Tiny little bastards - DIE

[missdiane]

Yeah sure, change of seasons, warmer, yay. That just means ANTS for me. Doesn't matter that I'm now on the 2nd floor or that I keep the food and water sources tightly secured and wipe the counters and clean the floors constantly. I'm cursed with the tiny little ant bastards.

I've placed ant traps in places kitties can't get to, I've cleaned the door jambs and about everything else with vinegar and I've sprayed with pet safe mint ant killer. Yet they persist. I think my next step is to roll by Home Depot at lunchtime and buy some caulk to find and seal every itty bitty area where they may be sneaking in. I've noticed (and reported though the landlords seem unconcerned) that there are places where clearly the foundation is moving as there are in some places huge gaps below the baseboards. 

It's probably the same amount of ants that everyone else deals with but after the trauma of the previous ground floor apartment where I was absolutely overrun with them no matter what I did, I'm super paranoid about them even though I'm aware that they're essentially harmless.

Other ideas and possible solutions oh so very much welcomed. Oh and on a better note, I'll be picking up some bits there to start some seeds to plant some ornamental tiny mint and catnip outside and maybe some flowers. Partially for the ant deterrent benefit, mostly for the pretty.

Comments

[miss_s_b]

We get little flying saucer shaped things for ants. They've got a slow acting yet yummy poison in that the ants take back to the nest and it kills the nest.

[missdiane]

Put those both on the floor behind a cabinet where they kitties can't disturb as well as a couple attached to the wall several days ago. I also have one of those small liquid traps up on a counter.

It may just be luck or the drop in temperature but since last night there's not been as many. I used clear silicone caulk and plugged up all of the gaps between the door jamb and the floor (there was at least an 8mm gap there).

[miss_s_b]

fingers crossed the little sods are gone for good

[howlin-wolf-66.livejournal.com]

I've been there; hope your latest measure keeps them out! *hugs*

[plant-lady60.livejournal.com]

I use an essential oil that I mix with olive oil around my door frames and windows. Yeah, it leaves a little residue, but that's what keeps the lil' shits away. It's made by a place called Eden's Garden and it's called "Pest Defy". It keeps away all kinds of pests, not just ants and spiders ( spiders is why I started using it). It has a pleasant smell. https://www.edensgarden.com/search?q=pest+defy

Also, some of these suggestions might help, as well. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/how-to-get-rid-of-ants_n_1385182.html

I can sympathize, though. I once lived in a rented house that would always get those damned HUGE Carpenter ants coming from the outside wall of the bathroom. Our landlord was such an idiot! He could have given a rat's ass, he did essentially NOTHING. Ugh! Critters, stay outside, ya lil' shits!

[missdiane.livejournal.com]

That oil looks interesting - I'll have to ponder it!

LOL I've tried most of the suggestions on that list.

Oh on my last place, it was a fiasco. Aside from the ants from hell (thankfully not carpenter), I also had termite swarms and MASSIVE camel crickets. So glad I'm not there anymore but between that and a previous apartment where they replaced my stove that broke with one full of roaches and then some neighboring apartment brought bedbugs, I'm super paranoid about bugs. Amusingly, unless they're the bitey kind, I no longer have much of a fear of spiders since they eat other bugs.

[plant-lady60.livejournal.com]

Anything that eats blood finds me. THAT is why I hate spiders inside my house. But, I am an avid gardener, so I do appreciate them in their "natural habitat". But come in my house and well, I will KILL THEM quickly!

I don't blame you for having a thing about bugs after all of that. If you didn't, If I were you I'd consider a career in entomology! LOL! :D

[missdiane.livejournal.com]

LOL Hey, I have to deal with enough entomologists (and plant pathologists, and food scientists and marine scientists...etc.) on a daily basis. Reading about the bedbug research especially gives me the heebie jeebies.

Reminds me that I need to go poke our chief vector biologist to submit her effort report so I don't have to take her research money back. Heh.

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

Sparky swears by diatomaceous earth. You can get it from Amazon and if you get food grade, it is safe to use aroung the cats and you.

[missdiane.livejournal.com]

Second vote for DE. I think I used it at the last place but I can't seem to find the container. I hope I didn't toss it.

I have secured silicon caulk to get rid of the gaps so hopefully that'll make a good start. I also had them make me a little sample can of cream paint since I have untreated wood spots near the cabinets that they never painted and I can gauge the ant-eradication progress better against a cream background.

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

We will soon know. It was supposed to show up this morning... I wonder if it works on skunks...