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Dead ants in cupboard

Dead ants in cupboard

Old Nov 30th 2012, 1:38 pm
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Default Dead ants in cupboard

We have a combined wash basin and cupboard below in our bathroom. About 2 weeks ago I noticed a number of dead ants on the floor of the cupboard. Inspecting above & around the pipes I could see no live ones. Anyway I cleaned the area and gave a quick spray with ant spray to the pipes above and thought that would deter them. I also applied silicone sealant as best as I could reach around the pipes where they entered the wall.
Since then, every day, there are still around 30 or so dead ants appearing on the floor of the cupboard, but not a sign of any live ones, so somehow they are dropping from somewhere already dead.
This has never happened in this cupboard in the the few years it's been installed so I'm really foxed as to what's going on. They are dying somewhere and somehow and then dropping to the floor of the cupboard, but there are no live ones.
Anyone any idea what the reason might be?
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Old Nov 30th 2012, 1:53 pm
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

Originally Posted by Biffta
We have a combined wash basin and cupboard below in our bathroom. About 2 weeks ago I noticed a number of dead ants on the floor of the cupboard. Inspecting above & around the pipes I could see no live ones. Anyway I cleaned the area and gave a quick spray with ant spray to the pipes above and thought that would deter them. I also applied silicone sealant as best as I could reach around the pipes where they entered the wall.
Since then, every day, there are still around 30 or so dead ants appearing on the floor of the cupboard, but not a sign of any live ones, so somehow they are dropping from somewhere already dead.
This has never happened in this cupboard in the the few years it's been installed so I'm really foxed as to what's going on. They are dying somewhere and somehow and then dropping to the floor of the cupboard, but there are no live ones.
Anyone any idea what the reason might be?
could there be something in the cupboard which is killing them?

they might be getting in there somehow & dying an instant death?
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Old Nov 30th 2012, 2:58 pm
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

Ants have a strong sense of smell that they use to find food, alert each other to dangers and identify members of their colony. When an ant dies, it releases an odor that signals the other colony members to remove it. Removing the body keeps the nest clean and free of disease. The dead ants are usually very close to the nest, which means it's likely somewhere inside your home. Ants nesting outside won't carry the dead inside to get rid of them.
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Old Nov 30th 2012, 4:12 pm
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

Thanks very much for that. Do I take it from your explanation that ants in the nest somewhere are 'dumping' their dead from this nest into the cupboard?
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Old Nov 30th 2012, 4:18 pm
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

So the buggers are Fly Tipping ?
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Old Nov 30th 2012, 6:53 pm
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

Originally Posted by playamonte
So the buggers are Fly Tipping ?
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Old Dec 1st 2012, 1:07 am
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

There must be a nest somewhere near to where you are finding the dead ants, the only thing you can do is to try and track it down.

We had a nest in one of the kitchen wall cupboards this summer, it took me several weeks to find as the ants I saw were in fact on the worktop, but by watching their route I eventually found the nest in the join at the back corner.
Those were the small fire ants and all I did to remove them was to spray with an ant killer.

For the larger black ants I have a sonic plug, it was quite expensive 40€ but it works!
We have always had a problem with the ants as we are surrounded by olive and orange trees, but with the plug in place 24/7 it's the first time in five years that we have been ant free.
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Old Dec 1st 2012, 1:34 am
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

Originally Posted by Biffta
Thanks very much for that. Do I take it from your explanation that ants in the nest somewhere are 'dumping' their dead from this nest into the cupboard?
That is one explanation.
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Old Dec 1st 2012, 8:02 am
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

Originally Posted by megmet
There must be a nest somewhere near to where you are finding the dead ants, the only thing you can do is to try and track it down.

We had a nest in one of the kitchen wall cupboards this summer, it took me several weeks to find as the ants I saw were in fact on the worktop, but by watching their route I eventually found the nest in the join at the back corner.
Those were the small fire ants and all I did to remove them was to spray with an ant killer.

For the larger black ants I have a sonic plug, it was quite expensive 40€ but it works!
We have always had a problem with the ants as we are surrounded by olive and orange trees, but with the plug in place 24/7 it's the first time in five years that we have been ant free.
They're very small ants. I find it strange that none of them show any signs of life nor do I see any live ones nearby. They're not even 'twitching' as if they're near to expiry.
I will have to investigate further.
Thanks to all who have responded.
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Old Dec 19th 2012, 3:25 pm
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

Originally Posted by megmet
There must be a nest somewhere near to where you are finding the dead ants, the only thing you can do is to try and track it down.

We had a nest in one of the kitchen wall cupboards this summer, it took me several weeks to find as the ants I saw were in fact on the worktop, but by watching their route I eventually found the nest in the join at the back corner.
Those were the small fire ants and all I did to remove them was to spray with an ant killer.

For the larger black ants I have a sonic plug, it was quite expensive 40€ but it works!
We have always had a problem with the ants as we are surrounded by olive and orange trees, but with the plug in place 24/7 it's the first time in five years that we have been ant free.
Is this sonic plug only for ants? Can you tell me the name and where you bought it? I have a plug in thing in my kitchen that I bought years ago because I hate spiders but it does not seem to be stopping ants and this is a problem that we all seem to have in our street, like you we are very close to orange groves.

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Old Dec 19th 2012, 3:42 pm
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

I haven't wanted to resurrect this topic as I think I got all the replies I could have got at the time.
The dead ants though haven't given up (except living!) and are still appearing in the cupboard every day.
I have searched the internet re' this problem and have come to the conclusion that reasons may be the following:-
1. They have died in a nest and are being carried out and dumped.
2. They are dying in the nest and are leaving themselves to die elsewhere (ie. my cupboard!).
The solution seems to be to treat the nest if you know where it is. If you don't, (as I don't) then a solution seems to be to lay ant bait which will attract ants and they'll carry the 'food' back to their nest and it will kill the ants within it.
I can find ant bait on Amazon UK and I intend to order some after the Christmas rush. I've tried Amazon ES under all search options for hormiga(s), but without success, All I can find in shops are sprays and powder.
A long shot I appreciate, but does anyone know if ant bait is available here in Spain and if so, where and what's it called?
Thanks.
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Old Dec 19th 2012, 3:51 pm
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

Look in your garden centre or hardware store for something labelled "cebo" (food) anti-hormigas, like this one:

CEBOTRAMPAS ANTIHORMIGAS

Cebo - it means they ingest it and take it back to the nest to contaminate the rest of the colony.
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Old Dec 19th 2012, 3:54 pm
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

PS are they the teeny-weeny Argentine ants? If so you may just have to learn to live with them! They are quite harmless.

Ant mega-colony takes over world
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Old Dec 19th 2012, 5:52 pm
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

Originally Posted by Rosemary
Is this sonic plug only for ants? Can you tell me the name and where you bought it? I have a plug in thing in my kitchen that I bought years ago because I hate spiders but it does not seem to be stopping ants and this is a problem that we all seem to have in our street, like you we are very close to orange groves.

Rosemary
Hi Rosemary
The sonic plug is a Radacon.
I bought it in Hipercor in Corte Ingles, I find it works very well, much better than the ones I bought elsewhere for flies... which don't seem to have much effect at all.
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Old Dec 19th 2012, 5:59 pm
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Default Re: Dead ants in cupboard

Originally Posted by Biffta
Thanks very much for that. Do I take it from your explanation that ants in the nest somewhere are 'dumping' their dead from this nest into the cupboard?
Originally Posted by playamonte
So the buggers are Fly Tipping ?
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