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Gary O
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 01:09
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Concrete Ants!
Help!
OK, OK, there's no concrete to speak of out at the cabin.
Neither are the ants.
However, our main residence, in town, has become their main residence.
These tinier than tiny ants started out innocently, appearing in the bathroom, one or two, traversing the counter, pitonning their way up my shaving mug with their little hooked claws.....thought I could hear their tiny voices singing, HI HO HI HO, or maybe it was just a yodel (singing tiny ants, yeah right).
Days later, three or four more,.....kinda cute, little skittering folk, off to their tiny jobs, tinier children waiting at home......how sweet........SMAT SMAT SMAT SMAT!!
Weeks later they're having conventions, inviting their tiny obnoxious conventioneer friends, swarming the floors, counters, staggering around, bumping into each other, drunk on copious amounts of condensed water beads, and over indulged on tiny bread crumb hors ovaries (spell check), barging into bedrooms unannounced, and even the kitchen. I even saw one carrying his apparently sloshed compadre back to his (our) room. Nervy little revelers.
One day at the office I was taking a census of my nose hairs in the men's lavatory mirror when I noticed a tiny backpacker wending his way thru my beard thicket.....
Later that day, as I doodled on a pad at a less than titillating scheduling meeting, a tiny six legged critter skittered off my shirt sleeve and onto the conference table...Whap!
This happened several times throughout the meeting.
Associates were beginning to think I had some kind of Tourette.
It dawned on me that we may have a problem.
We could very well have ants in our pants!
That night we headed to Home Dopey.
The pesticide expert, a real font of information (I believe his name tag read Wiki Pederson) said we have 'Concrete ants', and directed us to several poisons, claiming a boric acid based compound was the best. We picked three types of applications. Wiki told us to quit killing them on sight, so they will carry the poison back to the Queen, and 'kill the bitch'.
OK, maybe he didn't say that verbatim, but that's what I could've heard.
So, armed with anti-conventioneer compounds, we strategically laid out the poisons.
Weeks passed.
The revelers sobered up, skirting around the supposedly attractant Queen Killers, telling others.
We decided on another tack.
Meticulously air lifting their itty torsos with tweezers, we soaked their flailing feet, thinking surely its Death to the Queen this time.
It's been months now.
As I type, I can see an out of focus tiny version of Karl Wallenda traversing the upper rim of my reading glasses........
Little help here!!
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bobrok
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 11:35 - Edited by: bobrok
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Gary, we were plagued with carpenter ants in our house for years until I finally gave up and called in a professional. It took a bit of pride swallowing to have my neighbors see the bug truck parked out front but we are rid of our ants. Its been years now.
I've not heard of concrete ants but if they are prevalent in your region I think the pro is the way to go. Ants are insidious, like termites, and you need to eradicate them before they eat your house.
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Gary O
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 11:57
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Quoting: bobrok I finally gave up and called in a professional.
Guess I was hoping 'bugs' would have some suggestions as to setting out little billboards in stategic places, announcing a new convention at the neighbors, with several semi-nude queens parading around, handing out single malts.....
or maybe he knows a way to artificially emit some subversive pheromones.....
I never heard of concrete ants either...been told they are 'sugar' ants by several, but the look up didn't ring true.
Yeah, the $200 seems a bargain at this juncture.
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Gary O
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 12:18
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I thought about maybe replacing our vacuum with a pet Aardvark.
It'd probabaly be more expensive than an exterminator, but I could rent it out...'course I'd have to have a ready supply of tiny friends to perpetuate business.....
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hattie
Member
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 12:27
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I know it isn't funny for you having to live with your new tenants but, geesh Garry *ROTFL* ....*LOL*
We had an infestation in our city house (before we moved here) of regular sized ants. I was sitting in the lazy boy watching tv when I noticed something on the floor. Looking more carefully it appeared our carpet was alive with ants. They were coming in cracks in the closed patio door to our balcony. I freaked out (I'm kind of a clean freak) and grabbed the vacuum. Hubby thought I was crazy as I sucked the llittle buggers up. I did that for a few days and eventually they were gone. I also doused ant powder all along the patio door.
Since you don't really have one entrance point, you can't do that. *sigh* But a vacuum cleaner really works well at sucking them up - just remember to throw out the bag as soon as you are done or they'll be throwing a party in there.
Good luck!!! Keep us posted how you make out. *S* If nothing else, there's great entertainment value in your posts. *ducking*
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bobrok
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 12:39 - Edited by: bobrok
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If you go to http:\\www.ants.org/forums/thread/antswers/goodchewsinoregon/garyshouse maybe you can reason with them. You can be very persuasive.
Use my login 'bobrok' for anonymity.
PS: whatever you do please to not refer to them as 'you little buggers'. They dislike this and may retaliate.
