Humane ant eviction?

[Barley]

Please please can anyone help...? My friend has a really bad ant 'infestation'. I have been sweeping them up and putting them outside but she is getting to the end of her tether and wants to start killing.... Has anyone got any ideas that work? Thanks.

[tasha]

I've always used Eucalyptus oil, just put some on a rag and wipe it in the spots where the ants tend to be (and around doors, etc.). This usually works to keep them out, not sure if they will leave once in though?

Do you know where they are coming from? If you can find the ant colony (assuming it is outside), you can always use a little soapy water and they will scurry out, grabbing their lil' babies and eggs and they will relocate (I've never done this but my sisiter has and it worked), I assume that some of the ants may die though when doing this--but if she is set on killing them all, it might be an option to at least save a few.

Does she have any potted plants? If so, check them all to make sure they aren't nesting in one.

Also, I'm sure you already know this, but make sure she doesn't have any open bags or containers of food and to give the place a good cleaning before and after the ants are gone.

That's all I can think of...I know, not much help--ants tend to be a tough problem!

Maybe she could bring a few spiders in and let nature take its course :p

[DianeVegan]

White vinegar and peppermint oil can also be effective - anything that confuses their sense of smell as this is how they find their way back to the nest and food sources.

[Antonia]

I currently have this problem.
I know it's nasty stuff but my landlord had insisted on ant powder. So i put it outside round doors and windows, hopefully they won't want to cross it.

On Tuesday my kitchen floor was swarming with ants and we had an inspection due the next day. So I spent about two hours blitzing the kitchen, I then washed the floor using water that I'd put some citronella in. It's now Friday, and so far all is well.
I suspect the problem came about as I'd been away for a few days, and without me there to crack the whip I suspect my housemates got a bit lazy and left food around in the kitchen.

When looking for places that ants come in, also check tv cables that go to the outside, air vents (which I've discovered can be very small - finger size) and cavity walls. Apparently cavity walls are their passage way to getting upstairs. And don't forget windows that you open.

Just on the offchance: if any of you have advice about persuading the snails that congregate around my house to move on....

[Glen]

Antonia; Ant powder kills the ants, not deter them from crossing. Apparently Paprika is a good deterrent, probably due to the confusion to their sense of smell.

[Pilaf]

Mix vinegar and water in a spray bottle and apply it under doorways, windowseals and other places where the ants enter the house. They won't cross it, usually.

[herbwormwood]

I had some ants in my kitchen during the hot dry weather. I think they were coming in from behind my kitchen cabinet which was improperly sealed. I first contacted our estate manager about the poor hygiene around the building and all the food wrappers lying around. Unfortunately she told me if I allowed my home to become "infested" and the ants spread to someone elses flat I could be held liable.
However I noticed a big clean up hapened a few days later!
I swept a few of them up and put them in the bin. I also wiped the counters down with orange oil mixed with mild detergent. I started using neem soap in the bathroom. I became very tidy and got rid of crumbs etc. And I burned eucalyptus oil in an aromatherapy burner. Once we had rain the ants went away and haven't come back.
If you have just a few ants don't worry too much as they deal with other more unfriendly pests like flies. And don't tell your landlord about them! However if they have a nest in your home you may have to do something about it. Best to put them off before they start building!

[Tigerlily]

I heard sprinkling cayenne pepper is good for them too (to deter them).

[Roxy]

My mother-in-law sprinkles her used coffee grounds around where she doesn't want the ants coming, and they don't seem to cross the coffee grounds.

Wow! There are lots of suggestions here for your friend to try, Barley! :)

[Tigerlily]

Another thing my dad did was fix our foundation in our basement (which had a lot of cracks) and get a plumber to tighten our plumbing. That's where our ants were coming in.

[Maisiepaisie]

I tried paprika but it didn't work. Peppermint oil seemed to work though a few remained in the house. They're still here but I don't mind as theres not too many, I try not to hoover them up. They're quite harmless really.

[DianeVegan]

Just on the offchance: if any of you have advice about persuading the snails that congregate around my house to move on....
Forget about it - there is no humane way of ridding yourself of these guys. I know as I've tried them all. I finally gave up and just starting dropping them back into the woods but I think this makes them mulitply. If it's moist, they show up. Nothing you can do about it. :(

[twinkle]

Antonia - did you try copper for your snail problem? I heard they don't like crossing it. Too bad it's a bit expensive if you want to stop them getting into large areas.

