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Getting Rid of Sugar Ants

Closeup of Ants Eating SugarSugar ants can take over an area in a very short amount of time. They are an annoyance to have in the house. This is a guide about getting rid of sugar ants.
     

Solutions: Getting Rid of Sugar Ants

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Cinnamon for Ants

Sprinkle ground cinnamon along cracks, windowsills, or wherever you find the ants. It doesn't take much, and it makes your house smell good while getting rid of the ants.

Source: Probably a "green" living website.

By schoolmarm from Macon, GA

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Deter Sugar Ants From Coming Inside

Sugar ants are a real nuisance and hard to get rid of. We've fought them off and on for the last 4 years. I've even posted on here before (as have many others) about using a solution of Boraxo/boric acid mixed with sugar for them to take back to the nest. Unfortunately, I have found that this is usually a temporary fix, as they just keep coming back. I've even heard they'll build nests in your walls.

To get rid of them on a more permanent basis, you're going to have to treat outside around your house too. The summer before last, we had a real problem with them. We'd get rid of them, but they'd be back in a few weeks in another area of the house. Finally, I bought a bag of insecticide granules and sprinkled it completely around the foundation of the house out to about a foot away, making sure to get it right up against the foundation too. To easily sprinkle, put the granules in an empty Pringles-type container and poke holes in the lid. Be sure to read the directions on the insecticide to see if you need to wet it afterwards.

I also continued to "feed" the little monsters in the house. Also, doing as I usually do, I kept a spray bottle of soapy water on the kitchen counter to spray any I saw. Within days, they were completely gone and never came back the rest of the year!

This spring, we didn't treat around the house and as soon as it warmed up, here they came. By mid-summer, they came back with a vengeance. I'd never seen it so bad! I'd spray, kill, and wipe ants away every time I'd go in the kitchen, but when I went back in, there'd be more. At one point, I sprayed more than 50 ants on the counter and 15 minutes later, there were more than 50 more, for hours! They spread from one counter to the other and into my stove. It was a nightmare!

And no, my kitchen was not dirty and I had everything in plastic. We've had a major drought here and they were coming in for water (one year we even had them build a nest in the dishwasher).

It took me a month to remember that we hadn't sprinkled around the house; they were coming in through the foundation. I was outside at midnight with a flashlight and my insecticide taking care of it! Within days they were almost all gone and within a week we didn't see another ant and haven't seen one in months!

This spring, I'm going to be shaking my can as soon as it stops snowing!

By Lyonpridej from OK

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Boric Acid and Sugar for Ants

I mixed an equal amount of sugar and dry Boric Acid powder and place the mixture in a secure place; safe from children and pets. The ants carry it into their homes, and it kills the queen ant.

Keep this mixture away from animals and kids.

By Marie from Gainesville, TX

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Questions

Here are questions related to Getting Rid of Sugar Ants.
Getting Rid of Sugar Ants

How can I get rid of sugar ants that have been appearing on my body? I usually see one at a time 4 or 5 times daily. Are there any soaps or solutions to apply?

By Charlie from Pompano Beach, FL

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Most Recent Answer

By Mule/donkey gal12/18/2009

We use Neem shampoo and soap for our body. Works for all kinds of different critters, bugs. We also use it on our dogs. As far as getting the bugs to stay out. We do NOT use chemicals what so ever and have had great luck with cinnamon and diatomaceous earth. I even put that stuff in the couch to keep out the kissing bugs, works great! Sprinkle both together along the windows and doors and anywhere critters get in. I've seen the Diatomaceous earth kill black widows! We also use it in our chickens food and dogs food to rid of internal parasites and worms. For some reason, even if your house is clean, bugs still find it nicer to come in!

Archives

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Tiny Sugar Ants

Tips for getting rid of ants. Post your ideas.


Tiny Sugar Ants

I have these small beige ants in my pantry. They are about 1/8" long. I have caulked around cupboards, put down new liners, everything is stored in Rubbermaid, Tupperware, and sealed bags. Today I took a can of sauce out of pantry and the ants were everywhere on it, and in the granola bar box as well.

What can I use to get rid of them? They are nowhere else in the house. The cat food is now stored in a container in the garage as well. I even used Windex thinking it would de-grease. Help.

By joycelgt from Turlock, CA


RE: Tiny Sugar Ants

I don't know if this will be helpful or not, but I just read this person's response right before I read your plea for help and it sounds like this might be helpful for you. I live in North Carolina and I use borax. I don't know if it would work for you or not, but here's the other person's post that I mentioned. (notice your both for CA.)

"RE: Infestation Of Tiny Ants The type you describe is probably "Argentine". They are a big pain where I live in California. They came from South America, but were accidentally introduced to the USA (plus many other areas) where they've thrived. The colony/nest often spans entire city blocks underground, and out here they're also all related so there's no inter-colony warfare to reduce numbers like elsewhere. They usually start sending "scouts" into houses in search of food (or water, if it's a dry climate) from late Spring through Fall, and invade (often with a double-size queen) if they find anything attractive. They're not poisonous as far as I recall, rarely bite, taste extremely hot to most animals, and (weirdly) are the cobweb/daddy-long leg spider's favorite food.