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Gary O
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 13:04 - Edited by: Gary O
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Looks like you got 'em early, Hats
Tried to cut/paste your site suggestion, bob, and nothing....but it could just be my ten thumb like fingers.
Lookin' up exterminators now.
Yeah, probably couldn't house break Aardvarks anyway...but they just eat ants, right?
Couldn't be much of a deposit. A wisk broom and dust pan should take care of things...
Dang, it's 10a here, and I haven't replied to their RSVP to the shower yet.
The shop beckons.
If there's carpenter ants out there, wielding tiny hammers and saws, I'm headin' to the gun cabinet.
TGIS all!
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rayyy
Member
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 13:26
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We seem to get them in the springtime at work.In our meeting/break/confrence room.You'll be sitting there listining to the boss bsbbleing on,looking down at your feet and suddenly you spot somthing moving.You focus your eyes and,,,yes,it's a very tiny ant.Marching along in a streight line,then,,,another one,,,and another one and another.I think to my self,you guys are nuts.I wouldn't want to be marching around with giants the size of a skyscrapper over top of me.Anyway,we put down a couple of those little ant trap thingies and it seams to take care of them.
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Gary O
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 18:17 - Edited by: Gary O
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Quoting: bobrok If you go to http:\\www.ants.org/forums/thread/antswers/goodchewsinoregon/garyshouse maybe you can reason with them. You can be very persuasive.
Well, looky there. Ya got me bob (without even trying)
I just saw the http: and grabbed it.
.......then read your entry.......
I totaly missed the punch lines until just now.
Turns out 'gullible' is in the dictionary.
Any other 'sites' you wish to pass on to me, Mr funny guy?
well played, well played
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cabingal3
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 18:46
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those little buggers.well,i was standing in line at the post office and out of the corner of my eye,i see this little ant running across the collar of my shirt .i grab it.embarrassed of the thought of the person in back of me watching this little ant making its way merrily along.Then i will be sitting home and see the dog gone things run across my eye glass frames.
i have sprayed a mint spray.it is really good.only it kills them on the spot and they do not go back to the nest.i mixed up boric acid and yeast and powered sugar and put in milk caps everywhere.they go around it.i have picked them all up and put there little tiny feet into the mixture hoping they will go back to the nest.so finally i have been washing the kitchen counter tops with bleach water and making sure to sweep up any crumbs.since the grandkids and daughter left...we do not seem to have as many.I found gummi bears,and candy worms and powdered sugar candy in the rug and under things and got those hoovered up.so it seems they are not so bad right now.i am scared to have an externminator come out and spray poision all over and us be in and around it.we need Billy!!
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Gary O
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 18:49 - Edited by: Gary O
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Quoting: rayyy yes,it's a very tiny ant.Marching along in a streight line,then,,,another one,,,and another one and another.
Yeah, been reading up on ants.
Seems some are just passin' thru, while others are swarming, and yet others have huge colonies...geeez, I think we got a huge swarming colony.
Quoting: rayyy we put down a couple of those little ant trap thingies and it seams to take care of them.
My little guys just carried 'em off, waving at me with one finger
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Gary O
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 19:07 - Edited by: Gary O
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Quoting: hattie (I'm kind of a clean freak)
Yeah, we just got rid of some larger pests (grandkids, love 'em to death, but...), and that is probably the root of our problem.
Cabi3 and I are kinda yin/yang when it comes to cleaning.
I'm a surface cleaner at best, just needing things in order. I used to be quite fastidious, but have to fight over doing it (it's been a problem for me), so cabi3 is our deep cleaner.
We are by no means are members of the white toilet bowl society, but do know the business end of the brush.......
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bobrok
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 19:41
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Glad to help gary <toothy grin>
Seriously tho, need to read up on the type of ant and get a pro. Our carpenter ants chew wood and render it into powder. They can tunnel in a straight line through an 8 foot 2x4 lengthwise and come out the other end. The only reason we found the nest and got them finished off is because...ready for this?...the wife and I are in bed and we could hear them chewing up in the ceiling rafters directly over our heads! If they hadn't chosen this spot to nest who knows how long
they could have been there? We eventually found the ant trail going up the side of our house (exterior) to the 2nd floor and then into the attic.
It was money well spent on the exterminator.
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Gary O
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2011 20:34 - Edited by: Gary O
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no worries
Emmet and friends w/be parting company with us r-e-a-l soon
Quoting: bobrok the wife and I are in bed and we could hear them chewing up in the ceiling rafters directly over our heads
Man, sounds like a sci-fi movie
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bugs
Member
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# Posted: 21 Feb 2011 10:42
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GO
Not sure what your ant species would be. A competent pest control type person should be able to tell you something better than, pavement ant, sugar ant or cement ant. Local names change from one area to another. That is why there are Latin names for things.
