Ants

tummyman · 06-08-2020, 07:03 PM

Seems this year we are being attacked by black ants...some sort of carpenter ants. Have been using Terro baits plus AMDRO around the perimeter of the house. Even used a few spots of AMDRO grains in the house as well. Seems the ants are avoiding the AMDRO and some but not all are hitting the Terro liquid baits. Any thoughts, as the Mrs. is going nuts. This is the first year we have had such a large volume all at once. I have looked for moisture in wood boards, but nothing found. I imagine the exterminators are very busy and probably would only treat outside anyway with COVID. I could probably buy the same stuff at the hardware store, but I need to get this invasion dead ASAP !!! Is this the year for ants? HELP !!!

ishoot308 · 06-08-2020, 07:13 PM

The Terro “hotels” are pretty useless. The regular Terro liquid placed on little squares of cardboard And placed in known ant pathways works fantastic! We pretty much eradicate them from our entire yard every year in a couple days using this method.

Good luck!

Dan

tummyman · 06-08-2020, 07:46 PM

I have the bait stations. Checked the ingredients and they are the same as the liquid. So I poured a little on a sheet of aluminum foil, but they seem to be avoiding it. Maybe they just need time.

ishoot308 · 06-08-2020, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tummyman

I have the bait stations. Checked the ingredients and they are the same as the liquid. So I poured a little on a sheet of aluminum foil, but they seem to be avoiding it. Maybe they just need time.

Take it off the foil and put on thin shiny cardboard any kind of packaging cardboard.

ApS · 06-08-2020, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tummyman

Seems this year we are being attacked by black ants...some sort of carpenter ants. Have been using Terro baits plus AMDRO around the perimeter of the house. Even used a few spots of AMDRO grains in the house as well. Seems the ants are avoiding the AMDRO and some but not all are hitting the Terro liquid baits. Any thoughts, as the Mrs. is going nuts. This is the first year we have had such a large volume all at once. I have looked for moisture in wood boards, but nothing found. I imagine the exterminators are very busy and probably would only treat outside anyway with COVID. I could probably buy the same stuff at the hardware store, but I need to get this invasion dead ASAP !!! Is this the year for ants? HELP !!!

Your post is just after 8-PM. Early evening is when the winged female Carpenter Ants start flying from the house's interior.

For the next few evenings, I'd suggest opening windows and screens facing the brightest sky. They'll take to the air for a couple of hours. If you have any Phoebe flycatcher-birds in the neighborhood, they'll be catching many of them.

Previous advice on this forum includes keeping woodpiles distant from the house, and checking for roof leaks. (They like damp house wood, and the leak/source may be far from the eaves).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top-Water

I'll second that, pretty much the best stuff out there.
.....................
Just make sure you let "them" eat the stuff. If I recall I think it is the borax soap that kills them. You have to get past feeding them a little first for the poison to be effective.

I found feeding with an eye-dropper is too slow.

SAB1 · 06-08-2020, 08:04 PM

Go to Home Depot and buy the ortho home defense for ants. Spray you foundation All around the house from the ground up 18-20 inches. In 48 hours your ants will be gone.

garysanfran · 06-08-2020, 08:48 PM

I agree with spraying the foundation with an ant defense.

Terro liquid is irresistible to ants. If I see an ant, I put a drop of this stuff in front of it's face and it stops immediately. Don't get traps. Get the liquid.

What would the world be like if ants were the size of Chihuahuas?

Hillcountry · 06-08-2020, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garysanfran

I agree with spraying the foundation with an ant defense.

Terro liquid is irresistible to ants. If I see an ant, I put a drop of this stuff in front of it's face and it stops immediately. Don't get traps. Get the liquid.

What would the world be like if ants were the size of Chihuahuas?

Ha! You think the Ants are bad...wait til you see the UNCLES!

WeLoveTheLake · 06-09-2020, 09:13 AM

I use this

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Spectracide...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

every year around the perimeter of the house. It works GREAT.
Usually add more then the suggested amount.

tis · 06-09-2020, 11:47 AM

For me spraying around the perimeter has worked better than anything. Thank you for reminding me before the ants come in.

Woody38 · 06-09-2020, 12:24 PM

Strange that we had some ants in an around the dog bowls. One of the bowls was not touched. I found a samll hole in the oak floor and sealed that off. No more ants. I also use Home Defense in the basement and the outside perimeter twice yearly. The previous owner said there was an ant problem since we live in a forest. What? I have placed lemon rind at the garage doors and side doors. Ant problem gone since we moved in. Had one large black ant several weeks ago but nothing since.

swnoel · 06-09-2020, 12:44 PM

This is what you need to destroy them... you don't want to kill them on contact, you want them to go back to the colony to kill them all. This is what the pros use. https://store.doyourownpestcontrol.c...r-ant-bait-kit

I use this system and it's amazing!

