Natural Solutions to Things That Bug You (11 page)

The antenna, terminate in a distinct club shape and have 3 longer segments. They have a stinger and poor vision.

General Information:

A pharaoh ant colony may contain many queens (as many as 200). The colony usually has1-2000 workers and there are usually many colonies in one area. However, there is no hostility between neighboring colonies. The colonies will produce sexually reproductive ants about twice a year and will produce more under laboratory conditions.

Colonies will add new colonies by “budding” when the queens, workers and larvae leave the main colony and start a new nest. This continual budding or starting new nests is a major factor in the invasiveness of these ants. A single colony can be responsible for populating a city block in less than six months while keeping all other ants out.

When you bait a colony, the other colonies will withdraw and consolidate into smaller colonies for protection then re-populate when it is safe to do so. Hospitals have a problem with pharaoh ants since their small size allows them to enter and access wounds, driplines and medical instruments causing the spread of infections and electrical interference in the equipment.

They are capable of carrying pathogens such as salmonella, staphylococcus, and even streptococcus. They like to build their nest near sources of food and water.

They are not fussy eaters and will feed on a variety of foods, mostly sweets, peanut butter, baked goods, soft drinks, grease, other insects, shoe polish and will gnaw holes in silk, rayon and rubber.

Spraying and killing visible ants will not eliminate the problem, however, spraying pesticides in possible locations where their nest may do the job. Foraging ants have been found in almost everything including sealed packages of sterile dressings, IV bottles, water pitchers, car engines, etc.

Life cycle & habits

The female sugar ant is capable of lying over 350 eggs during her lifetime and can lay about 12 eggs per day. The eggs can hatch in as little as 6-7 days. They only live for about 45 days depending on the climatic conditions. A colony can consist of up to 300,000 ants.

They breed all year long, especially in heated buildings and mating will occur in the nests. Nests have been found between sheets of paper, in clothing, under stones and especially warm, dark locations such as near a water heater.

THEY LOVE LIVER

Just grind up some liver, it doesn’t matter if it beef or chicken, they like it all. Mix the liver with a small amount of boric acid and make small balls then leave the balls where they forage for food or near their nest.

DON’T SPRAY THEM!

Never use a spray of any kind to kill pharaoh ants, since they will just scatter and unless you get them all it will do you no good.

SUDS ‘EM UP

Place 1 tablespoon of Ivory Liquid Soap® into 1 quart of water and mix well. Place the mixture into a spray bottle and squirt the little devils. Ants don’t like to wash and this will get rid of them and wash away their scent pathway.

SERVE THEM A SALAD

However, only serve them cucumber peelings. Most ants have a natural aversion to cucumber peelings and will avoid them like the plague.

The best location to place them is on the windowsills. Dry the peeling then grind them up for the best results.

SCRUB-A-DUB-DUB

Clean your counters once a week with a solution of ½-white vinegar and ½- water. A mild solution of Clorox™ can be used but white vinegar and water is safer.

HERBS TO THE RESCUE

There are a number of herbs that will repel ants:

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Bay Leaves

Place these in all the drawers in the kitchen or cupboards where a problem exists. They can be placed in a cookie jar, flour container or sugar jar. Be sure and only use fresh whole leaves.

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Cloves

Place them anywhere a problem exists.

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Mint Leaves

Crushed mint leaves have been used for thousands of years to repel ants.

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Cinnamon

Place some powdered cinnamon to block their path back to their home colony.

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Garlic

If you place a few small pieces of garlic in cracks where you have a problem, it will deter the ants.

I DARE YOU TO CROSS THE LINE

Ants will not cross a line of certain food items such as cayenne pepper, baby powder, bone meal, powdered charcoal, citrus oil soaked into a piece of string or coffee grounds.

KILLING OFF THE COLONY

Mix up a batch of sweet stuff consisting of honey and boric acid, about ½ teaspoon of each should do. Place the mixture into very small bottle with the lids off. The ants will carry the mixture back to the colony and
ZAPPO
, no colony.
This is a danger to pets and children so use with caution.

20 MULE TEAM TO THE RESCUE

A good organic recipe to get rid of ants is to mix ¼ cup of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of borax into 1 cup of water. Place some of the mixture into small caps and place in areas where the problem exists.

Make sure you change the sugar source every month since the ants are smarter than you think. 
Do not use around pets or children.

FEED THEM PEANUT BRITTLE

Leave a large piece of peanut brittle out for the ants and it will be covered with trapped ants. The peanut brittle can be washed off and re-used over and over again.

THEY MAY USE SUNGLASSES

Ants like to work at night as well as the daytime. However, if you leave a small light on at night in areas that they frequent, it will discourage their foraging for food and water. Ants do not like changes in light patterns.

POWDER THEM UP

An excellent ant deterrent is talcum powder or any medicated body powder. These work excellent and will repel many insects, especially ants. Talcum powder would be the safest choice since the powder dries the ant out and kills it.

CERTAIN PLANTS WILL SCARE THEM AWAY

Growing spearmint, southern-wood and Tansy plants around the border of your home will deter ants and the aphids they carry.

A SOUR SOLUTION

If you can find a hole where ants are entering the house, squeeze the juice of a lemon in the hole or crack. Then slice up the lemon and put the peeling all around the entrance.

THE DOCTORS PERSONAL SOAP

To make your own spray for ants, just purchase a bar of Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap™ at a health food store. Mix 1 tablespoon in 1 quart of cool tap water and place the mixture into a sprayer.

Spray all the baseboards and wherever you are having a problem. If you add a small amount of the soap to your mop water it will act as a deterrent on the floors. The spray works well on the outside as well as inside the house.

ANTS LOVE AFFAIR WITH APHIDS

Aphids are one of the ant’s favorites. They will find an aphid and stroke the aphid with their antennae until the aphid releases a drop of honeydew, which they bring back to their nursery to feed their young.

CLEANER THAT DETERS ANTS

You can purchase a natural cleaner called Citra Solve™. It is a natural citrus based cleaner that is not soap but is very effective in repelling ants. It does have a pleasant citrus aroma, so smell it before you purchase it to be sure that the smell will not be offensive to you or anyone in your family. This product will actually dissolve most insect bodies and is safe around the house. Use ½ tablespoon per 1 quart of water.

PROTEIN IN PLACE OF SWEETS

You can replace sweets in all recipes with a protein source such as peanut butter or any type of moist pet food for excellent results mixing it with either boric acid or borax. Keep away from pets and children. If you place the mixture in a shallow dish, be sure and leave a small glob of honey in front of the dish to attract them.

INSTANT KILLS

The use of instant grains has been popular to kill most ants in recent years. The grains tend to expand in the stomachs and cause the stomachs to burst killing the ant. The best grains to use are instant rice and instant grits.