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Ant Problem

Tekguy0

Tekguy0

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 19, 2020
306
361
I seem to be having an ant problem in my house. Basically, on the upstairs level, in the stairway/landing area, near a window, medium-large winged ants keep appearing. Its usually about 1-2 per day. Its very puzzling, because there is no way they can be coming in, other than the attic access and a few recessed lightsockets. They also do not behave like normal ants. They are mostly motionless unless you try to squash them with a tissue. I'm pretty sure they're not carpenter ants, since they have a different structure, with a long abdomen. What should I do? Advice?
 
satcomer said:
I find the cucumber peels placed in places about once a week tend to drive away the coo on North America ants!
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I may try that. I don't really want to put them in my attic though.
 
satcomer said:
I would place the in the places you know where the ants come into your home usually! That would be the best location!
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The trouble is, I don't know where they're coming in! I've checked the foundation and siding, and can't seem to find anything. What is very puzzling is that they all have wings. We had a problem before in the kitchen, but now that is not an issue since we poisoned them, but this is a completely different part of the house. I will check the attic later.
 
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Ortho Home Defense applied in infested areas. It works well.

8C6937CF-3BD4-4FBD-9898-42EAD1590BC5.jpeg​
 
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We suddenly have them too, live in the upstairs of a two family house. They’re in the kitchen, unsure of where they are coming in.

They hate garlic (Once I threw away the bulb in the cabinet earlier this week, they began showing up). I flushed 10 yesterday and 3 this morning. Spraying bleach around certain areas 🙁until we get more garlic today ( I will keep using the garlic after we get other ant killing products next week).
 
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kazmac said:
We suddenly have them too, live in the upstairs of a two family house. They’re in the kitchen, unsure of where they are coming in.

They hate garlic (Once I threw away the bulb in the cabinet earlier this week, they began showing up). I flushed 10 yesterday and 3 this morning. Spraying bleach around certain areas 🙁until we get more garlic today ( I will keep using the garlic after we get other ant killing products next week).
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Thanks, I'll try that.
 
Place a bit of Terro bait in the areas you are finding them. It will take a little while because the ants have to bring it back to the nest a number of times, eventually it will kill the colony which is much more effective than simply chasing them off.
 
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Wasted my lunch hour laying down garlic. I wish that would make the noisy dogs shut up & scram too. At least warding off vampires would be more interesting.😛

Now if I was making food with garlic, different story.🙂

I’ve got Terro coming next week.
 
I had an ant infestation on the kitchen windowsill of my 1920's Craftsman cottage--the first time after living there for 16 years. A Terro bait trap worked. Hard as it is for me to kill any living thing, in this case I didn't have a choice and this was a limited but effective treatment (they go into the trap and then take it back to their colony) that didn't harm my cats.
 
Tekguy0 said:
The trouble is, I don't know where they're coming in! I've checked the foundation and siding, and can't seem to find anything.
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Ants find their way into the smallest of openings. I'd suggest placing cucumber peels or garlic (assuming you'll use that method) around windows and doors. Those are likely the easiest spots for them to get in.
 
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zhenya said:
Place a bit of Terro bait in the areas you are finding them. It will take a little while because the ants have to bring it back to the nest a number of times, eventually it will kill the colony which is much more effective than simply chasing them off.
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I've got a box of borax lying around somewhere. Mix it with some grape jelly to make homemade Terro bait (5% borax, 95% grape jelly). If you decide to may your own bait, remember you only need a teeny tiny amount. Too much borax and the ants die before bring the food back to the colony. Too little and it doesn't kill the critters.

But this only works if the workers brings the food back to the colony. Winged ants are usually the mating variety, ie non-workers so they won't bring food back to the colony.
 
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I have a feeling I’d give up the ghost with that Spectracide 😛.

The smell is fine, really (Nope, not a vampire! 🤯). I find the whole thing almost funny <except for sending the ants to their watery doom.>

Considering what is going on outside, this is nothing.

Besides, it won’t hurt to breathe in all that garlic. 💥
 
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There's this stuff I bought at Home Depot, near the Ant and roach traps. Its a sugary gel like stuff in a tube. You use it along the places the ants travel. They think its food and bring it back to the nest. Works great but I have to do it every year. I only put it on the outside of my house where they usually walk up.
 
Mousse said:
But this only works if the workers brings the food back to the colony. Winged ants are usually the mating variety, ie non-workers so they won't bring food back to the colony.
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This seems to be the problem. Based on some quick research, they exist to start new colonies, which would indicate that one exists in my home, though these are the only ones I've ever seen inside. Its weird tho, b/c these ants rarely move or fly, which is not typical. I will try some baits and see how that works.
 
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kazmac said:
The smell is fine,
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It has a very weird clinical scent I don't like at all. It lingers for a few days too. It's the only thing that works outside of lawn granules that will remain there even with heavy rains.
 
You can try home remedies and products from various companies, then wait to see if it works.

OR

Call an exterminator and set up a treatment plan. Then move on to other more important matters, worry free.
 
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Gregg2 said:
You can try home remedies and products from various companies, then wait to see if it works.

OR

Call an exterminator and set up a treatment plan. Then move on to other more important matters, worry free.
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Just using one spritz of RAID ant killer messed up my sinuses for hours with the windows open etc.. Exterminators are out of the question here.

And given the current situation, no one else is setting foot in our apartment.
 
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