MeredithMan · 06-09-2020, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swnoel

This is what you need to destroy them... you don't want to kill them on contact, you want them to go back to the colony to kill them all. This is what the pros use. https://store.doyourownpestcontrol.c...r-ant-bait-kit

I use this system and it's amazing!

We had an exterminator several years ago give us that advice. Don't kill on contact, but rather put the stuff down that they then get all over their bodies and bring it back to the nest and spread it around to their colony-mates. In that instance, the exterminator couldn't find any sort of nest in the house, but outside, about 30 feet from the house, was a decaying tree and it was completely infested with the big carpenter ants. He sprayed around the foundation with some sort of ant poison and voila! No more ants!

swnoel · 06-11-2020, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeredithMan

We had an exterminator several years ago give us that advice. Don't kill on contact, but rather put the stuff down that they then get all over their bodies and bring it back to the nest and spread it around to their colony-mates. In that instance, the exterminator couldn't find any sort of nest in the house, but outside, about 30 feet from the house, was a decaying tree and it was completely infested with the big carpenter ants. He sprayed around the foundation with some sort of ant poison and voila! No more ants!

Yep... just treated my place. Had ants going into the house with the poison. Next morning they were no more!

Hillcountry · 06-11-2020, 12:14 PM

Coincidentally, right after this post was made, that night I found a pile of “leavings” from some type of critter in our new bathroom (in the existing house but abutting our new bedroom addition). We have a log home and ordered a “kit” from the original company and built a 1st floor master suite.
Anyway, not knowing what the hell was making that mess, I had my wife pick up some Terro Liquid (hoping it might be the big black ants we were seeing outside) when she did her shopping the next morning.
Well, I cut the little cardboard squares (thanks Dan!) and placed them with a drop of the liquid along the baseboards in the area where the “leavings” were.
Later that day, sure enough the black bastards were in a feeding frenzy on the Terro Liquid drops. They would be feeding as I replenished the drops every couple hours...overnight, he next day there were still ants feeding on the stuff but by the end of the 2nd day their numbers were reduced to a few ants (and staggering around like they were “sick”
By the third day, one dead ant is visible in a remaining drop of liquid. The colony has been wiped out!
I also went around the outside foundation with some Ortho Home Defense just to be thorough. I’m sold on the Terro Liquid!

jbolty · 06-11-2020, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top-Water

As mentioned the stuff works, thanks for your feedback

another vote, it really does work. I use bottle caps as bait stations.

apparently terro is just corn syrup and borax, which you can mix your self but plain borax without soap in it is not all the easy to find and from what I have read online to proportions are critical or the ants will avoid it or it won't work; so just buy it.

tis · 06-11-2020, 01:02 PM

That's because nobody knows what borax is. It is usually in a box in the laundry department. I used it once mixed with sugar I think it was for ants.

tis · 06-11-2020, 06:04 PM

Haha. Excuse me for not specifying 20 Mule Team!!

swnoel · 06-11-2020, 08:52 PM

There's also 2 different types of poison used, sweet and meat. The meat is made of shrimp... I never realized ants had preferences.

06-08-2020, 07:03 PM	#1
tummyman Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 833 Thanks: 256 Thanked 672 Times in 243 Posts	Ants Seems this year we are being attacked by black ants...some sort of carpenter ants. Have been using Terro baits plus AMDRO around the perimeter of the house. Even used a few spots of AMDRO grains in the house as well. Seems the ants are avoiding the AMDRO and some but not all are hitting the Terro liquid baits. Any thoughts, as the Mrs. is going nuts. This is the first year we have had such a large volume all at once. I have looked for moisture in wood boards, but nothing found. I imagine the exterminators are very busy and probably would only treat outside anyway with COVID. I could probably buy the same stuff at the hardware store, but I need to get this invasion dead ASAP !!! Is this the year for ants? HELP !!!

06-08-2020, 07:13 PM	#2
ishoot308 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford, NH / Welch Island Posts: 6,242 Thanks: 2,387 Thanked 5,282 Times in 2,054 Posts	The Terro “hotels” are pretty useless. The regular Terro liquid placed on little squares of cardboard And placed in known ant pathways works fantastic! We pretty much eradicate them from our entire yard every year in a couple days using this method. Good luck! Dan __________________ It's Always Sunny On Welch Island!!

