This year the ants arrived in autumn, and instead of being driven back by the winter cold, have kept invading. They turn up everywhere, all over the kitchen bench, up the bathroom walls, inside the electric kettle and even into my clothing.
They've been driving me crazy.
I've tried avocado, almond butter, honey, and many other kinds of food, mixed with borax - but nothing seems to work for long.
But now I've hit the jackpot! Maple syrup is the answer. They are coming in droves to drink from the little lid where this gourmet food is mixed with borax.
I'm told that persistence is needed. I suspect that every ant nest in the neighbourhood has heard the good news - either that or the borax isn't working and the population is growing as I feed them - but the ant trail is several lanes wide and shows no sign of abating after a week.
PS No photo with this one - I tried, but it's not a good look. Here's something else to delight your eyes instead. It's the photo of the view that you'd see from my place if you were an ant, and took a moment to raise your feelers from the maple sypup dish.
7 comments:
This sounds a very unpleasant challenge. Mira might giggle to know that her Grandma has "ants in her pants"!
I do love your humourous photo of an ant's eye view....Let's hope they move on permanently to new vistas outdoors.
Oh Juliet, I know exactly how you feel - only the ants here are only in the bathrooms, nowhere else at this stage thank goodness. I have never heard of ants invading bathrooms before, now I know that mine is not the only house that has them climbing up the bathroom walls. I have no idea how to get rid of them either. I love your photo, it's a very beautiful view.
I doubt that this will make you feel any better, Juliet, but, we have the same problem right now up here. I spread out baking soda and it works, sorta! Maybe a dab of maple syrup would do. A nice way to end this with that lovely photo.
Thanks for the comments, Lynley, Marilyn and Penny. Ants are everywhere, and no respecters of seasons it seems! They are even making trails into the pot plants, and invading the airing cupboard.They are now satiated on maple syrup and the trail has died down at last, and I'm trying pineapple juice since I found them in the empty tin this morning.
We've got ants in our new office - the first time I've seen them in Christchurch. The poison I've put down seems to be working, or maybe they've all frozen in the snow.
Ants are repelled by lemon juice or lemon oil.
We wipe lemon oil over benches and around the entry places on their trails, ants won't cross this and it seems to deter them after a while. We were anted out a few weeks ago and after 'lemoning' the kitchen, they have stayed away : - )
Sue
A fantastic tip thanks Sue. I'll try it out.
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