So we have ants in our house--not a huge trail or anything just a few here and there in each room. (thats the maddening thing--not knowing where they are coming from). Anyways, I was wondering which is better, to have the pest control come out and spray once, or have the service which is every other month but VERY expensive. We had a service come out last year and we've been ant free for about a year after that. Any suggestions?!?! TIA
2007-03-21 08:45:30 · 7 answers · asked by trystero 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
Don't get your house sprayed for ants, it is useless and can make the problem worse. You are killing a small population of the exploring ants, but not killing the nest. While your house is being sprayed and for awhile afterwards you are going to be exposing yourself, your family, and your pets to poisons (usually neurotoxins).
What you can do is use bait. It is far more effective and gets the ants where they live. The explorer ants take the poison back to their nest where it kills everyone. It is a bit less satisfying because you don't see instant kill, but you do see the kill more permanently.
Check out this Integrated Pest Management website from the University of California, Davis. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/ For your health and the health of the environment, please use baits, and use them according to the label.
2007-03-22 09:58:06 · answer #1 · answered by Miss Vida 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can do several things. I normally Kill my Own Insects. I Have a hand held Sprayer and I will buy Dioxin at Wal-Mart and spray my own house and yard at least twice a year. In the Spring and in the Fall. I also have used Insect bombs in my Home to Kill spiders, ants, fleas, and any other kind of bug. Just remove any pet and YOURSELF for at least 4 hours after Spraying. You can also as you said Hire a Pest Control Agency to do it for you, but it is very expensive and Most want you to sign a yearly Contract.
2007-03-24 16:11:50 · answer #2 · answered by donna_honeycutt47 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I use a product called Terro. It comes in a small bottle, you put a pea sized drop on a piece of cardboard where you see the ants. (Keep it out of reach of children and pets. Soon, you will see the ants gathered around your handiwork. Leave it there for a few hours to a day or so, until you don't see any ants. Works for about a month or two.
2007-03-21 09:16:49 · answer #3 · answered by godged 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bayer makes a product called lawn and garden insect control which looks like fertilizer and is sold at Lowe's. Put in spreader and make barrier around house or whole yard. That will keep them out. If you have a do it yourself pest control store close by, then get some Bayer Suspend and buy your own sprayer. 1 oz per gallon of water for 1st treatment, 1/2 afterwards.
2007-03-21 08:59:31 · answer #4 · answered by trekkie706 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ants become a nuisance when they enter homes. Instead of spending money on costly pest control, you can get rid of ants by removing the food source and using soap water.
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2007-03-22 06:29:26 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They're explorers. Somewhere within the general vicinity of your house (could be a couple houses down or in a field) a new colony has started gearing up for summer and the scouts are looking for food sources.
Kill them as you see them, try to find out if the colony is anywhere nearby that you can spot yourself, otherwise I wouldn't waste any real money on it until you start to see a "line" of them. If could be that they'll pass you on by as soon as they realize that your neighbor spills sugar every morning when she makes her coffee. ;-p
2007-03-21 09:00:13 · answer #6 · answered by arjo_reich 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
first use vinegar to destroy their trails second cornmeal kills them they take it back to their colony and try and eat it but they can not digest it
2007-03-21 08:56:04 · answer #7 · answered by chris a 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