Do ants ever give up?
Discussion
Got up the other morning to find a line of ants going from the front door area all the way into the kitchen and back, it was like a military operation. It was actually quite fascinating to watch for a bit until I got the vacuum out, they followed the line of the skirting boards and plinths doing several 90 deg left and right turns as opposed to a straight line which would have been half the distance for them.
So I found out how they were getting in and siliconed the gap up but they just found another way in about an hour later, I have continued to seal the gaps where they are getting in but they just keep finding other ways back in. I wouldn't mind but spending more time at home due to the lockdown the house has never been cleaner and there aren't any food particles lying about anywhere for the ants to get. So how persistent are they will they just keep coming back and back again until they get what they want or is there a way to see them off for good?
I'm contemplating getting the flags up outside the front door and hopefully finding the nest, or maybe getting the jet was down the gaps in the flags and seeing what that does.
So I found out how they were getting in and siliconed the gap up but they just found another way in about an hour later, I have continued to seal the gaps where they are getting in but they just keep finding other ways back in. I wouldn't mind but spending more time at home due to the lockdown the house has never been cleaner and there aren't any food particles lying about anywhere for the ants to get. So how persistent are they will they just keep coming back and back again until they get what they want or is there a way to see them off for good?
I'm contemplating getting the flags up outside the front door and hopefully finding the nest, or maybe getting the jet was down the gaps in the flags and seeing what that does.
The nest could be anywhere though, under the flags, under the house floor, in the cavity wall or even in the back garden. I've been doing a bit of gardening whilst the weather is warm and must have come across half a dozen ants nests in the soil, the b
ds are everywhere. I did spot one ant carrying a midge I'd squashed previously back to the nest across my floor, he seemed to give up when almost there but managed to carry on for the last bit eventually, can't imagine how pissed off he must have been when he realised I'd siliconed his exit up.
I do seem to be getting plagued at the minute though, midges are everywhere again and I'm not even in Scotland, I've had a mouse in the loft which seems to be the only mouse allergic to cheese, must be one of these new generation Z vegan mice and any bread I put out for the birds is either taken by as couple of fat bd pidgeons that live in the trees at the back or a squirrel that lives there as well.
ds are everywhere. I did spot one ant carrying a midge I'd squashed previously back to the nest across my floor, he seemed to give up when almost there but managed to carry on for the last bit eventually, can't imagine how pissed off he must have been when he realised I'd siliconed his exit up.I do seem to be getting plagued at the minute though, midges are everywhere again and I'm not even in Scotland, I've had a mouse in the loft which seems to be the only mouse allergic to cheese, must be one of these new generation Z vegan mice and any bread I put out for the birds is either taken by as couple of fat b
d pidgeons that live in the trees at the back or a squirrel that lives there as well.Had something similar last year when I woke up find them all over the kitchen, first I hoovered them all up but they just kept coming out of everywhere!
I never found out where they were coming in from but a solution of vinegar & water sprayed on the inside worked, something about it killing the sent so they cannot track. Citrus apparently also works.
As I said I never found how they got in but a liberal covering of Nippon ant powder around the door frame and a bait trap seemed to stop them coming back in again.
I never found out where they were coming in from but a solution of vinegar & water sprayed on the inside worked, something about it killing the sent so they cannot track. Citrus apparently also works.
As I said I never found how they got in but a liberal covering of Nippon ant powder around the door frame and a bait trap seemed to stop them coming back in again.
Ants leave a pheromone trail as they wander around and if one finds food, it gets communicated back and they all start following the trail to find the food source, hence them all doing what appears a meandering path back, presumably the first one did that when he found the food.
Bear in mind food could be a few crumbs or. Single grain of sugar and they’ll start invading.
To remove the trail and therefore ants, boiling water, or white vinegar will work.
They also don’t like cinnamon or turmeric so a light dusting of that in any holes or around the edge of the outside wall would help dissuade them.
Bear in mind food could be a few crumbs or. Single grain of sugar and they’ll start invading.
To remove the trail and therefore ants, boiling water, or white vinegar will work.
They also don’t like cinnamon or turmeric so a light dusting of that in any holes or around the edge of the outside wall would help dissuade them.
A few years back I arrived into my office at work on a Monday morning to find a trail of ants all the way from the back door of the building, through the door to my office, and up onto my desk, where they were merrily chomping away at a pack of Trebor Mints I had mistakenly left open.
"st", I thought. Good job I tend to get to work nice and early, before anyone else could discover said invasion and cause a fuss.
I thoroughly wiped down the entire desk with bleach cleaning fluid, vacuumed up all the ants, and the problem was solved.
I don't think they tend to make a bee(ant?)-line like that unless there's a source of food.
"s
t", I thought. Good job I tend to get to work nice and early, before anyone else could discover said invasion and cause a fuss. I thoroughly wiped down the entire desk with bleach cleaning fluid, vacuumed up all the ants, and the problem was solved.
I don't think they tend to make a bee(ant?)-line like that unless there's a source of food.
I've had good success with these bait stations.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maxforce-Killer-Indoor-Ou...
I didn't want to sprinkle ant powders etc due to possible mishaps with kids and cats so these stations are great to leave in strategic places.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maxforce-Killer-Indoor-Ou...
I didn't want to sprinkle ant powders etc due to possible mishaps with kids and cats so these stations are great to leave in strategic places.
eldar said:
If you are bored, mix a little sugar and water. Then paint it on the drive or pavement with a small paint brush. Leave an hour for the ants to spot it.
Smutty words, circles, all good fun.
And then when the little army of marching biting funkers turn up, pour as many kettles of boiling water over them as possible! Yesterday was our "ants in the house turn into flying ants day". Smutty words, circles, all good fun.
Evil little bity things.
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