Sugar Ant Problem!?

Question

My mom has sugar ants in her kitchen-billions of these suckers. And they come and go. She has brown and black granite countertops...so it makes it really hard to see them. Sometimes they are there,,,and then others they aren't. We can not figure out where they are coming from-we've looked in every crack and drawer and none are there...and then bam they are everywhere. Does anyone know how to detect where they are coming from or any kind of homeade sticky trap we can make to capture them? I was helping her w/her laundry this morning and the dishrags she used to clean the kitchen-there were millions alive in it, and apprently she didn't see that she had wiped them up. We have to do something, but don't know where to start. Please help!

Answer 1

use the ant bait

http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/ants.htm


or get a professional in there

Answer 2

Some of the answers you already have are pretty good, but...I am not one to automatically like the "it kills ants, so did you stop to think that it can also kill people" (or fido, or kitty, or "orca-the goldfish") pesticides auto responces....they work, and for some that's great....I just prefer to be assassin/victim specific. (O.K....that sounds wierd...but....)The exterminator will not only kill the ants, but also some of the benificial buggies that stay hidden in the yard, house, attic....
Sugar ants are just that. They look for sugar, and most of all.....moisture. Thus, the laundry room, towels, and sponges are manna to the many. Just spraying them does no good because it doesnt get to the nest (and you know how they say BUNNIES reproduce quickly??), and while the pepper may deter some things, and is definately better for the co-inhabitors of the home....the best for this job is Boric Acid. You buy it in bulk at the hardware or (belieive it or not) pharmacy, and use either a small tipped funnel, or even an eye dropper so simply suck it up and squirt it behind the counters, through the cracked sealant at the back of the sink, around the corners of the cabintes, and between the stoves/frig/oven/washer/dryer/around the vent hose/around drains......if there is a space. hole, crack in the sealant, ripple in the rubber gasket.....pump it in. No funnel or eye dropper??....fold a piece of paper and use the middle as the spout. Then, simply wipe off the "puff" of white powder that shows on the nice granite counter tops. Do the same around the house. Edge out about 1/2 to 1 inch from the house perimeter, and just dump it on the dirt. Don't forget: if your garage is attached, hit the wall between it and the house....they LOVE it when a house settles on its foundation!
Now....like the pepper....you would have to replace it after the rain, but unlike the pepper which usually just deters them until they can find a break in the line, or a stick on which to cross....this stuff smells like food to them...they pick this stuff up and carry it into the nest. There, everyone joins in the feast!!! All eat this wonderous, found treasure.....which then causes their tissues to swell (much like our belts getting too tight at a buffet)....... and being exoskeletal creatures....well...we don't need to get into what happens next do we?? :-) And of course...any other exoskeletal creepy crawlies that also pick up this wonderous delight and take it to their nests.....like: roaches, pill bugs, etc....will also be obliterated...and it won't hurt the bumbles needed to keep the yard pretty....unlike the exterminator....
Now...on that point: what's cool about this product, is that it doesn't hurt people, dogs, cats; and unlike the exterminator, no harmful fumes to affect sinus', allergies, cause migraines, or any other longer lasting effects. Also, unlike the pepper: if this gets in your eyes or nose or mouth, you rinse, they feel dry and tingly for a little bit, you put in drops or drink a lot of liquid, it goes away in a couple of hours. I've had pepper in eyes and nose.....uhmmmm...I'll take tingly any time....

If you can't find the stuff in bulk, Borateem (or Boraxo) (yes...the laundry detergent/20 mule team stuff) has a certain amount of boric acid in it...won't be quite as effective, but it smells nice, and works to a degree! and it's just as safe for the fur persons, and curtain climbers...

Answer 3

First thing you have to do is take away their favorite snack´s , Which is sugar , jam´s, cakes crumbs of all kind´s . Keep food in tight lidded containers. Sweep or vacuum when finished working in the kitchen, wipe down the counter´s as often as possible, Don´t trying to say you have a dirty house , but if you take away their favorite food they leave . Also put black pepper where you see most of them. They will then carry this into the egg-laying queen´s nest. The egg-laying queen will then move the ant´s out. Ants sometimes stage a wet weather invasion of homes , to escape the water logged nest´s. But if they cannot find food , they will leave of their own accord

Answer 4

Use Ciayan pepper around all doors and all the way around the house they will not cross it! You can buy it in bulk from the Meninite (sp?) and Amish stores for very cheap!!!

Also use apple cider vinegar down the drains it is an acid and will take care of the ants coming in or going down the drain as well.

Answer 5

Terro is the best stuff out there! They flock to it as soon as you put it down and within 24 hours they are all gone. They take it back to the nest and it kills all the ants including the queen!

Answer 6

Buy a bottle of Terro at a hardware store. You put a few drops on small pieces of cardboard and set them around. They will be gone.

Answer 7

DE diatamaceous earth will kill them non toxic to humans you can even sprinle on pets food to kill internal parasites ,works by sucking the moisture from there bodies leaving only the exoskeleton good luck from TEXAS

Answer 8

I know what she's going through, we have the same problem. What she also might do is, try not to leave any food on top of counters and stove overnight and this also include food crumbs.

Answer 9

get a extermantor ♥