How to handle the Ant invasion?

DobeFanatic · 10-09-2012, 07:13 PM

Today I pulled the A-frame into driveway from carport, opened it first time since April to prep for a trip to SC at end of month and again I find black ants, some dead from the traps I placed in April and others quite active in each corner. I put down Boric acid powder for now as they hate that stuff, but considering using clear caulk around as much of the inside floor area as possible especially at the end storage areas. Has anyone else got a better idea?

Anne

Crusader · 10-09-2012, 07:32 PM

Find black ant hills outside and pour diatomaceous earth inside the ant hills and all around them. Diatomaceous earth is a fine powder that comes from the earth and is safe for humans and animals, but effectively kills ants. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the outsides of the carport and the concrete cracks of the carport

AquaMan · 10-09-2012, 07:40 PM

I didn't know this was a deterant for ants, but it's also a filtering element for swimming pools. We had an ant invasion last year when in FL for spring break, and now we treat all areas where the camper touches the ground with a repellant. Seems to work, but may try the "DE" (diatomaceous earth) approach.

Jeep4Two · 10-09-2012, 07:52 PM

DE is just fine diatom skeletons. They are razor sharp and cut up the bodies of many insects. So it's not a deterrent as much as a pesticide, so to speak.

They crawl through it, it cuts up their bodies and they die from dehydration.

Works great for lots of pests, but its not totally safe to handle. Use gloves and wash up. It can irritate the skin. Avoid breathing any dust as well.

DobeFanatic · 10-09-2012, 08:03 PM

I see Lowe's has it: most of the reviews reported very effective on bedbugs (interesting) and also a few using it for ants/fleas, so will try it. Says it is very irritating to skin and eyes- to use gloves/mask, and almost like a talc powder composition. Thanks, Anne

Jeep4Two · 10-09-2012, 08:15 PM

That's the stuff. Works great on slugs too.

tinkerreknit · 10-10-2012, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crusader

Find black ant hills outside and pour diatomaceous earth inside the ant hills and all around them. Diatomaceous earth is a fine powder that comes from the earth and is safe for humans and animals, but effectively kills ants. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the outsides of the carport and the concrete cracks of the carport

This is the way to go. I would not try to seal cracks against ants because you can never seal up all of the possible entry points. But Diatomaceous earth will stop them from getting in, and there is no harmful chemical to worry about.

djmac1964 · 10-10-2012, 06:14 PM

Whatever you do, good luck! We had a Jayco Hybrid, that apparently had a small roof leak over the bathroom, which caused some water damage to the ceiling and walls in the bathroom. The carpenter (black) ants found the moist wood, and completely destroyed the ceiling in the bathroom! We could actually hear them up there munching, and the ceiling was very soft. When I finally cut a portion of the vinyl ceiling out, I had hundreds of ants and larvae fall out on me, it was a really nasty scene! They had managed to make a colony in our ceiling, and it was a real pain to gt rid of them, and repair the ceiling!

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