And the Ant Came Back the Very Next Day.....

We're dealing with ants too, and I was told that Vinegar is a great deterrant. It confuses their communication signals. So, I've filled a spray bottle with vinegar and let my kids wash anything and everything with it. :)

When I lived in Calgary, Alberta I had two guy room mates who constantly left food and pop out. We soon got ants. Someone told me at the time to Try Cayenne pepper near the floors and counters where the ants where coming in. We did and guess what the ants stayed away. I know it's probably not ideal with the kids but much better than pesticides.

Here is a website I found that had some other "natural type ideas"

http://www.thefrugallife.com/ants.html

Good luck getting rid of them.

D.

Sounds like you have carpenter ants. my cousin currently has the same problem. they are getting an exterminator to come out to spray the good stuff :)
you might wanna call the landlord and have them get an exterminator.

Hey there-
There is a product that is very effetive out there I can't remember what it is call but it comes in a orange box and what happens is the ants come eat it and take it back to the rest of the nest including the queen ant it kills them all in a couple of days and I has worked wonders on our ant problem I use it every year but I never remember the name. SORRY! It comes in a little orange andwhite box and it is a gel that you put on little cards. you have to be real careful that kids and pets do not get in to it but boy does it work and if you find it a little goes a long long long way so ask you hardware store person if they know what it is if they know there ant killers they will know what your talking about.
best of luck
D.

I lived in Salem OR for two years, and this was a BIG trouble, and at that time I had two kids! Any food that was left out or dropped or anything like that was fair game...
That is how I got into tupperware! Because the stuff that you buy at the store doesn't keep the ants out.. and they don't last very long... So we had everything moved into tupperware, and would only let the kids eat at the table, nowhere else in the house!!! Mopped daily too
if they are small ants they are sugar ants... and they don't like mint, we I put peppermint extrat in a some water in a water sprayer and sprayed around the whole house, windows, and inside along all the walls and windows, don't forget where your dryer vent goes outside too.. or if you have a mail slot that comes into the house or garge to get that too... they don't like the pepper either that some else said, but that didn't seem to work for us. Also the tara traps are great.. yet do have to keep them from young kids and pets, but are the only ones that we found that helped at all...

Taro cards... not the kind that psychics use. Fred Meyer sells them. Just ask a sales associate. You lay them out on your counters and they take the poison away to their homes. And you can place them where your children won't touch them. Ant spray is HORRIBLE. It floats around in the air and you breathe it. My brother was using it and it floated down into his cat's water bowl and almost killed her! Also, believe it or not, if you can spray Windex where they are coming in, they hate that, too. Diazanon crystals are good for outdoors, make sure you read the directions and wet the crystals after you sprinkle them on the ground- and keep your kids and pets away from them!

R.,
We've lived in the same house for 23 years and every so often ants come through for a while. We put our honey jar in a moat of water and vacuum or spray the trail with windex, lemon oil spray, vinegar and water, pepper water, peppermint oil and water spray etc.. changing through the years. They don't hurt anyone (if they are the sugar ants) and are always a temporary problem. I would avoid using any pesticides or toxic things and realize before you know it they'll be gone, unless they are the bigger variety. In that case I would contact the landlord as to the damage they could do to your place and it's their responsibility.Good luck and hope it's the easier problem-R.

R.,

I would call your landlord and tell him/her your problem and try to work something out that way.

Hope this helps,
Melissa

Have you told your landlord about this? Pest control is their responsibility (unless you're slobs and causing the mess yourselves, which it doesn't sound like.)

Your landlord should be made aware of any bug infestations. If they're causing damage and you haven't made him aware, you might be held liable.

Also, small ants are usually sugar-ants (I think. I'm no expert.) and also water-ants DO cause damage to wood. If there is a leak somewhere in the wall (like from the roof, into the wall) they can be attracted to that and will eat up the wet wood.

Bottom line: Call your landlord. Consult your lease agreement for direction too.

I completely feel for you!!!!!! We have similar problem. We have been using Terra on the cardboard technique. They gather bits and pieces of the poison and take it back to the colony. I also tried another kind and it didn't work - if at all I had a pile of dead ants on my counter by the sink. (Don't worry mothers - my son doesn't climb onto the counters). The ants stay near water sources and are probably using the inside tunnels behind the walls. As for where the actual colony and where the darn Queen is....I don't know. They are such sneeky little monsters. I have thought about having an exterminator coming out, but one it cost so much, plus I worry with the chemicals. I find that Terra works the best for at home remedies. Just keep on them....they move their tracks a lot. That sucks....I feel for you.
Since you are also renting and you don't own the home - talk to your landlord. Maybe they will do something like having the sprays done by the exterminator. Good luck.