Ant prevention and control - without chemicals

[The Snark]

It only took me 5 years to think of this. The ultra thin double sided tape. Like cellophane tape sticky on both sides. Ants can't cross it or go under it even when it is somewhat loose. It stays sticky enough for months. Even better, when a long strip is placed across an ant trail, the scent that the ants follow remains and they will often bunch up and ponder what to do rather than go around the end of the tape.

Perfect for terrariums. A strip around the bottom of the tank and done. A strip around the legs of a table or work bench, making sure nothing is bridging and ant free you be.

 

[Travis K]

Ant Bait Traps seem so much easier though.

 

[BrettG]

Used to have a big problem with small sugar ants.
Found that sprinkiling salt or cinnamon ran the buggers off.

 

[AngryMothNoises]

Ant Bait Traps seem so much easier though.

sadly this never worked for me.


We have a a slight surgar ant issue. (it was horrid at first. but much better) I will need to try that tape thing! Thank you!

 

[Eclipse]

It only took me 5 years to think of this. The ultra thin double sided tape. Like cellophane tape sticky on both sides. Ants can't cross it or go under it even when it is somewhat loose. It stays sticky enough for months. Even better, when a long strip is placed across an ant trail, the scent that the ants follow remains and they will often bunch up and ponder what to do rather than go around the end of the tape.

Perfect for terrariums. A strip around the bottom of the tank and done. A strip around the legs of a table or work bench, making sure nothing is bridging and ant free you be.

Doesn't seem to work with fire ants unfortunately I thought I'd give it a try today, lucky I had some of that thin double sided tape you were talking about. I taped it around a fire ant's anthill this morning and watched them panic inside the tape circle for about 5 minutes and left to work. When I got back in the afternoon there were a bundle of ants that sacrificed themselves on the tape so that the others can cross over their bodies.

 

[The Snark]

Doesn't seem to work with fire ants unfortunately I thought I'd give it a try today, lucky I had some of that thin double sided tape you were talking about. I taped it around a fire ant's anthill this morning and watched them panic inside the tape circle for about 5 minutes and left to work. When I got back in the afternoon there were a bundle of ants that sacrificed themselves on the tape so that the others can cross over their bodies.

Yups. With the big ants they will make sacrificial bridges. But the tape works wonderfully and a second or third application, just a little swatch on top of the bridge, really disrupts them. I'd say, for the big ants, 2 to 3 inches wide tape band won't get bridged.

For the smaller ants, and our microminature red fiends, a 1 inch wide tape stops them cold. Has worked now for 2 months around our bedroom windows.

 

[Louise E. Rothstein]

Ants might sacrifice themselves for their colony's sake.

They are far less likely to sacrifice themselves for,say, peoples' bedroom windows or kitchen doorsills.

 

[The Snark]

Ants might sacrifice themselves for their colony's sake.

They are far less likely to sacrifice themselves for,say, peoples' bedroom windows or kitchen doorsills.

As mentioned, they will make sacrificial bridges, but only so far. From testing my various ants, of which I seem to have about 8 million varieties, none cross the two inch plus band of tape. The giant driver ants and large red ants bridge right up to 2 inches but not beyond.

BUT! With tape so easy to come by and use, it's a walk in the park to put down 3 or 4 inches to assure full protection in critical areas. Like swarming the bed in the middle of the night. An event I highly suggest to break yourself of masochistic tendencies. (Ever woken in the middle of the night up to discover several hundred thousand ants trying to invade your ears and nose?)

 

[johnericcalica]

my balfouri died because of the sugar ants...>,<

 

[The Snark]

my balfouri died because of the sugar ants...>,<

A common problem in the tropics. Go check on your pet some morning and discover it's been (or being) eaten alive.

 

[nepenthes]

Sugar ant is too vague. Do you have photos?

Their is a meticulous method you might try, find out where the nest is at, and continuously pour boiling water on the nest. This probably wouldn't work as well or at all on Most Camponotus species.

Good luck.