[Vision2020] I want to murder ants

[Saundra Lund]

Hi Carl,

 

I see you've already used the vinegar, so I hope that works for you.

 

If not, and if you've got an idea of where they are coming inside, I've had
great results from using lemon EO (essential oil) purchased from the Co-Op
IIRC as a repellant or deterrent.  I'm right there with you with toxicity
concerns for your kitties.

 

Put the lemon EO on a paper towel, cotton swab, or tissue & rub where you
think they are coming in . . . if there's a gap, you can use a spray bottle
to mist the oil in the gap.

 

If possible, use the lemon EO generously outside (around windows & doors,
along siding & the foundation, etc.) and more sparingly indoors - while the
smell is nice, EOs can be toxic for cats due to a liver peculiarity (in
simple terms, cats lack glucuronyl tranferases, which is an enzyme necessary
for glucuronidation, which is an important method of detoxification).  I
don't worry about small amounts of short-term use (i.e., the annual ant
invasions that are inevitable with the hot weather), but I do try to keep
those uses as far away from the kitties as possible (i.e., misting in cracks
rather than rubbing on the surface over cracks).

 

Another great thing to use outside (and even indoors in cupboards, behind
baseboards, etc) is diatomaceous earth.  I use it outside around the
foundation as a kind of barrier, and I know people who use it indoors for
ants that get those places.  You don't want to use the stuff for swimming
pools - I use a type that's a horticultural grade (there's apparently a food
grade DE, but since we don't plan on ingesting it, I don't see the point).
The bad thing about DE is that once it gets wet, it's no longer effective.
The good thing is that it's cheap so easy to simply put more around once
things are dry after a rain  J

 

 

HTH,

Saundra

 

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Carl Westberg
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 9:45 AM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] I want to murder ants

 

with extreme prejudice.  I'm loath to use Raid, due to toxicity, smell, and
2 cats.  A couple of people told me about spraying with equal parts white
vinegar and water.  Has anyone tried that?  Has it really worked?

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