We were jubilant that we found the solution to keeping the ants off
of the Satsuma tangerine tree with Tree Tanglefoot at its base.
Unfortunately.... arrrghhh... They decided to come into our house instead since we'd blocked their way to the tree.
Not just a few ants! Zillions, absolutely zillions of them started a trail into the house. Any food dropped or left exposed got ants.... lots of ants!
Arrrrghhhhh!
We thought we had everything sealed and then found a trail one morning that led right to this sugar jar. (We put it in a plastic bag and stuck it in the freezer.)
We tried a variety of ant baits, but nothing worked.
We finally came across this liquid ant bait. And WOW! It worked! Suddenly the house was filled with dead ants.
When I mentioned it to several friends, it turned out that they all knew about it. I guess I should have asked them first instead of trial and error.
Yay!
I know this is only one more battle. We'll never truly win the war. Nature will provide us with more skirmishes. However, next time I'll ask for advice first.
POSTSCRIPT: Uh oh! I just read that this is intended only for OUTDOOR use. Oops! Oh well... They sell an indoor one also.
Not just a few ants! Zillions, absolutely zillions of them started a trail into the house. Any food dropped or left exposed got ants.... lots of ants!
Arrrrghhhhh!
We thought we had everything sealed and then found a trail one morning that led right to this sugar jar. (We put it in a plastic bag and stuck it in the freezer.)
We tried a variety of ant baits, but nothing worked.
When I mentioned it to several friends, it turned out that they all knew about it. I guess I should have asked them first instead of trial and error.
Yay!
I know this is only one more battle. We'll never truly win the war. Nature will provide us with more skirmishes. However, next time I'll ask for advice first.
POSTSCRIPT: Uh oh! I just read that this is intended only for OUTDOOR use. Oops! Oh well... They sell an indoor one also.
George got so angry at the ants one year, he swiped their marked path with car parts cleaner. :)
ReplyDeleteGracious you live in a harsh environment. Ever think about moving back to Chicago? Reading this I wondered what hotels do about ants. It would be impossible to keep food supplies away from the ants in those. Wonder what they use?
ReplyDeletewell it's nice not to live in Hawaii...lol! Although it is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAnts are such a nuisance--I battle with them in Florida and in Vermont. Those liquid traps are effective.
ReplyDeleteglad the problem is solved!
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you an ant story. We have a hoya that, when in bloom, hangs little drips of sugar water from the blossoms. The plant is in the front foyer. One year we noticed two lines of tiny "sugar" aunts coming in through under a baseboard, marching straight up the plant holder, taking the drops and marching down and out in a separate line. We've never bothered them; they're only there for the free treat, and leave by the same route.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering just today what critters we may be transporting with us when we move to the 11th floor apartment. I suppose ants could climb that high but it'd be worse if I brought them with us.
ReplyDeleteWe have had bug battles here. The worst one is when the first spring warm up starts and the flying ants swarm. Every year its in a different place in the house. They started this year as we were showing the house for sale. Fortunately it was cool on the open house afternoon and they didn't show up. Nor were they evident during the home inspection. They last about 4 weeks and then they disappear.
Whoa, that sugar jar is impressive.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly do have a battle with ants! I was quite surprised at that sugar jar. Glad you've found something that works so well. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of ants! Terro is the only stuff that has ever worked for us, but I've never had an invasion like that one. Do they appear in your nightmares?!!
ReplyDeleteGood to know about the Terro baits! I have a small bottle of it but the baits are so much more convenient. I used to have an ant problem - black ones, brown ones, little ones, big ones and I would find their food source (once it was an old brownie mix box) and wipe away their army trails, put borax, traps, spray their entry points and was almost resigned to having ants in the house forever since they would return.
ReplyDeleteThen, I picked up a Black Flag package of ant killer traps. It works like Combat - some kind of invisible bait in a small plastic housing - that I put about out in areas I used to see ants. In a few days, NO MORE ANTS! This has been months ago.
Doesn't it feel good to win small battles? I still have roaches and termites. However, life is still so good here in spite of our household pests, occasional rodents and orchid eating birds. SO glad we don't have snakes!
I hate ants. Love from Europe . Take care
ReplyDeleteI left my homemade apple/raspberry pie on the counter and thought about how I used to have to put everything away in tins or the refrigerator when we lived in the tropics.
ReplyDeletegood luck with your ant control. So far we haven't had an army march into the house.
ReplyDeletethey say ants will be the last standing on the earth,, just the numbers of them is mind boggling, we haven\t had trouble with them yet, crossing my fingers,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that one worked
ReplyDeleteCan you please tell me where I can purchase this? We also have an ant problem.
ReplyDeleteUh oh... We made a big boo boo! I was looking it up and just saw that it's actually for Outdoor use. Doggone it! We used it in the house. Tsk. We got it at Home Depot. However, looks like there's an indoor and outdoor version.
DeleteLooks like you can get it at Walmart too. Get the indoor version though.
DeleteThank you Kay.
DeleteMom always differentiated between sugar and grease ants in the Midwest as they required different poisons. Husband & i got up a couple mornings and found the kitchen counter covered with ants after we moved here to So Cal. Finally we called exterminator who did some sort of treatment next to the house externally in or on the ground -- completely around the house. This was many years ago and have had no problems since. Good luck getting rid of yours.
ReplyDeleteWell it is a bit nice for those us not lucky enough to live in paradise to know there are some tiny drawbacks. Mercy.
ReplyDeleteSure glad you have found a solution. You were under siege.
My goodness, paradise is buggy!
ReplyDelete