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Hope this helps.
Do not leave uncovered food around where it will attract them, especially if eating outdoors.
Locate the entrance of a nest and place an upturned pot over it - use a clay pot which will not be blown away. After a few days the ants will have migrated to the surface with their white larvae and they can be swept up.
Place the legs of an outdoor table in containers of water to act as a moat which the ants cannot cross.
Boric acid is toxic to ants and many other insects as it attacks their nervous system and causes dehydration so a 50:50 mixture with icing sugar makes a bait which will be taken to the nest where it should destroy the colony. It is an ingredient in many commercial products and has been used for centuries as an insecticide, a flame retardant, an antiseptic and in food preservation, so it is relatively non-toxic to humans and their environment. The nest can be located by following the returning ants, or quite often it is found while working in the garden when a stone is turned over.
They do not like peppermint so place it where you don't want them to go, or at their nest. Peppermint extract in water can be applied to surfaces.
If an ant is squashed clean the spot well as the corpse will release pheromones which will attract others. It is best to use a vacuum cleaner to remove unwanted ants.
A circle of petroleum jelly around the entry point will halt their journey, and if bait is placed within the circle they will take it back to the nest.
Another deterrent is ground cinnamon which can be sprinkled around to keep them out.
Instant coffee placed at the entrance of a nest and repeated a few times will see them off.
Diatomaceous Earth could be described as a biological control although the active agent is no longer alive since it is the fossilised remains of diatoms - tiny algae. It works by sticking to the exoskeleton of the ant by electrostatic attraction and abrades it as it moves around resulting in holes which lead to dehydration and death. It is applied as a fine powder to paths and around nest openings.
In the Southern states of USA trials have been carried out on a biological control for the non-native Red Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta) which was accidently introduced from South America. A species of fly called Pseudacteon curvatus, also native to South America, decapitates the ant then lays its eggs in the cavity. It also attacks native ants, but early results are showing that it seems to prefer S. invicta.
Grits, (a cereal favoured in the Southern States of USA, with an acquired taste - I'm told), causes the ant to swell up and die. Not readily available here, grits are prepared by soaking ground maize in an alkaline solution like bicarbonate of soda. Perhaps you could try porridge instead!
There is now a biological control which uses a nematode Steinernema feltiae to deter the ants. The ants do not like the nematodes near their nests and move away. The soil must be above 10°C for the nematodes to survive after they have been watered onto the affected area.
There are a number of branded products available to destroy them or act as a repellent.
Do not leave uncovered food around where it will attract them, especially if eating outdoors.
Locate the entrance of a nest and place an upturned pot over it - use a clay pot which will not be blown away. After a few days the ants will have migrated to the surface with their white larvae and they can be swept up.
Place the legs of an outdoor table in containers of water to act as a moat which the ants cannot cross.
Boric acid is toxic to ants and many other insects as it attacks their nervous system and causes dehydration so a 50:50 mixture with icing sugar makes a bait which will be taken to the nest where it should destroy the colony. It is an ingredient in many commercial products and has been used for centuries as an insecticide, a flame retardant, an antiseptic and in food preservation, so it is relatively non-toxic to humans and their environment. The nest can be located by following the returning ants, or quite often it is found while working in the garden when a stone is turned over.
They do not like peppermint so place it where you don't want them to go, or at their nest. Peppermint extract in water can be applied to surfaces.
If an ant is squashed clean the spot well as the corpse will release pheromones which will attract others. It is best to use a vacuum cleaner to remove unwanted ants.
A circle of petroleum jelly around the entry point will halt their journey, and if bait is placed within the circle they will take it back to the nest.
Another deterrent is ground cinnamon which can be sprinkled around to keep them out.
Instant coffee placed at the entrance of a nest and repeated a few times will see them off.
Diatomaceous Earth could be described as a biological control although the active agent is no longer alive since it is the fossilised remains of diatoms - tiny algae. It works by sticking to the exoskeleton of the ant by electrostatic attraction and abrades it as it moves around resulting in holes which lead to dehydration and death. It is applied as a fine powder to paths and around nest openings.
In the Southern states of USA trials have been carried out on a biological control for the non-native Red Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta) which was accidently introduced from South America. A species of fly called Pseudacteon curvatus, also native to South America, decapitates the ant then lays its eggs in the cavity. It also attacks native ants, but early results are showing that it seems to prefer S. invicta.
Grits, (a cereal favoured in the Southern States of USA, with an acquired taste - I'm told), causes the ant to swell up and die. Not readily available here, grits are prepared by soaking ground maize in an alkaline solution like bicarbonate of soda. Perhaps you could try porridge instead!
There is now a biological control which uses a nematode Steinernema feltiae to deter the ants. The ants do not like the nematodes near their nests and move away. The soil must be above 10°C for the nematodes to survive after they have been watered onto the affected area.
There are a number of branded products available to destroy them or act as a repellent.
I find them fascinating creatures and don't like to kill them if I can help it. However, I draw the line at them invading my house...I would take action then. They are everywhere under our patio pavers but so far, haven't come inside...touch wood! Cheers
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