Ants, unless they endanger other animals or injure you, are beneficial
organisms and prey on bad insects.
However, if ants still need controlling, try red pepper --as in Cayenne, or
liquid red pepper, as in Tabasco sauce helps. I've controlled fire ants,
which we have in South Louisiana, by mixing 1/2 C. Tabasco with enough red
Cayenne to form a thick paste. And then, adding the mixture to a gallon of hot
to boiling water which I pour on large ant mounds.
If ants come into the house: with a pastry brush, paint along the window
mullions where they may enter. What I've noticed is that the lead ants has
doubled over (in pain) and gone back the same way to warn the others. I
treated my windows 10 years ago and they have not been back since. Also,
cucumber seeds and rinds deter ants from coming through electrical sockets,
I've learned.
Another solution is spent coffee grounds which I've collected from local
coffee shops. Usually I can collect at least a quart a day. Dumping the used
grounds on the mounds, also helps solve the ant problem. It depends upon the
size of the mounds as to how much you'll need. Lagniappe (something extra) is
that earth worms really enjoy spent coffee grounds!
Boiling water works. But boiling water also sterilizes the soil and kills
beneficial organisms, as well as destructive ones; not to mention that it
kills roots. Likewise, diatomaceous earth (DE) works. But, again, it kills
beneficials as well as destructive pests.
Regardless of which method you use, stir with a long stick and stand back.
The surviving ants come out fighting mad!!!
Bunny Snow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cari L Spring wrote:
> Hi all . I'm trying to solve some ant problems, having tried several
> things, none working. I don't know the names of the four species which
> are causing problems. Descriptions: small red ants; flying ants; large
> black ants; large red ants. Tucson Sonoran Desert. Does anybody know any
> solutions?
>
> thanks much.
>
> Cari Spring
>
> ----------------------
> Cari L Spring
> (520) 621-7343; spring@u.arizona.edu
> Faculty Development Specialist
> University Teaching Center, U of A
>
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