As far as getting rid of them is concerned, I've tried every darn trick I read about, because I don't dare use anything that might trigger my (severe) asthma or hurt my cats. As far as I know, almost nothing works, they're super-hardy little buggers. I finally found a brand with safe ingredients called "Poison-Free Ant Killer" that works really well. I spray any trails I find back to their entry points, they die instantly and those spots seem to stay ant-free for another year or two. Their website seems to be Saferbrand.com There's a useful FAQ about what's in it there, if the person you know is curious. Hope this was useful." Posted on 05/06/2009

By the way, I check and the web site that he/she lists is valid and looks like a great site. They boast their products as being organic. Gotta love that if it's true. Good luck. (07/21/2009)

By shellyscorner

RE: Tiny Sugar Ants

I live in a wooded area and I get those little ants as well. What I did was get some sidewalk chalk and crushed it up till its a powder and then I put a line of chalk on my window sills my doorways anywhere they will get in and it stops them. I got this idea from my sister when I called her and asked her what she was doing she said she was playing with an ant by drawing a line and the ant was not crossing over it no matter which way she drew the line simple huh and it works. Try it. (07/23/2009)

By Margaret S.

RE: Tiny Sugar Ants

I had these things that sounded like what you have. Mine were maybe a tiny bit smaller than 1/8th in and very light tan. I live in a very old house and the caulking around the sink was cracked. They would come through these tiny holes and get all over my dishes. They seemed to like meat and grease. I also found them in my living room, climbing from the wood window frames onto my bird's perch, with the seeds and whatnot on the bottom from stuff she dropped. I used Raid Ant and Roach spray. Got it into the cracks and soaked the wood underneath. They were a pain. (07/24/2009)

By C T

RE: Tiny Sugar Ants

I too live in a wooded area and usually when we have a lot of rain out come these ants. I found the product called Terro at Home Depot. It's a small bottle of poison. There are homemade versions, but this is not expensive and it works. It works quicker when you find their source of entry into your home. It's usually near a window. It's just a few drops left on pieces of cardboard and they will be attracted to it and die. (07/24/2009)

By kghsave


Getting Rid of Sugar Ants

I have what I was told are sugar ants. I have put all foodstuff in jars, etc. Now I found out they are in my carpeting in the living room. I am not familiar with sugar ants, so don't have any idea what to do. I sprayed bug spray on my baseboards, also. Please help.

By bdon1 from Praireville, LA


RE: Tiny Sugar Ants

I don't know if this will work, but it worked for other small ants we had in Oregon. Make a slightly stronger than normal solution of bleach water (like 1 tablespoon in quart of water). Draw barrier lines where ever you don't want them with a damp cloth you've dipped and wrung out in this solution. Wipe in front of sliding doors, front door, along the kitchen counter, anywhere you've noticed them trailing in.

They stayed away for a few days at a stretch and we would just repeat. Good to do it when you can then go to another room until smell dies down. My daughter thought of it, and tried it, and I've used it since. (09/22/2009)

By PIKKA

RE: Tiny Sugar Ants

You can get rid of them this way for sure. Using a 50 / 50 mixture of white vinegar and water use a foam paintbrush, they work best for this and literally paint all around the cabinet counter tops with this mixture. Also use a cloth and wash down all of the cabinet tops. Using the paint brush around the edges will get into the little cracks that would not normally be hit with the solution. This works perfectly. Also take bay leaves (fresh is best, but dried will work) and put them into the back of all drawers and inside to the back of all cabinets, the ants hate the smell and won't be back.

Also, if you notice any ants outside you can get rid of them naturally, as well. Use dry cat food 1/2 cup mixed with grape jelly 1/4 cup (they only like grape for some reason) with a tablespoon of boric acid, let it soak until it becomes 'soggy and doughy" and mix thoroughly. Make small little balls about the size of a marble and place around outside of house where you notice any ants. They will take the new food back to the nest and the queen. The mixture with the boric acid will kill them off quick and easy, naturally as well, so as to not hurt any other animals. Stick the little balls into crevices to keep out of site and reach of little fingers. Good luck. (09/22/2009)

By Beau D

RE: Tiny Sugar Ants

Mix about 10% 20 Mule Team Borax in squeeze bottle filled with Karo syrup. Warm a few seconds in the microwave. Shake til dissolved. Spread into cracks and crevices where no pets can lick it. Ants carry it back to nest and it kills the whole nest. Queens can live for up to 20 years, producing many more queens. That is why it is so important to kill whole nest. Takes a little while. Several days to a week. (09/23/2009)

By muttmom

RE: Tiny Sugar Ants

Sprinkle dry baking soda liberally on your rug. Leave for a few hours and vacuum really well. You may need to repeat this a couple of times, but it should get rid of your ants, and you will have a good fresh smelling carpet to boot. They take it back to the nest and all there eat it and cannot digest it. If this does not completely eliminate them from your carpet then sprinkle with 20 Mule Team Borax, same procedure as soda. Between the 2 you are sure to get rid of them. (09/23/2009)

By jsham

RE: Tiny Sugar Ants

This is an update on my sugar ants. I did what someone advised. I mixed equal amounts of powdered sugar and borax, then waited till nobody was at my home. Then I sprinkled it by my door jam where they were coming in. I tell you they were having a party. I let them go. The next day they were gone. I still check every day, haven't seen any yet. I'm holding my breath. So far so good. Thanks everyone for your advice. I'm 68+years, never too old to learn.
Joanie (10/06/2009)

By bdon1

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