Ants!!!! - Dallas,TX

Try Terro Ant bait at Lowes - is self contained & it works really well. You just put them out where the ants are coming in (kitchen counters, near window seals, door jams, cracks) and the ants go in {some die inside} others take the poison back to their mound. It really works. The hardest part, is not killing the ants you see - they have to get the stuff back to the mound. It usually takes about 5-10 days, but you'll see a difference & then no ants. Good luck.

Try spreading dried molasses around your house. This stuff kills fire ant beds and this should keep them out of your house. It may take a little while, so be patient.

We had a terrible ant problem for a long time, inside our house and outside and when it rained that really brought the ants inside... I tried everything from natural non-toxic sprays to you name it. FINALLY, the only thing that worked after YEARS of dealing with the ants was Malathion.. I don't like to use such harsh chemicals but after years of ants and their friends, the Aphids which either ants attract or vice versa and therefore no plants ever lasting long, I got sick of it.. I sprayed (although in a LITE dose) and sure enough it did the trick.. that was a year ago and so far, no more ants.. again, I don't like to resort to harsh chemicals and it took a small amount.. I don't know how far from the fishes you would need to use it... so I can't say that you should .. but it's what did the trick for us.. also.. it will depend upon the type of ants you have.. ours were the little black ones.. I hear those larger ants that are coming up from South America are much harder to get rid of..

best of luck

Try cornmeal. Ants can't digest it. They take it back to their nest and it kills them all. Simple, non-toxic and effective.

If you want to go organic, there are several options: You can plant Mint or Tansy around the perimeter of your home. Both of these plants keep ants away, however with the heat of Summer upon us planting anything is probably NOT an option. Another thing..Tansy and Mint are both very evasive. So they will multiply and take over. Two treatment options are 1) Orange Oil. Mix up a water and Orange Oil solution in a spray bottle or Pump Sprayer and spray all around the perimeter of your home and anywhere you see ants coming inside your home (weep holes, cracks, windows). 2) If you do not want to mix your own, there is a great product on the market called EcoSmart. It is a completely organic non-selective pesticide made of Clove Oil, Spearmint Oil, and some other herbal oils. It comes in both Aerosol and Pump Sprayer(for bigger jobs). If you use any of the "spray" options, You will have to re-apply after rain or sprinklers. Otherwise just every few weeks or so. Oh, one more thing... both of the pesticide options are safe for kids and pets!