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gypsybird87 posted 2/14/2014 18:49 PM

Why is this happening now, when its just me here, no XWH and I have no clue what the problem is! Dammit.

WHY have ants suddenly showed up in my home? I see them in both bathrooms. This morning there was a group on the shower wall when I got in. I don't understand why they would even want to be there! No food, just wet tiles and maybe some soap scum. I do also see them in the kitchen but randomly and not always near food.

I've put out some baits but they don't seem to be helping much. I have pets and am sensitive to chemical odors so I really don't want to have an exterminator come in.

Any ideas what is attracting these stupid ants and what I can do to get rid of them??

Thanks!

Sad in AZ posted 2/14/2014 18:55 PM

Probably crazy ants (yes, that's their real name ) The aren't attracted to ant baits and very difficult to control. Wiki says they're attracted to water and live in warm places, but we had them in Tucson-very little water...

Saw them in the bathrooms, in the computers, all sorts of weird places. There'd be an explosion of them for a few days, then *poof* nothing for long periods of time.

Lionne posted 2/14/2014 19:23 PM

You can try vinegar to get rid of them if you won't use bug spray. Try to determine their "path" and spray it along there as well.

Boric acid kills them, too, but is harmful to pets.

Dreamboat posted 2/14/2014 19:30 PM

When ants invade my home I use clorax kitchen spray on them and then clean the area with the spray. It kills any that are in the immediate vicinity and throws them off the trail at least for a few days.

Lucky2HaveMe posted 2/14/2014 20:59 PM

Get the liquid ant bait traps! They are like an oasis that calls to them! Seriously! BUT, you cannot kill the ants as they come to the bait, they need to take it back to the nest.

So get some of the liquid bait traps,set them before bed - or before you are leaving the house for the day - and they will happily kill themselves.

thisissogross posted 2/15/2014 13:35 PM

If you can tell where they're getting in the house you can sprinkle talc powder and they'll go away. Also, do you maybe have a food scented shampoo or body wash in the shower that could be attracting them? Like fruity or honey type stuff? Good luck, the powder always worked for us.

Nature_Girl posted 2/15/2014 18:11 PM

Ants this time of year? After the freezing cold? That is truly bizarre.

I also cannot use harsh chemicals w/o getting sick. I've had success putting liquid dish soap on their trails.

Want2help posted 2/15/2014 20:50 PM

We get them every year or two. The owner of our rental calls an exterminator who sprays some nontoxic spray (we don't even have to leave) inside and under the house, and they go away.

Nothing else we have tried has ever worked. Not traps, vinegar, nothing.

If you're a renter, call your landlord. If you own, it only cost our landlord $250.

Waiting4Daylite posted 2/16/2014 08:52 AM

I have them in my daughter's bathroom too. They are also in my dishwasher. My kitchen where the dishwasher is shares a wall with my daughter's bathroom. I use windex on them and it kills them right away. I also use the Clorox kitchen spray.

TrulyReconciled posted 2/17/2014 11:08 AM

What size? If they are > 1/2 inch they might be carpenter ants overwintering (nest in house).

Small ants (Argentine ants, etc.) - get the Terro liquid baits they work great.

Windex will kill on contact, don't need Clorox. But if there's a nest (usually) you want them alive to transport the Terro or other bait back into it.

gypsybird87 posted 2/17/2014 14:53 PM

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I will definitely be trying some of these ideas!

I stopped killing the ants on sight after reading Lucky's reply, with the idea that they need to take the poison back to their nest. I think that might be helping. ?? As far as size, they are tiny and black. I usually see one or two, or a random little grouping. Never a trail or anything useful to help figure out where they are coming from. Sneaky little buggers.

NG, I've been dealing with this for a couple of weeks so I think they were already cozy inside the house before all the snow fell. And now we're getting buckets of rain.... no wonder they don't want to leave!

TrulyReconciled posted 2/18/2014 11:12 AM

Terro liquid ant baits and let them have all they want.

TrulyReconciled posted 2/19/2014 09:43 AM

Could be worse, they could be 'crazy ants':

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-fire-ants-tawny-crazy-ants-venom-20140212,0,2329142.story#axzz2tmcLQoBs

Mousse242 posted 2/19/2014 19:53 PM

I have found that when ants get into/eat salt it kills them.

I would guess they are there because of the moisture. You can try using bait outside to see if that helps. They make a gel/goo stuff that has worked well with sugar ants and carpenter ants. I don't think I've ever had crazy ants though.

I guess it's not too bad as they aren't batshit crazy ants.

gardenparty posted 2/20/2014 21:01 PM

Soak a couple of cigarettes in warm water for at least 24 hours (peel the filter and paper of so it is just the tobacco) Put the liquid in a spray bottle and go all around your foundation, doors and cracks etc. It is usually effective and very cheap.