You can try icing sugar and borax 60/40 mix. The icing sugar is the attractant and the borax abrades their gut cuticle and the ants dehydrate. Diatomaceous earth is supposed to work. The silica from the diatoms pokes holes into the cuticle and causes them to dehydrate. I have heard this may also work for bedbugs if spread in corners and under base boards etc.
We have had good success with ant killers that are liquid sugar with pyrethroid in them. We put a few drops down on a piece of wax paper in the path of the ants and once they take the bait they tell their friends and IF this becomes the colony's major food source it won't take long before her majesty gets her share and dies and the colony collapses.
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cabingal3
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# Posted: 21 Feb 2011 11:43
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thanks bugs for the good info.
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bugs
Member
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# Posted: 21 Feb 2011 11:48
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Forgot to mention as with all poisons it is important that it does not get ingested by non targets. The bait will be sweet. We usually use it only inside the house and protect it from pets and small children.
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Gary O
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# Posted: 21 Feb 2011 22:41
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Thanks bugs
It's so good to get info from the experts
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PJB863
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2011 02:22
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Depending on what part of the country you're in, these might be what we had, which were called ghost ants (this was in Florida). They appeared mostly in the bathroom around faucets, but also around the kitchen sink, and occasionally in the Florida room, mostly in the afternoon.
The solution was to spray around the perimeter of the exterior of the house, and then spray areas where they had been seen. Also, be aware that toothpaste, mouthwash, and some soaps contain sugar, which will attract them in your bathroom.
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Gary O
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# Posted: 25 Feb 2011 09:09 - Edited by: Gary O
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Quoting: PJB863 Also, be aware that toothpaste, mouthwash, and some soaps contain sugar, which will attract them in your bathroom.
That would explain the foam around their little mouths.........thought they were rabid
To the perimeter!!
Gonna soak a one foot swath around the exterior of the house, and /or set out aunt Eunice's fruit cake (circa 1987) laced with Diatomaceous earth (of which I think it's mostly composed of anyway)............
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 9 Mar 2011 16:11
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OK, they seem to be retreating.
I surrounded the exterior of the house with liquid, granuals, and powders.
Cabi poisoned our interior.
Seems to be working.
Now, if I can just get rid of these itchy skin blotches, and my taste buds come back, I think we are going to win this battle..............
If not, what's a good name for a pet Aardvark?
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naturelover66
Member
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# Posted: 9 Mar 2011 16:17
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How about "Chelios" the Aardvark?? Hmmmmmm Chelios....... seems ive heard that name before.
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MikeOnBike
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# Posted: 9 Mar 2011 16:33
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Oh that guy!
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aardvarkchasingant.jpg
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bill_aardvark.jpg
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 9 Mar 2011 16:45
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Quoting: naturelover66 Chelios
Oh, sure, a Canadien, Hawk and Wing all rolled into my pet 'Aardy'.
I'm thinking 'Dr Kaardvarkian' would be kinda catchy
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naturelover66
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# Posted: 9 Mar 2011 17:33
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LOLOL Nice.
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turkeyhunter
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# Posted: 9 Mar 2011 20:01
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we have arm- a -dillia's :-) at camp==== they are eating the fire ants in the south THANK GOD....
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Gary O
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# Posted: 9 Mar 2011 20:24 - Edited by: Gary O
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Quoting: turkeyhunter we have arm- a -dillia's :-) at camp==== they are eating the fire ants
Can they be house broke?
The name for Mr Dilla would be a cinch, 'cause they all look pretty much like ol' Glenn Hall (especially after so many facial saves)
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naturelover66
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# Posted: 9 Mar 2011 20:44
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fire ants ?? Wow..... i would rather hang out with a pack of pit bulls.
How about Stevie the Aardvark?? After my man Steve Yzerman??
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turkeyhunter
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# Posted: 9 Mar 2011 20:55
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if you get fire ants on you, they( the fire ants) about 20 of them will go up you pants leg and the all signal BITE!!!!............reminds me of the American idol song last year.....PANTS on the GROUND!!!!.....LOL
if you want i dillia.....i will end one to ya....LOL.......
they are bad for wildlife, we did not have any untill the flood of '94, and now we have tons and they are headed NORTH!!!!...have been seen as far north as TN........they eat/break a lot of eggs of quail, turkeys, and turtles.........they are ruff on a food plot when i plant it, they dig it up for the seeds i just planted..........
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naturelover66
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# Posted: 9 Mar 2011 21:02
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Pants on the ground.......... lolol
So, do you have those killer bees down there too?? And exactly when do you think these fire ants of yours will be up north here ??
I think Dillas are kinda cute.......even if they are egg eatin, seed digger uppers.
We dont really have very interesting critters up here.... not everything can survive our arctic freeze......
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