Ants!!
 

With the hot weather this week, the ants have now reared their ugly heads in our house! :frown:

They come from under the bottom of the architraves on the inside doors. I have tried allsorts to stop them OH has even siliconed round the bottom of the architraves but to no avail. The only thing that kills them is the spray cans, but that is only when they are running round the floor.

Does anyone know of anything to use that can kill the nests or at least make them not want to come out of their nests and invade my house?

Re: Ants!!
 

Had an ant problem where I work, I bought an ant trap, did not seem to work at first, but after about three days no more ants! The pack comes with two traps which are black round plastic things, seems the ants go inside where they get the "stuff" and take back to nests and kill them, hence the three days it took to get rid of them, sorry threw away packaging so do not remember the name.

Re: Ants!!
 

Ive tried the ant trap but it didnt seem to work, unless I have that many living under the house that it didnt manage to kill them all! :frown:

Re: Ants!!
 

Look for a spray can called "Todo un Año sin Insectos." There are various brands available in most supermarkets and they are not cheap: 7 - 10 euros.

They contain a high concentration of Chlorpiriphos which is really effective against all crawling insects. It also contains a lacquer which creates a band of insecticide where you spray it. It may not live up to the one year claim but it sure works for a month or two.

Try and find the nests and spray some around the nest.

Re: Ants!!
 

Ok, we use a mix of all out chemo death and strategy.

If they get bad, we go all round the outside of the house at floor level with a pesticide like Dursban.

You also need to see where there are bridges like cables, ivy, etc and cut them or spray with pesticide.

Inside I try and seal all access points, but the big problem is that the whole house is a maze of cavities via the hollow bricks.

I have been known to take an insulin syringe and apply a tiny amount of raw pesticide into a hole.

Inside the house I use a proprietary spray to block off access thru open windows and so on.

However, the single most important thing is food hygiene. Clear up all crumbs, spilled fruit juice, keep all containers sealed/closed, and any food that can't be sealed,keep it in sealable click lock boxes.

If there is no reason for them to come in en mass, then the scouts that come into the house will wander off home without coming back with reinforcements.

I never spray a nest that doesn't cause a problem, but I'm ruthless with those that do.

Re: Ants!!
 

Are the things you have mentioned safe with pets, or is it likely to kill my dog too?

Re: Ants!!
 

When you have pets or children, you have to be more careful.

I'd stick to using pesticide only where they can't reach, and be more thorough with fod hygiene and hole blocking.

I can tell my wife not to lick the threshold, but when the dogs come out it will be different. :rofl:

Re: Ants!!
 

And watch out for Dec's as well ...... if you get them both then you are in real trouble :)

Re: Ants!!
 

Now I could cope with And and Dec :D

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Arrrrrrrrggghhh.

I am reporting you to the crap joke moderator. :sneaky:

Re: Ants!!
 

And the hijack moderator!

Re: Ants!!
 

Try cleaning the house more and spending less time on BE?

Re: Ants!!
 

For every ant you kill outside the nest, mummy queen ant will produce a hundred more to take their place:ohmy:

Re: Ants!!
 

I dunno, a squirt of Dursban is pretty effective.

She may breed, but it sure as hell keeps them away.

I find ants fascinating, and once used them as a bio project in my exams. As long as the food hygiene rule is obeyed, they are seldom a problem for us.

Re: Ants!!
 

It depends on which insecticide you use. Some of them are designed for the ant to take back to the nest and it then kills the ants in the nest.

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I spray them and the nest with oven cleaner, does the job !:)

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You cant beat a clean ant!

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Oh dear you do have it bad this morning!!!!!

Rosemary

Re: Ants!!
 

you can with a shoe

Re: Ants!!
 

There is a red insecticide powder called Mata Hormigas (Maghisa Subministros Jardineria) - ASOCOA - its 2.5% Diazinón - which completely eliminates ants for months after one application. the powder is bright red and very obvious and seems to have no bad effects on animals - Buster Baggins the Cat is impervious to it.

We always have a container of this ready. BTW, there was an outbreak last month of ants in my mother-in-law's house in London, so it's not just Spain.

R

Re: Ants!!
 

Ants are completely fascinating animals, and bear study. Read up on them and you will see what I mean.

Just pray that we never get fire ants or their equivalent in Spain!

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I live with ants all year round. Comes with the territory here. I like to crush them with my finger:D

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Please mate, its still to early for your fascinating stories.

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Poor old Matt. A tad fragile are we?

I find I need a pint of strong coffee in the mornings just to get my heart started.

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I'm bloody good now, been for a play in the snow, taken the dog for a walk, fed and hayed the sheep, had a lovely brunch and now I'm back to play until some sport starts on TV.

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Did you ever read the books on sheep rearing? The magic peasant and Don't laugh till he's out of sight?

They would put most people off sheep rearing for life.

How many do you have?

Re: Ants!!
 

Nope, yep, and only about 20 of my own now, but I half own a much larger flock of ewes and store lambs.

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There was an article in New Scientist on the development of sheep from a goat like animal. They studied clay statuettes left as religious offerings over thousands of years, and the 'staples' of wool (is that the right term?) are only visible after a certain date, so they can actually give an estimate of when that type of fleece developed.

Re: Ants!!
 

My smaller flock is from a primitive sheep type and its closest living relative is the wild goat of European mountains.


The Shetland sheep and Castlemilk are also very closely related.

Re: Ants!!
 

Noooo this ain`t going to develope into the story about Jason is it ?

Re: Ants!!
 

No, the golden fleece it's suggested was a reference to the use of untreated fleeces to capture gold particles.

Jason's story was also supposed to be based on myths grafted onto tales of a real marine trading route.

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Not a fan of the classics then?

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Tell em to stop hijacking my thread, Jdr :rofl::rofl:

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I'm always saying to my wife 'That's what happens when you lack a classical education!'

Re: Ants!!
 

Stop hijacking her thread, everyone knows ants don`t have fleeces.

Re: Ants!!
 

Didn't you read bills post?


Ants are fascinating creatures.

Re: Ants!!
 

Can't you even spell my name right?

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Do you always talk to yourself billllll?

Re: Ants!!
 

How else would I guarantee intelligent discourse?

Re: Ants!!
 

Dunno, but if you have one, see a doctor