For some reason we are getting really bad ants this years, the scary red ones! I do not want to use chemicals because of the kids. I have been looking up natural remedies for getting rid of ants and I read that Peppermint Spray will keep ants away. I could not find anymore info in this, is it true?
Ants and Peppermint Spray
- Thread starter LillyZ
- Start date
Sugarhill
Active Member
No, you would want to do the chalk lines outside of your home. Do the chalk lines and then go about getting rid of the ants inside of the home. Here's what can be done on the inside, pour some cornmeal down on the floor where you think they are and leave some water nearby. They are supposed to eat the cornmeal and then when they drink the water, it will end up killing them.My aunt has serious problems with ants on her farm. She's in her 80s, but she still gardens and walks around her farm. I'm going to take her some of my peppermint plants which come back every year and get her to plant them in some strategic places around her house. Who knows? This might work. She'll enjoy the experiment.
Laurasav
Member
We get ants because our house is on a slab and our bigger parrot always throws his food on the ground, attracting the ants to that room. We can't use poison to get rid of the ants because of how sensitive birds are (I don't like poison around any live animal/human anyway!) so we buy a spray called Poison Free Ant & Roach Killer made with mint oil. It works great to kill the ants without poisonous chemicals. I've heard the spray is no longer being made, but when we need to buy more there's another spray that has taken its place, "Safer Ant & Roach Killer." Hopefully it's just as good, if not better.
dashboardc33
Member
Wow that is neat. Chalk could actually prevent ants from crossing it? I wonder why they do not like chalk?
I have never heard of peppermint spray either to prevent ants. Unfortunately, we always use chemicals because that is all I have found that has worked. I will have to try these methods the next time I have a run in with ants.
xenon
Member
They may be fire ants you have and they do eat sugar and honey dew as well as oil.
What I do for ants that eat sugar is buy a container of borax from the pharmacy or supermarket. Now dissolve a half a cup of sugar in a cup of boiled water. When cooled pour into a large glass jar and stir in a teaspoon of borax. Get the lid and place topside down on a piece of wood and with a 3" nail punch 10 or 15 holes all over the lid. You can drill if you wish. Get some cotton wool dressing or cotton balls, a good amount and place on top of the liquid so that it soaks the liquid and still touches the inside of the lid when you screw it on. Put it somewhere the ants will find it but make sure other animals don't lick it as they will be attracted to the sugar. It is considered safe but some say it's not that safe. I would take care using it.
The ants will take it back to the nest and it will slowly kill off the colony.
http://www.dustyant.com/what-do-fire-ants-eat-answer.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borax
http://herbanlifestyle.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/borax-safe-or-not/
What I do for ants that eat sugar is buy a container of borax from the pharmacy or supermarket. Now dissolve a half a cup of sugar in a cup of boiled water. When cooled pour into a large glass jar and stir in a teaspoon of borax. Get the lid and place topside down on a piece of wood and with a 3" nail punch 10 or 15 holes all over the lid. You can drill if you wish. Get some cotton wool dressing or cotton balls, a good amount and place on top of the liquid so that it soaks the liquid and still touches the inside of the lid when you screw it on. Put it somewhere the ants will find it but make sure other animals don't lick it as they will be attracted to the sugar. It is considered safe but some say it's not that safe. I would take care using it.
The ants will take it back to the nest and it will slowly kill off the colony.
http://www.dustyant.com/what-do-fire-ants-eat-answer.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borax
http://herbanlifestyle.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/borax-safe-or-not/
Sugarhill
Active Member
I've never had an issue with ants, but it's a remedy that I've been reading about more and more, so I figure it couldn't hurt to try it if you need it and pass it on if you know the suggestion. It's got to be one of the cheapest, simplest and safer methods that I have heard of.
xenon
Member
I heard recently that ants wont climb a lemon tree with a smothering of a chest vapour rub around its trunk and this will prevent wooley aphids.
I googled chalk whether you wish to believe these barrier remedies or not.
http://www.truefalse.co.nz/articles/truefalse81-antschalk.html
I googled chalk whether you wish to believe these barrier remedies or not.
http://www.truefalse.co.nz/articles/truefalse81-antschalk.html