I got rid of my ant problem a couple of summers ago (and they never came back) by:

1) making a barrier where I thought they were coming in with a line of cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and peppermint oil.

2) catching all the ants I could see inside and putting them out of the house (on a piece of paper because I heard they don't like contact with human skin if possible).

3) spraying the area coming up to the barrier with vinegar so they couldn't follow any previously laid trails.

No problems since then! :)

[herbwormwood]

Just on the offchance: if any of you have advice about persuading the snails that congregate around my house to move on....

Snails are perfect bird food.
Put some bird feeders up, and a bird bath if you can. The birds will enjoy eating your snails and slugs. Its fun to watch them on the feeders too. But they will go for the slugs and smails first!

[sugarmouse]

I have ants.I wont kill them and I am too lazy to think about deterents.I just leave them...I dont think they do any harm whatsoever.

[vegan1969]

I just saw this on peta:
Top 10 Ways to Outwit Wildlife and Battle Bugs Without Using Chemicals

http://www.helpinganimals.com/photos/240-raccoon.jpgWith summer in full swing, warm temperatures sometimes bring close encounters with our animal neighbors. Homeowners in the U.S. spend nearly $5 billion a year on pesticides in a vain attempt to create homes that are free of “pests.” Not only are these substances toxic to children and companion animals, they also only provide a short-term solution. PETA offers the following tips for peacefully coexisting with “urban” wildlife:

Keep trash cans securely covered and in the garage until trash day, or pour ammonia or pepper in them to discourage foraging.
To keep ants out, wash kitchen surfaces with equal parts vinegar and water and pour a line of cream of tartar, red chili powder, paprika, or dried peppermint where ants enter the house.
Keep raccoons and other animals out of attics by trimming tree limbs and plants away from roofs and foundation walls.
To avoid contact with wasps, never work in the yard or garden wearing yellow or white, since these colors attract insects. Many insects cannot see red, making it a good color to wear when working in the yard.
Persuade any raccoons who take up residence in your attic to pack up and move to quieter surroundings by turning on a light and playing a portable radio for a day or two.
Save frogs and other animals from drowning in swimming pools with a Frog Saver Lily Pad (available at PETAMall.com (http://www.petamall.com/PLPShop.asp?RecordID=218)) or by dangling a knotted rope over the pool’s edge.
Cockroaches are incredible survivors—and they’re very opportunistic. Seal food in airtight containers and take away hiding places for roaches, then place bay leaves, cucumbers, garlic, or catnip around your home to repel them.
Stay mosquito-bite-free by eating brewer’s yeast daily, and make an effective skin repellent by diluting oil of citronella or oil of pennyroyal mint with vodka or vegetable oil.
Deter rodents from places that can’t be mouse- or rat-proofed (such as vehicle engines) with a mixture of salad oil, garlic, horseradish, and cayenne pepper. Let this sit for four days, then strain it into a spray bottle and spray it on the desired area. Moth balls and peppermint oil-soaked cotton balls also work well.
Observe wildlife from a safe, quiet distance—never touch, get close to, feed, or pick up wild animals.

[Antonia]

Antonia; Ant powder kills the ants, not deter them from crossing. Apparently Paprika is a good deterrent, probably due to the confusion to their sense of smell.
Glen, if I could use paprika instead of ant powder I would and now that i've done what my landlord asked I will try to employ as many natural methods as possible so there's no ant problem for my landlord to insist I deal with in certain ways in the first place.

He took great delight in telling me how when he lived here he used to like stomping around crushing the snails. I think he also comes to have a nose at the house when we're out.

But my landlord is quite a problem character and not one to be argued with. He won't let us use our patio doors, we have to keep our sidegate padlocked... the list goes on. (Estate agents are on his side). I don't wanna get chucked out so i go along with it. One final thing, which I think says it all... He's an ex-vegan!!

[DianeVegan]

I saw this book (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1902175131/sr=8-20/qid=1150711937/ref=sr_1_20/102-9443791-3079342?%5Fencoding=UTF8) yesterday and if I was still gardening I would definitely purchase it!!!! There were so many ideas I had never considered and none are dangerous to the slug. Plus, it's a cute and easy read.