Ants; the new “bamboo”

[hbueno]

I use Terro.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

For ants, I use Tempo Ultra SC manufactured by Bayer. You mix 4 ml per gallon of water. I use it to eliminate ant colonies - mostly red ants. I mix it in an old gallon container (Defender home insecticide ?) with a spout, which I use to pour down the entrance of the ant colony - maybe 8 to 16 oz. The next day the colony has collapsed. For spiders I use Terro spider and ant insecticide in the orange spray can I get from H.D. Any small bit of spray kills spiders very quickly. I only do this when they get intrusive. Otherwise I leave things alone.

Tempo and BioAdvanced (post 4) are both Bayer products.
Bayer is an Ag company that has great products.
The Tempo is hard to find where I live..so I use the Bio.

[vash]

Originally Posted by hbueno

I use Terro.

I had a pro-pesticide guys warn me about Terro. something about the timing of the effectiveness. its slower killing I think. it allows the ant colony to realize they are under attack, and when they do, they split the colony and move apart. now you have two piles of ants to deal with. or more.

I cant be sure, but it was something to think about. my last kitchen invasion disappeared in 2 days using Advian Ant. i'll know more after today with the new batch of invaders.

[p911dad]

Originally Posted by vash

I had a pro-pesticide guys warn me about Terro. something about the timing of the effectiveness. its slower killing I think. it allows the ant colony to realize they are under attack, and when they do, they split the colony and move apart. now you have two piles of ants to deal with. or more.

I cant be sure, but it was something to think about. my last kitchen invasion disappeared in 2 days using Advian Ant. i'll know more after today with the new batch of invaders.

I have been using the same bag of Terro for years and it seems quite effective. Without disturbing the ant hill, sprinkle a little around. The ants carry it into the nest. I recently wiped out big 4 nests and about a week later there is no signs of ants anywhere If they moved I can't find any signs. Maybe the neighbor..

[pavulon]

Perfumes/colognes can also attract ants.

[Tobra]

Is that why fire ant bait smells bad? Pretty sure the stuff I used in Texas is not legal in California

[hbueno]

Originally Posted by vash

I had a pro-pesticide guys warn me about Terro. something about the timing of the effectiveness. its slower killing I think. it allows the ant colony to realize they are under attack, and when they do, they split the colony and move apart. now you have two piles of ants to deal with. or more.

I cant be sure, but it was something to think about. my last kitchen invasion disappeared in 2 days using Advian Ant. i'll know more after today with the new batch of invaders.

Not in my experience. When I use it the problem disappears usually in two to three days. More specifically, they start foraging in spring, I put the baits out, they eat and take it back to the nest and presto, no more ants in the house for the entire summer. As I recall, it's basically borax in sugar syrup which I believe is safer than some of the pesticides being discussed here.

[Alan A]

https://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com//crawling-insects/ant-control-products

You are welcome

[vash]

Originally Posted by hbueno

Not in my experience. When I use it the problem disappears usually in two to three days. More specifically, they start foraging in spring, I put the baits out, they eat and take it back to the nest and presto, no more ants in the house for the entire summer. As I recall, it's basically borax in sugar syrup which I believe is safer than some of the pesticides being discussed here.

Thanks. My neighbor had the same experience.

Interesting fact. Ant swing between a sugar appetite and one for fats. Sweets in summer, fats in winter. The baits need to fit their mood.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Is that why fire ant bait smells bad? Pretty sure the stuff I used in Texas is not legal in California

Nothing from Texas is legal in California.

[KFC911]

I discovered Amdro from PPOT... it works . Pellets sprinkled around the mounds outside (I'm comservative in applying)... gone within a few days. For inside, Amdro comes in little containers ya set out with an opening to what appears to be a waxy type substance. Ants just aren't around. Ya don't have to "open" the unsealed containers either.... they last forever.

Indoor Amdro was the only indoor "trap" that was NOT borax based ... and those have never been effective in my experience.

Ants also hate bamboo .... the choice is yours

[wdfifteen]

I use diatomaceous earth for the crawling bugs in and around my house. It’s totally safe for people and pets

[masraum]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I use diatomaceous earth for the crawling bugs in and around my house. It’s totally safe for people and pets

I tried that for ants. It takes a ton, and often they just move.

[hbueno]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I use diatomaceous earth for the crawling bugs in and around my house. It’s totally safe for people and pets

Just be careful not to breathe in tbe dust.

[rcooled]

I use this stuff when insects become a problem. Keeps working long after the initial application too.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

[Salty Springs]

Interesting all the ant talk. I live in central Florida and fire ants were a huge problem. I chased them all over my yard!! But the last couple of years I have not seen them at all. Not sure where they went? Still have a few roaches but our bug problem is waaay over rated.
Dave

[pavulon]

Regular black garden ants are acutally beneficial.

[vash]

fall of an empire!!

two days and there isn't a single ant. I looked at my outside baits and it was discovered by harmless brown ants so I picked it all up. sealed a few cracks and I am over it.

poised & ready for the next invasion.

[masraum]

Last year when we were still in our apt, I noticed in the spring that the various sidewalks around the apt complex seemed to always be host to "crazy ants" (they are a type of ant). I'd seen and heard of them before, but they were everywhere which I hadn't experienced. We got a bunch of rain, and after the rain, I started to notice ants in our apt (on the 5th floor). I got some of the ant bait where you put a clear drop of thick fluid down where the ants seem to hang out, and that gets them. I'd put a few drops in a few spots and within a day or two, the ants would go away. They'd be gone for a few days or a week or two. They'd come back and I'd put more drops down. I think I had to put drops down 5-10 times over the course of a few months, but then they stopped coming back. I feel like it had to do with frequent rains driving the ants to try to avoid the wet environment. Of course, in Cali, that's probably not an issue.