7 replies to this topic

[Ameise]

I noticed today that our cats' food bowl had a stream of Thief Ants (Solenopsis molesta) going to it and in it. They were following around the edge of a carpet towards a tiny crack at the bottom of the baseboard on the edge of an interior wall, about 6" from the exterior wall. Not sure if they're nesting in the house or coming in from outside. However, I want to kill the stream coming in - not sure what would be best - Borax-laden food? If so, what kind? Diatomaceous Earth? Lava? Once I kill them/get rid of them, I plan on resealing the baseboards though I know that won't prevent this (as they will find just about any opening, including wall outlets). What's the best way to prevent similar in the future? I am considering some kind of raised food bowl, like: =(, where the stem '=' perhaps has Fluon on it? S. molesta doesn't appear to have difficulty climbing glass, so that won't work.

 

I'm hoping we know how to kill them intentionally, since we manage to kill them accidentally while raising them all the time!

[gcsnelling]

Boric acid bait of some sort would probably be best.

[AntsMaryland]

just wipe some vinager around the cat bowl, its not harmful to cats or humans and it cleans the counter as well. Ant's don't like crossing vinager

[AntsMaryland]

Ameise, that part about killing them accidently is SO TRUE!

[sgheaton]

FIRST THINGS FIRST....take a picture of them!!!!
 

I had a 3 foot trail of those things sneaking in from the window crack to my sink disposal. They turned at 90 degree right angles. Was sooooo cool.... but I was soooooooooooo, "NUHUHUHHH!!!! ANTS IN THE KITCHEN!" That I straight up murder burned everything in chemicals before I realized I should have taken a picture.....

[antsnewmexico]

Also, rub vinegar around the area of your ant setups.

[Ameise]

I ended up spraying the room down with ammonia (Windex, then diluted ammonia when I ran out). That stuff kills insects very quickly, and also eliminates their trails. I've been letting the room air out for 2 days, gonna go back in today, clean up, vacuum, and make sure there are no more coming in. I couldn't figure out where they were coming from precisely - they were coming into the room from the crack under the baseboard of an interior wall, about 6" from the exterior wall. I saw no trail in the basement looking up at the subfloor, nor did I see a trail outside. This was the only room I saw any in. I suspect they were coming from outside, probably from behind the electrical meter (where I can't see). I killed enough of them and disrupted their trails, so that should be enough.

I also have a colony of them in a small jar which I am still trying to figure out how to build a formicarium for them. Considering wood, a borosilicate glass pane, and then a thin layer of silicon on the wood to 'seal' against the glass. The keeping that in another container. Unfortunately, they can climb glass, plastic, and basically any material (unlike, say, [Hypo]ponera which cannot climb plastic and glass - they can barely walk on them).

[Ameise]

So, while it looks like I killed the vast majority, there are still some in her room foraging. I have tried the Terro liquid bait, but they don't seem interested in it at all. What else can I try to bait them with?