So, it’s bug season. And we’re being visited by ants. I have been finding them since last week, in the living room, kitchen and hallway. They travel alone. Sofie has been eager to screech: “Mommy, look! A bug!” and won’t go near the area until I have intervened. * Sigh * I am already nostalgic for the days when she squatted down to get a closer look and offered greetings to all creepy crawly creatures
However, bugs in the house do have a certain “ick” factor. So now my quest is to find green ways to eliminate them. I refuse to use Raid or other pesticides on our property.
Photo by Snap®/Flickr
Internet research mentions everything from pipe tobacco to borax to vinegar to cornmeal for ant disposal methods. (My favorite — if you have large ant hills — was pitting the ants against each other. Apparently, ant colonies do not intermingle!)
I started with the borax method, sprinkling it outside along the house perimeter, where I found several ants hiding under dry leaves. Of course, afterwards I read that borax may not be harmless to kids in such quantities (Argh!).
So I plan to try used coffee grounds next. The acidity supposedly kills the ants AND fertilizes your lawn! Or I may plant mint leaves, which can deter the bug and also make a tasty mojito.
My searches for an ant trail or entryway inside the house have led nowhere. I only see the lone, random ant crisscrossing our floors. (I am beginning to suspect they are scouts and that the under-the-sink kitchen trashcan may be a target.) I want to try some of the suggested natural ingredients: cinnamon, lemon juice, cucumbers. And I am particularly intrigued by the chalk method. You draw a line of chalk and, supposedly, ants will not cross it. I think Sofie might have fun testing this with me. Who knew bug control could become a fun family project?
On the other hand, you do not want to kill all your ants. Ants are our friends. They actually help control other pests by eating the eggs and larvae of fleas, flies, spiders and bed bugs. Outside, ants patrol the perimeters of our houses and keep termites, their mortal enemies, from establishing colonies in our homes. I’d rather have ants than termites any day.
Learn a Little More
- 21 Ways to Get Rid of Ants Naturally
- Natural Pesticides for Other Bugs
- More Natural Pesticides for Other Bugs
- How Pesticides Affect our Water Quality
We have nasty mean fire ants in our yard. I was viciously attacked by approximately 300 million of them yesterday after innocently stepping on their home. I have the welts on my shins to prove it.
I use boiling water with dishsoap (Method brand). It sometimes takes a few doses but it seems to work.