Ants

[my_secret_garden]

I was hoping to get some advice. I rarely see ants in my yard and don't seem to have any visible hills or colonies but somehow I have these tiny little ants trailing into my kitchen and back spare bedroom.

It may sound like I am being paranoid but ever since my neighbor got his house reposessed and he had to move, I noticed the ants coming in. I have never had an ant problem in this house in the more than three years I have lived here.

I tried poisons, though I didn't want to, and they did work but then once the rain in May subsided, they were back. I somehow managed to get rid of them back in the spare bedroom and got rid of the ones I spotted in my bathroom... but now they are BACK in the kitchen and the bedroom. I cleaned my kitchen from top to bottom with grapefruit cleaner. I cleaned the counters, cabinets, oven, stove, fridge, floors, even the dishwasher! and they are still coming in.

I finally figured out where they were coming in from, under my window sill so I placed the traps by that and placed a couple of them up in the cabinets, away from the food, where they seemed to be going.

I got rid of all of the open boxes of cereal and everything else is tightly sealed, so there is apparently NOTHING for them to get besides the poison! And get they come back again and again. I kill every one that I see because I figure that some of them are getting to the poison when I can't see them... but why isn't it working?

I'm so frustrated with this problem because I keep a VERY clean house and it makes me feel like our house is dirty. Does anyone have suggestions for me for things to do inside or outside of the house to get rid of these ants? I'll try anything. I do have pets though the cats pay absolutely no attention to the traps and do not get up on the counter so I can put stuff up there. Would the detergent trick possibly work in my house? I have dry dishwasher detergent that I could try.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[webmaster]

You are right to suspect your neighbors property as the culprit. Ants follow trails. Many of these trails are along trees. For instance, a tree that overlaps into your property and touches your house becomes a highway for ants to travel from one area into another.

Check for overhanging trees and bushes and cut them all back. Check what your property rights are in your area, but where I live, we have the right to chop at anything that crosses over into our property line. A tree limb that touches your property is an entry point for ants to come into your home. The other thing that can create a path are vines. Ants love to crawl on vines.

Look around the base of your home and, if applicable, clear away any leaves. All of that creates a soil like environment that ants are attracted to.

I also dislike the idea of using chemicals, given the past history of so-called "safe" chemicals turning out to be harmful, no one should be faulted for being wary. Nevertheless, it won't hurt to call around and see if there are any ant control services that use chemical free methods of eradication (these services do exist).

[opabinia51]

Apparently ants are repelled by Cinnamon which you can buy cheap from Wallmart.

[my_secret_garden]

Thanks so much for the tips. I have the day off tomorrow so I will spend some time checking things out and seeing if any of those conditions exist. There was a cleaning crew over at the neighbor's today to clean up all the carp he left over there so hopefully now it will be easier to check things out. I did read that cinnimon tip and will try that once I check to see if I need to clear away any brush or debris over there.

Thanks again. I'll let you know what I find out!

[bunge]

Does the cinnamon work on fire ants as well?
thank you, I am now addicted to this site..........
joan/georgia

[Grey]

They don't like cinnamon much. If they are on a plant, and you sprinke the cinnamon on them - they will FALL off the plant and act sick. However, you have to reapply it after a hard rain or... the beasties come back!

[decam0]

I've heard that they won't cross a bridge of talcum powder.
Delia