieces of cucumber in ant-affected areas will make them abandon the place.

Mint: Used mint tea bags are very effective in driving away ants. Put mint tea bags at the points from where ants enter. Mint leaves can also be dried and crushed into a powder, which can be sprinkled at the entry points.

Soap: The ingredients of soap are harmful for ants. The soap breaks down the waxy layer of the insect’s exoskeleton and dehydrates them. If you know the entry points of ants, just put some soap. One can also mix soap in water and spray the mixture on them. This home remedy is very effective.

Grits: Spread grits (coarsely ground grain like rice, corn or oats), wherever you see ants. Once the ants have ingested the grit, it expands and as a result, ants die. This method can be used to kill ants outdoors too.

Salt: Spreading salt at the corners and on ant nests is another effective way to repel ants. Mixing salt with hot water and then spraying on ants, is also a good way to get rid of them.

Grease: Grease acts as a toxic barrier. Ants may get attracted towards it at first, but are soon repelled.

Baby Powder: Sprinkle baby powder, wherever you see ants. They hate scented talcum and hence, stay away from it.

Chilly Powder: Putting chilly powder on the nests of ants is another very old home remedy that can help to get rid of them.

These few simple but effective home remedies are sure to keep your house free of ants. You will find these techniques easier to implement. Moreover, these ant pest control remedies won’t tax your wallet!

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Getting Rid of Carpenter Ants

This Post discusses methods of eliminating Carpenter Ants and includes non-natural (ie. chemical pesticide) approaches:

To get rid of carpenter ants, you need to first get rid of aphids. The reason is carpenter ants feed on aphids. Read on to know how to get rid of carpenter ants.

Carpenter ants are aggressive destroyers of wood. They are as dangerous as the termites. One interesting fact about carpenter ants is they do not eat the wood but create a cavity in the wood to establish or enlarge their nest. One of the reasons the pest control industry is thriving is due to carpenter ants.

How Do I Get Rid of Carpenter Ants – Carpenter Ant Extermination

There are many pesticides to get rid of the carpenter ants nests. If you happen to find them outside your home, you should treat that area and the surrounding areas immediately with ant killer pesticides. If there are trees or bushes close to home, clear them away. Drenching the nest with boiling hot water should destroy the nest of carpenter ants.

You need to find the nest of the carpenter ants first. If there is a large colony of carpenter ants, you could hear a crunching noise. Else you would have to set up sugar or honey bait.

If the colony is a small one, you could spray any of the aerosol pesticides into the entrance of the nest. This is considered as the first choice or the first step.

If there were a large colony of carpenter ants, then it would be wise to drill holes in the wooden wall to penetrate the nests and spray any killer over it. You could also dust the nest with boric acid or spray the nest with an aerosol insecticide.

One of the home remedies for getting rid of carpenter ants is by mixing diatomaceous earth with boric acid and sprinkling it over the nest. Diatomaceous earth is non-toxic and safe to use.

Mix white vinegar with garlic powder and spray it around the premises of your home. Though it may stink, it repels the carpenter ants. Another home remedy is to use powdered borax and castor sugar as bait and then sprinkle the mixture of diatomaceous earth and boric acid. Placing fresh mint leaves on the doorsteps and in the areas prone to carpenter ants would stop the carpenter ants from entering your house.

However, if the problem of carpenter ants still persists, it is advisable to get the help of a professional.

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Are you looking for a natural ant repellent?

Does the thought of using dangerous chemicals inside your home to kill ants scare you? Well it should. In addition to having an immediate harmful effect on children and pets, pesticides may have a long term impact on a person’s DNA. That’s why many people prefer a natural ant repellant.

In this article, I’m going to share three natural ant repellents with you.

The first natural ant repellent is baby powder. Ants are killed by baby powder. Baby powder is really just Diatomaceous earth, a safe and natural substance. Pets will ignore baby powder and children aren’t affected by it at all. Place a line of baby powder around windows, doors, and cracks, and you’ll virtually eliminate your ant problem overnight.

Coffee is the second natural ant repellent I’m going to talk about here. Ants hate coffee, so they won’t cross a line of it. You can use coffee in much of the same way as you use baby powder. Almost everyone has coffee in their cupboard, so it is an easy solution. But don’t think you need to use the expensive stuff – generic is good enough for ants!

The final natural ant repellent I’d like to share in this article is Cream of Wheat. Cream of Wheat is a natural bait for ants. The workers take the cereal back to the nest where they share the food with all of the ants. When Cream of Wheat comes into contact with the internal fluids of the ant, it explodes. This is a way to take care of the entire ant problem with a bang.

You don’t need to resort to using harsh chemicals to take care of your ant problem. There are, in fact, many natural ways to kill ants.

Author: Chris Stanley

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Stanley

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All About Carpenter Ants – What They Do And How To Avoid Them

Termites are every homeowner’s nightmare, but there’s another insect that should also strike terror into the heart of the homeowner. Carpenter ants cause millions of dollars a year in damage to houses throughout the country, but they’re not as well known as termites. If you live in an area that often has wet or damp conditions, or if there is a damp spot in your home, your house could be at risk from carpenter ants.

