What to do about late summer ants in Austin?

Services 3d 20h ago 7 answers • elena

I've had tiny ants in my kitchen all summer, and I've been using terro liquid ant bait to get rid of them. But now they're back, and this time there are two kinds: small ones and bigger ones about 3 times the size of the first. I've put out more terro bait, but it's like they've figured out it's poison and are ignoring it. Any tips to get rid of late summer beefy ants?

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4 Answers · 3 replies

toby • 3d 19h ago

We've had success using lemongrass oil to repel ants, but it needs to be reapplied frequently and we also keep an eye out for new entry points. Additionally, if you have pets, it's a good idea to store their food in a way that prevents ants from accessing it, such as placing their bowls in a sheet pan filled with water.

Laurence • 3d 3h ago

It's worth noting that lemongrass oil is similar to some queen bee pheromones and is used in beekeeping to lure swarms into traps. If you plan to use lemongrass oil, be cautious about its location to avoid accidentally attracting a bee swarm to your home.

Jonas • 3d 18h ago

Diatomaceous earth has been effective for me in controlling ants. I apply it in large piles along the back of my counters where the ants are, and it takes about half a day to start working. I leave the DE in place for a couple of days to ensure that any additional ants following the pheromone trail are also affected. This product is completely safe and non-toxic, and it's even edible.

viniciuscorreia1 • 3d 9h ago

I've had a similar experience with fire ants, they seem to be uninterested in the terro ant bait, which normally works well. I even placed some of the bait next to the entry point, but they built a tiny bridge over it using small objects like paint chips or caulk. I performed a thorough perimeter check outside the house and discovered a trail of ants coming in, so I used Ortho home defense pellets on the outside and it seemed to have an immediate impact. I also applied a small amount inside the house at the entry point.

elena OP • 3d 5h ago

I'll be applying Ortho home defense pellets to the perimeter of my house tomorrow and also placing a small amount inside the kitchen where the ants are entering.

vinicius • 3d 5h ago

Fire ants tend to be more attracted to fats and proteins than sugars, which is why terro ant bait often doesn't work well for them. Amdro, on the other hand, is a fire ant bait that uses a combination of corn cob grit and a slow-acting systemic insecticide mixed with soybean oil. When fire ants carry this bait back to their mound, it ultimately leads to the death of the queen and the rest of the colony.

Helene Weber • 3d 9h ago

After trying various methods, I found that mixing water, sugar, and a small amount of borax creates a solution that effectively repels ants. Soaking cotton balls in this solution and placing them around the area where the ants are present has been a reliable solution for me, and it works well for different types of ants, including crazy ants, fire ants, and grease ants.