Re: How to rid home of ants w/o using chemicals

[Guest guest]

This is not my specialty but there are a number of products in which the active ingredient is borax. The borax is in a sugar solution and the ants eat the solution and take it back to the nest. It takes some time but eventually the colony should be wiped out. It is unlikely this solution would be a problem for you. I have used it in Florida with some success.LloydLloyd Cumminslcummins@...519 767-2527To: iequality Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 12:19:22 PMSubject: How to rid home of ants w/o using chemicals

I don't know if this is the right forum for this kind of problem but I am going to ask anyway: We have a kitchen full of ants and I'm chemically sensitive and can't use commercial pesticides or cleaners containing chemicals. Does anyone have a suggestion of what safe methods are available to get rid of the ants? They live under the slab of the house and the Vegas heat is causing them to enter thru the kitchen. I've tried coffee grounds, cayenne pepper and other natural means which work somewhat but aren't enough to combat all the ants. I spoke to a pest control co. who suggested I try Combat Gel because it isn't a spray. When I told them I was chemically sensitive they refused to come to the house and spray which I guess is a good thing for the ants. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

Carol

[Guest guest]

Be careful with the Borax (boric acid). Its a reproductive toxin that is regarded as highly toxic in Europe.

From: iequality [iequality ] on behalf of Lloyd C Cummins [lloyd@...]

Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 4:12 PM

To: iequality

Subject: Re: How to rid home of ants w/o using chemicals

This is not my specialty but there are a number of products in which the active ingredient is borax. The borax is in a sugar solution and the ants eat the solution and take it back to the nest. It

takes some time but eventually the colony should be wiped out. It is unlikely this solution would be a problem for you. I have used it in Florida with some success.

Lloyd

Lloyd Cummins

lcummins@...

519 767-2527

To: iequality

Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 12:19:22 PM

Subject: How to rid home of ants w/o using chemicals

I don't know if this is the right forum for this kind of problem but I am going to ask anyway:

We have a kitchen full of ants and I'm chemically sensitive and can't use commercial pesticides or cleaners containing chemicals. Does anyone have a suggestion of what safe methods are available to get rid of the ants? They live under the slab of the

house and the Vegas heat is causing them to enter thru the kitchen. I've tried coffee grounds, cayenne pepper and other natural means which work somewhat but aren't enough to combat all the ants. I spoke to a pest control co. who suggested I try Combat Gel

because it isn't a spray. When I told them I was chemically sensitive they refused to come to the house and spray which I guess is a good thing for the ants. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

Carol

[Guest guest]

Carol,

I live in vegas and found that there are a few ways to do it without chems.

First, you need to locate the nest/ant hill. Then take a mixture of liquid dishwashing soap and water and pour it into the ant hill.

Find the trail and also douse it with the mixture.

In the house use white vinegar mixed with water where they are coming from, you might have to lift up the carpet. Also, wash down the floor etc., with this as it will kill their 'scent trail'.

Also, check for them climbing into the house via tree/bushes and trim them back.

The pest companies here are idiots. I will have to do some digging, there is one guy who we recommend as he is highly experienced with chemically senitive folks and I used to use him.

We had a MAJOR ant infestation in our indoor pool room, the outside wall, you name it, THOUSANDS of them. He came by in under an hour they were gone and we never had a problem again.

Angel De Fazio, BSAT

President/Executive Director

National Toxic Encephalopathy Foundation

NTEF-USA.Org

Nevada's Disability Representative

Functional Needs Working Group

A project of FEMA R9 RDIS

Founder

NV Energy Stop Smart Meters

NVEStopSmartMeters.Info

S.A.F.E.R.- Save Animals From Electro-Magnetic Radiation

Fax

How to rid home of ants w/o using chemicals

I don't know if this is the right forum for this kind of problem but I am going to ask anyway:

We have a kitchen full of ants and I'm chemically sensitive and can't use commercial pesticides or cleaners containing chemicals. Does anyone have a suggestion of what safe methods are available to get rid of the ants? They live under the slab of the house and the Vegas heat is causing them to enter thru the kitchen. I've tried coffee grounds, cayenne pepper and other natural means which work somewhat but aren't enough to combat all the ants. I spoke to a pest control co. who suggested I try Combat Gel because it isn't a spray. When I told them I was chemically sensitive they refused to come to the house and spray which I guess is a good thing for the ants. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

Carol

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Lloyd.  I had several people on MCS facebook tell me about this product, too, which is called Terro.  I just bought it today at Home Depot and will give it a try and let you know. Carol

 

This is not my specialty but there are a number of products in which the active ingredient is borax. The borax is in a sugar solution and the ants eat the solution and take it back to the nest. It takes some time but eventually the colony should be wiped out. It is unlikely this solution would be a problem for you. I have used it in Florida with some success.