06-08-2020, 08:48 PM	#7
garysanfran Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: San Francisco/Meredith Posts: 1,566 Thanks: 661 Thanked 676 Times in 345 Posts	I agree with spraying the foundation with an ant defense. Terro liquid is irresistible to ants. If I see an ant, I put a drop of this stuff in front of it's face and it stops immediately. Don't get traps. Get the liquid. What would the world be like if ants were the size of Chihuahuas? __________________ Gary ~~~~_/) ~~~ ~~~~~~~~

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The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to ishoot308 For This Useful Post:
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06-08-2020, 07:46 PM	#3
tummyman Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 833 Thanks: 256 Thanked 672 Times in 243 Posts	I have the bait stations. Checked the ingredients and they are the same as the liquid. So I poured a little on a sheet of aluminum foil, but they seem to be avoiding it. Maybe they just need time.

06-08-2020, 08:04 PM	#6
SAB1 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Tuftonboro Posts: 1,230 Thanks: 190 Thanked 320 Times in 235 Posts	Go to Home Depot and buy the ortho home defense for ants. Spray you foundation All around the house from the ground up 18-20 inches. In 48 hours your ants will be gone.

06-09-2020, 09:13 AM	#9
WeLoveTheLake Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2020 Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 13 Times in 10 Posts	I use this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Spectracide...E&gclsrc=aw.ds every year around the perimeter of the house. It works GREAT. Usually add more then the suggested amount.

06-09-2020, 11:47 AM	#10
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,719 Thanks: 752 Thanked 1,457 Times in 1,014 Posts	For me spraying around the perimeter has worked better than anything. Thank you for reminding me before the ants come in.

06-09-2020, 12:24 PM	#11
Woody38 Senior Member Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 578 Thanks: 46 Thanked 110 Times in 81 Posts	Strange that we had some ants in an around the dog bowls. One of the bowls was not touched. I found a samll hole in the oak floor and sealed that off. No more ants. I also use Home Defense in the basement and the outside perimeter twice yearly. The previous owner said there was an ant problem since we live in a forest. What? I have placed lemon rind at the garage doors and side doors. Ant problem gone since we moved in. Had one large black ant several weeks ago but nothing since.

06-09-2020, 12:44 PM	#12
swnoel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 529 Thanks: 83 Thanked 194 Times in 118 Posts	This is what you need to destroy them... you don't want to kill them on contact, you want them to go back to the colony to kill them all. This is what the pros use. https://store.doyourownpestcontrol.c...r-ant-bait-kit I use this system and it's amazing!

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06-11-2020, 12:14 PM	#15
Hillcountry Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: In the hills Posts: 2,420 Thanks: 1,677 Thanked 786 Times in 466 Posts	Coincidentally, right after this post was made, that night I found a pile of “leavings” from some type of critter in our new bathroom (in the existing house but abutting our new bedroom addition). We have a log home and ordered a “kit” from the original company and built a 1st floor master suite. Anyway, not knowing what the hell was making that mess, I had my wife pick up some Terro Liquid (hoping it might be the big black ants we were seeing outside) when she did her shopping the next morning. Well, I cut the little cardboard squares (thanks Dan!) and placed them with a drop of the liquid along the baseboards in the area where the “leavings” were. Later that day, sure enough the black bastards were in a feeding frenzy on the Terro Liquid drops. They would be feeding as I replenished the drops every couple hours...overnight, he next day there were still ants feeding on the stuff but by the end of the 2nd day their numbers were reduced to a few ants (and staggering around like they were “sick” By the third day, one dead ant is visible in a remaining drop of liquid. The colony has been wiped out! I also went around the outside foundation with some Ortho Home Defense just to be thorough. I’m sold on the Terro Liquid!

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06-11-2020, 01:02 PM	#17
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,719 Thanks: 752 Thanked 1,457 Times in 1,014 Posts	That's because nobody knows what borax is. It is usually in a box in the laundry department. I used it once mixed with sugar I think it was for ants.

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06-11-2020, 06:04 PM	#18
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,719 Thanks: 752 Thanked 1,457 Times in 1,014 Posts	Haha. Excuse me for not specifying 20 Mule Team!!

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06-11-2020, 08:52 PM	#19
swnoel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 529 Thanks: 83 Thanked 194 Times in 118 Posts	There's also 2 different types of poison used, sweet and meat. The meat is made of shrimp... I never realized ants had preferences.