What Are Carpenter Ants?

Carpenter ants are insects that live in hives. Their life cycle is similar to that of any other type of ant – they have queens that lay eggs. When the eggs hatch, some of the ants will be drones, some will workers and some will be queens. What makes them a danger to your house?

Despite popular belief, carpenter ants do not eat wood, but the do tunnel through it. They move through wood and create tunnels and galleries in their search for food and to create nests. In the process, they weaken and eventually destroy the wood in which they are nesting. If that wood happens to be a part of your house, your house is being destroyed. It’s not unheard of for nests of carpenter ants to destroy structural support beams on which your house depends. The longer a carpenter ant colony remains in your house, the worse the damage they can do to your house.

How do you tell if you have carpenter ants in your house?

The most obvious signal that you have carpenter ants, of course, is seeing them, but it’s not always a reliable sign that you have nests of carpenter ants in your house. Since the damage to your house is caused in tunneling to build nests, your biggest concern is whether or not there is a nest in the house. Carpenter ants nest both inside and outside a house, and they’ll travel as much as 100 yards from their nest in their search for food. If you’re only seeing the occasional carpenter ant in your house, particularly if it’d during the late Spring or Summer, there’s a good chance that it’s just a worker wandering far from his nest.

On the other hand, if you’re seeing carpenter ants inside during the winter or early Spring, it’s an almost sure bet that you have at least one nest indoors. Carpenter ants typically go dormant during the winter. If the nest is indoors, it may be warm enough to wake up the ants, or prevent them from going into dormancy at all. Since ants are most active at night, it’s not uncommon for a homeowner to enter a room, turn on a light and see ants scurrying for cover. The most common places to find carpenter ants are places that are moist – cabinets, sinks, rolled up towels, tubs and areas around the toilets.

How to Keep Ants Out of Your House – Carpenter Ants Extermination

Prevention is always better than trying to cure a problem that has set in. The best ways to keep carpenter ants from setting up shop in your house are:

-Eliminate high moisture conditions that attract them. That means fans in bathrooms, and dehumidifiers in rooms that have a high moisture quotient, especially in regions that are moist to begin with.

-Replace moisture-damaged and rotted wood before ants are attracted to it.

-If you store wood or lumber near the house or in a garage, be sure that you keep it dry.

-Stack firewood away from the house outside to prevent ants from migrating from the woodpile to the house.

-Remove tree stumps and roots.

-Keep trees and bushes near the house pruned and trimmed to eliminate ‘highways’ that invite carpenter ants into your home.

Where are they nesting?
Before you can eliminate a nest of carpenter ants, you have to find it. The easiest way to find the nest is to follow an ant home. One way to make it easier to follow the ants home is to give them food. They’re particularly fond of tuna packed in water. Set out little flakes of tuna, and then watch for ants. The tuna will actually make it easier for you to follow the ant back to its nest.

Carpenter Ant Control

While it’s possible for a homeowner to control carpenter ants on their own, it’s not an easy task. It’s better to contact a professional. A homeowner can still play a vital role in eliminating carpenter ants by providing as much information about the infestation as possible.

By: CSStephanie Larkin

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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Getting Rid Of Ants, The Most Common Home Invader

When the weather temperature rises, homeowners are more likely to see an increase in pest activity–the most common are ant infestations.

A research study conducted by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) shows that 25 percent of homeowners say ants are their main pest concern. This same study revealed that more than half of all homeowners have had problems with ants–making them the most prevalent pest nationwide. In addition to being a general nuisance, these bothersome pests can cause significant damage in your home by destroying wood and contaminating your food.

Although encountering an ant infestation can be unnerving, it is important to deal with the problem quickly and effectively. The first step is to properly identify which ant species is present in the home.

Most ants thrive in warm and moist conditions and can be controlled with cleaning methods and bait systems. In some cases, the only way to completely remediate an ant infestation is to promptly locate and remove the identified species’ nests.

Some of the most common home invaders include:

• Odorous House Ants: These ants get their name from the unpleasant odor they give off when crushed. It’s often described as smelling like a rotten coconut. They typically nest in wall voids and crevices and prefer sweet foods.

• Pharaoh Ants: Pharaoh ants also prefer sweets, but also consume grease and even shoe polish. They live in extremely large colonies and keep warm near artificial heating sources like baseboard heaters and ovens.

• Carpenter Ants: This species hollows out nests in both dry and moist wood, though they prefer the latter. They can be particularly hard to remove from the home since their nests can be more difficult to locate.

• Fire Ants: At least 32 deaths in the U.S. can be attributed to severe allergic reactions to fire ant stings each year. Fire ants can chew through the insulation around electrical wiring and have also been known to kill small animals. They currently infest 14 states throughout the Southeastern U.S.

Pest professionals can identify particular ant species and other pests in the home, treat to remove them and can recommend steps homeowners can take to prevent reinfestation.

There are many ways of eliminating ants using safe and natural methods.

By: Wendy Mitchell

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