How to get rid of ants

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Smpl Mnmlst
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#2996659 15-Nov-2022 14:04

Bung: I'll be a contrarian and say that 24hrs is too fast for a nest to be destroyed and what you see is the visible ants have gone elsewhere. Most of the research suggests using a low concentration (1 - 2%) so ants keep feeding and up to 10 weeks to kill all.

I didn’t say that the nest (or the ants, for that matter) would be destroyed in 24 hours - I said that within 24 hours the ants would be gone (from where they ate the poison). Which they always are - and they don’t come back - but who knows if they’re dead or gone elsewhere. I haven’t seen them show up elsewhere in a short timeframe - so they’re dead to me.

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raytaylor

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#2996733 15-Nov-2022 15:32

I have reasonable success with the kiwicare ant sand, and raid ant killer.

The problem with the liquids is they need replacing regularly where as the ant sand lasts longer in a dry environment.

The kiwicare stuff seems to kill almost on contact.

The idea is to leave the stuff around the house so that it kills the ants out searching for food - and if its one they take back to the nest all good, which stops the population growth over time.

Ray Taylor

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neb

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#2996796 15-Nov-2022 16:22

MadEngineer: … which will likely involve a pumped spray which is applied throughout your home as he walks around in a pressurised suit like someone coming to snatch E.T.

"No, no, it's perfectly safe, I just wear all this gear because it's comfortable.

You don't have any pets or small children in the house do you?".

mattenz

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#2996803 15-Nov-2022 16:36

Ant Ban works for me in conjunction with Exterm-an-ant. I also went with the nuclear option of Vanquish Pro around the property, not clear if it has worked yet.

MadEngineer

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#2996837 15-Nov-2022 17:47

neb:
MadEngineer: … which will likely involve a pumped spray which is applied throughout your home as he walks around in a pressurised suit like someone coming to snatch E.T.

"No, no, it's perfectly safe, I just wear all this gear because it's comfortable.

You don't have any pets or small children in the house do you?".

yes, we even have fish. Can’t speak for the safety of it

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

tweake

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#2996838 15-Nov-2022 17:48

mattenz:

I also went with the nuclear option of Vanquish Pro around the property, not clear if it has worked yet.

that stuff is the nuclear option all right. if the ants take it up it will kill the whole nest. especially as often its a case of multiple nests.

edit: to add the actual poison breaks down very very slowly. the nest gets nuked for a long time.

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MadEngineer

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#2996946 15-Nov-2022 22:29

^ contains Fipronil - Wikipedia

Oof

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

mattenz

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#2997027 16-Nov-2022 11:31

MadEngineer:

^ contains Fipronil - Wikipedia

Oof

Haha yikes, but not applying it directly to flowers, so the bees should be alright.

I did find an ant nest under a rock in a treated area, so I'm not entirely sold. The tube was a few months old, but remained in the vacuum pack.

tweake

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#2997072 16-Nov-2022 12:36

MadEngineer:

^ contains Fipronil - Wikipedia

Oof

that wiki is complete BS.

the only research that found a link was faked (they even mention in their own research how they faked it!). all other research shows no link. (btw i don't recall it was fipronil in the trail. its not actually used much out in the field). In usa CCD pretty much disappeared once govts stopped paying for dead beehives. A lot of the losses are typically down to nosema and poor varroa mite control. Over there varroa is resistant to a lot of treatments hence a lot of home made treatments which are badly done, which effects the hives and spreads varroa to everyone else causing them to be effected. Some of that has changed in recent years with new treatments and taking court action on those who make illegal home made treatments.

there is other nicotinoids which are far more commonly used in agriculture. typically used as a seed coating.

tweake

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#2997079 16-Nov-2022 12:39

mattenz:

MadEngineer:

^ contains Fipronil - Wikipedia

Oof

Haha yikes, but not applying it directly to flowers, so the bees should be alright.

I did find an ant nest under a rock in a treated area, so I'm not entirely sold. The tube was a few months old, but remained in the vacuum pack.

bees won't touch the protein baits. thats why the fipronil wasp bait is protein based. downside there's only certain times of year when wasps eat lots of protein.

tripper1000

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#2997152 16-Nov-2022 16:33

Get the repellent spray and you mix up in a garden sprayer. We have a bach in the bush and its the only thing that works. I use it at home in suburbia and have good results.

Spray your kick-boards, the back of cupboards, hot-water cupboards, underside of the sinks and the walls and floor behind fridges, stoves, dishwashers, draws and shelves, up high on the walls , under stairs and anywhere you and the kids don't touch. If your windows open, then you can reach out and spray around the window on the outside. The ants hate it and even though you can't get 100% coverage, their paths to avoid it become too convoluted and they stay away.

Also on the bottom floor outside, go around at ground level spraying the walls and under the building if you can (if it has a ground floor garage or similar).

Unfortunately, when you share a building, you neighbours can have bad habits that breed ants and you can't control that.

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MadEngineer

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#2998175 18-Nov-2022 17:35

mattenz:

MadEngineer:

^ contains Fipronil - Wikipedia

Oof

Haha yikes, but not applying it directly to flowers, so the bees should be alright.

I did find an ant nest under a rock in a treated area, so I'm not entirely sold. The tube was a few months old, but remained in the vacuum pack.

I read the instructions somewhere for the product and it said it doesn't last long once opened but keeping it in the fridge will help prolong its life.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

mattenz

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#2998459 19-Nov-2022 15:45

MadEngineer:

mattenz:

Haha yikes, but not applying it directly to flowers, so the bees should be alright.

I did find an ant nest under a rock in a treated area, so I'm not entirely sold. The tube was a few months old, but remained in the vacuum pack.

I read the instructions somewhere for the product and it said it doesn't last long once opened but keeping it in the fridge will help prolong its life.

My take on the instructions was that that applied after opening.

quickymart

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#2998504 19-Nov-2022 18:50

I can see the ant numbers declining a bit, although there are certainly plenty of them around. The first bait had some for a few days but they've dropped off. Whether that means they're starting to die off or they're just regrouping I don't know.

In any case, I bit the bullet today and ordered some Extermanant. Will try it out when it arrives and report back.

Does the latter attract more ants (to kill), or are both baits likely to pull in the same numbers of ants?

frankv

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#2998687 20-Nov-2022 11:01

neb:
networkn:

I was going to suggest burning your property to the ground with a flame thrower would definitely fix the problem. But I thought better of it.

Well, as long as some of the items you lost in the fire don't turn up again while the insurance assessors are still present it should be reasonably OK, shouldn't it?

I doubt you would want them to turn up again, because they'll be covered with ants.

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