Ants! - Topeka,KS

I use something called 'Ant Rid'. It looks and smells like honey. You put a few drops where you see the ants, and it either attracts more ants which then take it back to the colony (you can easily find where they're coming from then - follow the trail) where it kills them, or it just kills them on the spot.

Or you can just accept that you'll have ants now and then. My grandmother battled ants her whole life. My mother didn't seem to have ants in her kitchen. I have ants in kitchen and bathroom. Lots of ants at times and none at other times.

I do put out ant traps. The ants take the poison back to their home and viola no ants for awhile. They come back in and I put out traps. It's a cycle. I've decided it's not worth my focus to be sure I have no ants. After all, they do not carry germs. They are not a health hazard.

At first I did try to figure out where they were coming in. I traced them to window in the bathroom but couldn't find where in the kitchen. There is, no doubt a crack or two or more in the wall or floor. I think they do come in from outside. That's the usual source. I don't see them in the basement. Sometimes in the living room but traps in the kitchen and bathroom eliminate even those.

When I see a trail thru the back door, I spray with a bug spray outside the door. I've had new seals put on my storm door and haven't seen ants there since.

Years ago I stopped trying to get rid of them and we've been living together peaceably ever since. LOL

The best advice I ever got on here - Terro Liquid ant baits. You can buy a 5/6 pack at Walmart. Depending on how bad your 'infestation' is, you may use all 5/6 but once you do, you will not need them again for a while (years).

If you'd like a low-toxin option, put a thin line of borax wherever you think they might be coming in - the edges of your walls and floor, the door frame, the window ledges, etc. It disrupts their scent trails, most of them will not cross the lines, and if they do walk through it, it works its way into their joints and kills them.

Stop spraying for the moment. When you see ants, stand still and watch to see where they go. Once you discover the entry point, put Combat ant gel out. They will swarm it like it was the best meal of all time. Wait a little bit before you wipe your surfaces again, so that the wandering ants go get the bate and take it home too. You may have to replenish a time or two if they eat it all, but in 2-3 days the ants will be gone.

We get ants almost every spring, but after I use the Combat gel they do not return again in the same year.

http://www.amazon.com/Combat-Ant-Killing-Gel-27grams/dp/B...

I am like Marda, trying to live peacefully with them. But they really should stay off my toiletpaper.

Put some of those ant traps out all over the house, where ever you have seen the ants. Then spray your yard for bugs. And don't keep any food on your counters and wipe them down frequently. I have never had problems with ants and this year I have seen a couple of them in my kitchen - and I am getting nervous about it! Good luck!

The best thing to do is spray the perimeter of the exterior of your house. You have to get them at their source. Chances are there is a nest somewhere that is causing them to come inside. You need to get to it from the outside. You don't even need an exterminator. We have ants every spring so my hubby went to Home Depot and bought a sprayer and chemicals and he uses it himself every year. Works great and doesn't cost a fortune. In fact, the exterminator he has for his store recommended it.

Put traps in the house. We had an ant problem and we put traps were most of the ants were.Luckily it was some where my kids don't go in.Call your local bug guy and have him spray the house.If you find a little hole in the wall were they ants might come in through,tape it or something. In the rest of rooms,Just clean it everyday.Soon the ants will be gone in about a week or Two.

I second the ant rid. We also placed ant traps outside of our house around the perimeter to help as well.