LloydLloyd Cumminslcummins@...519 767-2527

To: iequality

Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 12:19:22 PMSubject: How to rid home of ants w/o using chemicals

 

I don't know if this is the right forum for this kind of problem but I am going to ask anyway: We have a kitchen full of ants and I'm chemically sensitive and can't use commercial pesticides or cleaners containing chemicals.  Does anyone have a suggestion of what safe methods are available to get rid of the ants?  They live under the slab of the house and the Vegas heat is causing them to enter thru the kitchen.  I've tried coffee grounds, cayenne pepper and other natural means which work somewhat but aren't enough to combat all the ants.  I spoke to a pest control co. who suggested I try Combat Gel because it isn't a spray.  When I told them I was chemically sensitive they refused to come to the house and spray which I guess is a good thing for the ants. Does anyone have any suggestions?  Thanks.

 Carol

--  

 

[Guest guest]

Only if ingested. It's a highly unlikely if not impossible route and dose to

humans when used as bait for insects. Rodent studies had pretty high doses over

long period.

Females showed no effect.

It's all about the route of exposure.

I use a sticky liquid boric acid bait (pre-made containers or do-it-yourself

drops). Works great when you put it in their paths. On a couple types, not sure

about your Florida ants. Probably worth a try; it's very cheap stuff.

>

> Be careful with the Borax (boric acid). Its a reproductive toxin that is

regarded as highly toxic in Europe.

>

[Guest guest]

We have fought this ant problem over the last 15 years. Observations:

1. The ants are also searching for food outside, and frequently actually enter

the living space by walking up the outside wall of the house for a few inches,

between under the concrete patio (or foundation) and inside the house.

2. The particular ants we deal with (the species has changed twice in 15 years)

are attracted by and susceptible to the " Grant's Ant Trap " brand (NFI). Despite

our chemical sensitivity we tolerate that brand (and yes, it's borate). It did

take us several years to find the right trap for our particular ants.

3. If I find ants coming up the wall outside the house, I can put an ant trap on

that path.

The strategy we use is:

1. Carefully and thoroughly caulk every baseboard and other path in the kitchen

through which the ants enter, using a tolerated caulk. Yes, that meant pulling

the dishwasher out once, and the stove and refrigerator occasionally.

2. When the ants appear, use the central vacuum to physically remove the ants,

until the hole they're coming in is clear, then block that hole (caulk repair,

masking tape, etc). Ants can and do chew holes in caulk.

3. Go outside adjacent to where they are coming in, find the ant trail

(sometimes it's further away, sometimes they come from under the slab, but

usually it can be found) and put an ant trap at every entry point they're using,

plus on their lines to get food outside. Note that this is an air infiltration

point for the house: spraying a chemical pesticide you are super sensitive to

outside is a bad idea because it will infiltrate into your living space.

4. Patience is required. The ants which are dead in the trap don't really help,

it's the ones which carried the poison back to the nest which mattered.

Good luck,

-steve

stevec@...

To: iequality

Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 12:19:22 PM

Subject: How to rid home of ants w/o using chemicals

I don't know if this is the right forum for this kind of problem but I am going

to ask anyway:

We have a kitchen full of ants and I'm chemically sensitive and can't use

commercial pesticides or cleaners containing chemicals. Does anyone have a

suggestion of what safe methods are available to get rid of the ants? They live

under the slab of the house and the Vegas heat is causing them to enter thru the

kitchen. I've tried coffee grounds, cayenne pepper and other natural means which

work somewhat but aren't enough to combat all the ants. I spoke to a pest

control co. who suggested I try Combat Gel because it isn't a spray. When I told

them I was chemically sensitive they refused to come to the house and spray

which I guess is a good thing for the ants. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.

Carol

[Guest guest]

There are sweet loving and fat loving ants. If one bait does not work then try another. Some labels will state which the bait is for on the back of the product. When the ants do start feeding, put down more bait so that they can take as much as possible

back to their nest in the shortest amount of time.

Bouton | Program Manager | Healthy Homes Program

Tel: ; Fax: ; Pbouton@...

Columbus Public Health

240 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215