A Gardener Just Sowing Seed's of Encouragement....

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Killing Little Ants Naturally

  We had to be treated for termites a few weeks back and while I was talking to the guy about those destructive guys, we saw those little sugar ants marching up and down the siding of my house. He asked me if we had problems on the inside of the house with the ants and I said yes. I also told him the only thing we could find to keep them out of the house was "Borax". He told me that  killing ants can be much easier, safer and cheaper than most people realize. The only thing you will need to kill them is sugar and Borax, or boric acid. The sugar attracts the ants to the open buffet, while the Borax works as a long-term killer. Ants consider this powder to be food, and foragers will feed it to the other members of the colony, including the queen. When the queen dies, so does the rest of the clan. He said that the "Boric Acid" gets in their stomachs and kills, by drying them out!
 
  What mixture do you use? Mix the Borax with granulated sugar in a 1:3 ratio. I will prepare 1 cup of Borax with 3 cups of sugar for 6-8 traps.
  You can also dust the inside of walls and under cabinets with straight Borax to kill off Roaches! It just amazed me the simple things that we can use to kill off some of those pest that we have around the house.
  
  Borax has so many different uses other then washing clothes: it kills mold, flees, scabies,silverfish and many more uses for this household item, that most everyone keeps on hand!If you have any other tips on the subject at hand please feel free to share!


CAUTION: Borax is toxic. Do not place the traps in areas where animals (like the family pet) can accidentally open the lid and ingest the poison. Just be careful with it!

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20 comments:

  1. Lisa @ Two Bears FarmApril 28, 2012 at 6:32 AM

    This would've come in handy when I lived in TX - all those nasty fire antS!

    ReplyDelete
  2. SparingChangeApril 28, 2012 at 7:03 AM

    I have read to give them grits, but I will do this as well seeing as we have both in the cupboard! THANK YOU! :-)

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  3. Gardener on Sherlock StreetApril 28, 2012 at 9:07 AM

    Much more effective than spraying everywhere which seems to be a lot of people's initial reaction. You have to be patient with ants to really handle them. Thanks for the info.

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  4. UnknownApril 28, 2012 at 9:35 AM

    I find it strange that we are bothered by an insect that gets praised in the bible for being such a work horse...lol

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  5. UnknownApril 28, 2012 at 12:14 PM

    loved this post! thanks for sharing such a great tip!
    will be using this for sure!

    Thank you!

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  6. LindaGApril 28, 2012 at 5:03 PM

    Thanks for this great post, Clint!

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  7. Patricia @ 9th and DenverApril 28, 2012 at 6:04 PM

    So glad to get this advice and tips
    ...thanks!

    Pat

    ReplyDelete
  8. daisy gApril 30, 2012 at 8:27 AM

    I may try it on our fire ants. They are a nuisance in the garden! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  9. The Southern Peach-GirlsApril 30, 2012 at 12:53 PM

    I was getting ready to make up a batch (after reading this somewhere else), and thought I would see if it was different. Same recipe :-) I did want to ask about your termite problem though. Do the person find the source of the problem? I am not sure about termites, and how they work, but I know that carpenter ants only go after rotting wood. If termites work the same, then you will need to find the rotting wood, or you will only have a repeat of the termites, either that or a possibly unsafe structure.

    Blessings,
    Kerri

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    Replies
    1. Clint BakerApril 30, 2012 at 5:49 PM

      From what he told me termites go after the cellulose in the wood! They find it by finding moister in the ground. Its a big long explanation about how God mad them to survive and find food. He did tell me this, he said "Its not a matter if a house has termites, its when is the house gonna get termites!" He also said newer homes are more likely to get them then homes that were built 50 plus years ago, they used to treat with "cloridaine" that probably not how you spell it!.

      Delete
  10. Lisa B.May 1, 2012 at 6:40 AM

    I need to write this down on a recipe card and get it filed. A lot of people in my area started seeing ants in my area in February, I seen a couple then nothing, they have steered clear of my home so far. I'm just waiting though, lol.

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    Replies
    1. Clint BakerMay 1, 2012 at 7:27 PM

      It was so warm every where, I guess thats why we were seeing them early!

      Delete
  11. Farmgirl HeidiMay 1, 2012 at 6:07 PM

    Thanks for the actual recipe Clint. I remember my Mom mixing it up for ants when I was a kid, but I didn't know the proportions. You're a lifesaver as I am experiencing an ant invasion this week... Have a GREAT week!

    Your friend,
    Heidi

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    Replies
    1. Clint BakerMay 1, 2012 at 7:29 PM

      I am glad it helped,You have a great week as well!

      Delete
  12. KatrinaMay 2, 2012 at 7:02 AM

    My mother recently went to the hardware store looking for a product to kill ants and would be safe for her cat. (Borax is not safe for most animals.) She was told to put Splenda at the entry point. It works as a deterrent and kills the ones that ingest it, but doesn't affect the colony, so you do have to reapply it whenever another group finds it's way in.

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  13. KellyMay 3, 2012 at 12:22 AM

    I am going to have to use this. We have the worst fire ants in our yard this year! The little sugar ants don't bother me so much, but when you have to constantly watch where you are walking in the yard so you aren't eaten up by ants, I hate it for the kids! Thanks :)

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  14. maryMay 4, 2012 at 10:33 PM

    What kind of trap did you use? Bottle lids??? Will that work?

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    Replies
    1. Clint BakerMay 5, 2012 at 6:47 PM

      Bottle lids will work, anything to put it in!

      Delete
  15. TaraMay 5, 2012 at 11:37 PM

    This is too funny. I randomly got asked at the grocery store if I knew how to get rid of them without the chemicals! I wish I would have read this last night! :)

    I am starting a blog party on Mondays called Make Your Move Mondays. I would love to have you link up this post or one like it!

    Tara @ http://simplymadehome.blogspot.com/

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  16. AnonymousJuly 20, 2012 at 9:39 PM

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    ReplyDelete

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