What's up with the ants?

[Mare]

I hate them..every single one of them :(. They have plagued us all summer, I don't use poison, maybe that's the problem, I don't because of the birds mostly but am ready to set off a bomb at this point! Dang pests!

I finally got rid of the ones in the kitchen and bathrooms, little black ones that I think were coming in for mainly moisture. Then they moved into the bird's room, Amigo's cage is closest to the sliding glass window so he is the one being targeted although, I can't find their trail in ANYWHERE! I bought some Terro Ant Traps and they worked well for the black ants but it does take 3-4 days.

NOW!!.. the little stinging red ones have taken their place! Ugh..I'm so ready for winter.

What do you all use to control ants? I know that keeping a clean home is key but that doesn't seem to matter around here!

[Birdbabe]

I find the source outside and pour AMDRO on the hole, they're gone in 24 hours,,,works on fire ants too! Available at Home depot and Lowes, Some Walmarts have it.

[Mare]

Thanks, Birdbabe! I'll have to check that out. We do have large ant holes around the property.

We live in a two story home that is built into a hill with a wrap around deck on the second floor. The side of the house that the bird's room is on, (on the top floor) is the side tucked into the hill..sorry, this is hard to explain and probably doesn't make sense. At this point I'm thinking the ants live inside the house and their nests are somewhere between here and there, I can't follow a trail, it disappears within..

[Lady]

Hi Mare,

I did a quick search for safe and natural ant remedies, give it a read and see if anything might work for you....

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[Mare]

Thank you so much, Alice! Good stuff! I do use the cornmeal method and it really does work on the anthills. From what I understand, they take it to their nest and it expands in their bellies/takes them down. I've sprinkled the cornmeal all around Amigo's cage and the ant's are carrying it off so..as harsh as it sounds. . . I hope it takes them DOWN!!

[Lady]

I'm glad Mare, ants tend to over-run the place if you let them. It does sound harsh but it's all I know to do when "we can't get along" with them.

[spiritbird]

I feel for you. I recently did a pet sitting job and ants were everywhere. The cats were eating them from their food dishes.

If I has them as has as you do I would call the professionals.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Starlings - they like to eat ants, or get an anteater
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[spiritbird]

Many wild birds eat insects but I would not feed ants to my inside birds.

[Mare]

An anteater might be the way to go! :). I've almost got a handle on it, they are diminishing in numbers and I'm still so thankful that they haven't gone beyond Amigo's cage floor, they aren't climbing the wire to the food dishes. I take his paper from the bottom of the cage, every morning when I let him out. The ants kind of flounder around but have nothing to focus on so it doesn't get worse. They then focus on the corn meal, heehee!

If there is a god in heaven..please, bring us some rain and an end to this horrific summer..thank you..

[spiritbird]

Maybe the fire will get to the fire ants!

[94lt1]

Poor club soda(3 liters usually work well) down the ant hill..it will deprive the queen of oxygen..and kill most of the colony..

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Put some whiskey in with it so they die happy?

[PeachyDoll]

I've been battling ants for almost a year now. Fire ants and the little pharo ants. Its very difficult to get them once they've taken a foothold. One little crumb or dead insect and it's a buffet for them, they are after all, nature's clean up crew. Ive tried everything' diatamaceous earth poured over their homes, poison on the lawn, hot water down their homes. Nothing has worked so far. Might need professional pest control and take the pets away for a week while it dissapates. Ugggh!!