Ants

Michelle asked about an ant problem. I really have never had a problem with them so I don't have any real first hand advice for you. I do have a book called "Club the Bugs and Scare the Critters". It's by Dr Myles H Bader. Here are a few of his suggestions,

1 Giving the Queen Heartburn
3 1/2 Ounces of Strawberry jam (any sweet jam will do)
1 1/2 Tablespoons of wet, canned cat food (cheap brand)
1 Tablespoon of boric acid

This concoction is a treat for ants and the workers will bring the treat to their queen. The queen gets excited and quickly gobbles up the goody and within a few hours dies of heartburn. Make sure this treat is out of reach of children and animals that you wish to have around for awhile. If they do ingest it, it will make them very sick. However, it doesn't take very much to do the job and eliminate the queen.

2 Feed them Melon

If you have a bad ant problem and can't get rid of them, just leave a slice of watermelon or cantaloupe in your yard far from the house. They would prefer melon to anything you have in the house most of the time.

3 The Ant Trapper

6 Tablespoons of granulated sugar
6 Tablespoons of active dry yeast (fresh)
1/2 cup standard grade molasses or honey
10 small plastic lids or bottle caps

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly until it is smooth. Place the mixture into the lids or caps and place near an ant trail or near their mound. The mixture can also be spread on a piece of cardboard or small stick and placed in their pathway or in a crevice.

4 Getting Rid of Ant Hills

1/4 cup of liquid hand soap
1 gallon of cool tap water

Place all ingredients into a bucket and mix well, then pour 1-2 cups on the anthill and repeat after 1 hour to be sure that the mixture penetrates deep into the chambers.


5 Repel Them with Tansy

If you sprinkle some fresh tansy leaves in the corners of your kitchen counters and in the window sills it will repel ants 100%.
Tansy is a perennial flowering plant of the aster family. Lots more information if you google it.

These next two are just interesting

It takes 500,000 sugar ants to equal a pound. If you weigh all the ants on earth, they will weigh more than all humans on earth.

In Africa a hungry ant can enter an elephants ear and eat them from the inside out. A number of elephants every year fall prey to ants.

If you think you know where the ants are entering the house and need to be sure, just place some strips of masking tape glue-side up and put some sugar or honey on it. Check it in the morning and see how many ants you trapped.


Hope one of these things works for you Michelle. Let us all know what you think.

Mama