Ants

[diyfrank]

Anyone have a suggestion on controlling ants?
I have ants everywhere...

My wife tells me to plant tansy around the cabin.

[Windpower]

Splenda

one of the best ant killers --just sprinkle some on the ant hill

[Phssthpok]

Diatomaceous Earth.

Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (Fossil Shell Flour) has many uses: in the household, with pets, on plants, around livestock, and for stored grain. It is totally organic and listed with OMRI.

Home: Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth as an Organic Pesticide

Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth is used around the house as an organic pesticide for the control of ants, cockroaches, silverfish, bedbugs, fleas, box elder bugs, scorpions, crickets, ticks, and many other unwelcome pests.

Natural ant control is one of the biggest reasons for the usage of Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth in and around the home. For complete ant control, simply sprinkle the area of concern with fossil shell flour (DE). When the ants or other pests come in contact with the powder, it is like stepping on broken glass, they will be killed or abandon the area.

Pets: Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth for Flea, Tick, and Lice Control

Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth is an effective, organic pesticide against fleas, ticks, lice, and other pests that bother our pets.

Getting rid of ticks and fleas on your pets with fossil shell flour can be done several different ways. Take the diatomaceous earth and rub a handful into their coats. For natural tick and flea control, simply sprinkle it on their bedding, in the yard, or add it to the carpets. Use the hand held Pest Pistol Duster for easy pet dusting.

Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth is also used internally to remove parasites and worms from your pets, without the use of chemicals. Feed large dogs 1 teaspoon, cats and small dogs 0.5 teaspoon per day. It has been suggested that infected pets should be feed for 90 straight days, and then continue feeding every 3rd day.

It's not as fast as chemicals (may take several days) but it woks. It not only kills directly, but also repels to prevent recurrent problems.

[Don_P]

If its the little sweet eating "pith ants" we use Terro, which is just sugar and borate. the sugar baits them and the borate disrupts their gut. They take it back to the nest and it helps wipe it out too.

[diyfrank]

Thanks, I'll see how these work. 

[DirtyLittleSecret]

and how about ideas for carpenter ants?

[considerations]

carpenter ants

Best when they are swarming. Use a badmitten racket.    

I don't really know, but they swarm 2 or 3 times a year around here. 

[Don_P]

Carpenter ants are attracted to damp wood, so the first thing is to keep wood dry. If the wood is laced with borate it will kill them and borate inhibits the growth of decay fungi but, if you have damp wood, you have a problem that needs fixing. We do get a swarm through here early summer, those sre the scouts looking over the place, they usually leave disappointed.

I saw into nests occasionally at the sawmill and the ants go flying. I tend to keep the RV down there as a breakroom. The old girl does have "issues". They moved into the foam at one point and nested in there, that was a mess.

[considerations]

"if you have damp wood, you have a problem."

The Olympic peninsula is one of the world centers for damp wood.  The swarms are everywhere during warm spells.