Ack! Ants in my pantry!

[Rhonda in TX]

I am having a terrible time with ants (I call them sugar ants - those really tiny ones) in my pantry. Any type of cereal, flour, sugar, cookie, etc. that is not completely sealed is crawling with ants after one night. What can I do to get rid of them?

[abbeyej]

We battled these for months after we moved into this house. The only thing that worked was a product called "Terro". It's a little bottle and you drip a few drops on small pieces of cardboard and leave them wherever the ants come. We had tried so many other things ("natural" and "un-"), and nothing worked -- but the Terro cleared 'em out almost instantly.

In the mean time, I'd make sure everything is sealed up tight -- those extra enormous ziploc bags could work to hold a number of things at once...

[JFS in IL]

Totally clean out the cupboard. Everything not in a sealed can/jar needs to be in a (gasp) plastic container or metal container or sturdy (gasp) plastic baggie with a zip lock or tightly sealed twist-tie.

That is the only way I was able to rid our pantry of ants. Tiny ants and evil big black ants.

Large metal cans that come full of cheap, flavored popcorn - eat or toss the corn and use the cans to hold 25 lbs of rice, etc.

[nestof3]

Yep, clean and even remove what you can they they would be interested in. Put a few cardboard squares in there, and apply Terro to them. For a couple of days, the ants will really swarm in (which is why I suggest removing what you can), but if you stay strong, they will be gone.

Every year we get them coming through our kitchen window. At the first sign, I set out the Terro cards (LOL) and it solves the problem.

[Mandamom]

with food grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and it is safe near food. I also used it to kill fleas, too. It must be food grade not pool grade.

Here's an info page on it: http://www.internet-grocer.net/diatome.htm

I bought it at my local gardening supply store but you might also try your local animal feed stores, too.

[Beth in OH]

Ditto to the Terro. We had even had our pest control guy drill small holes in our walls and treat inside them--no improvement. With the Terro (which I learned about here), the first day actually caused an increase in ants as the ones on my countertop invited their friends. After two days, there were absolutely no more ants.

Terro now has individual bait traps if the liquid seems too daunting.

Beth

[Deanna in TN]

I have been invaded by ants this spring also. I bought some Combat ant traps yesterday and placed them near the area where the ants were coming in the house. So far this morning, there are no ants. Yesterday, before I bought the traps, I poured boiling water over any ant hills I could find near the front door.

[mo2]

Clean, clean, clean. Seal everything. I have also found that spraying vinegar in the area will help deter the ants.

I keep getting them in my dishwasher, of all places!

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

I am having a terrible time with ants (I call them sugar ants - those really tiny ones) in my pantry. Any type of cereal, flour, sugar, cookie, etc. that is not completely sealed is crawling with ants after one night. What can I do to get rid of them?

I did not read "pantry."

I am glad you do not have ants where I originally read that you had ants.

[Jean in Wisc]

I post this on these boards every year. LOL!

Take a child-proof container and drill an ant-sized slot into the side at the very bottom of the bottle so that ants can easily go in and out. Add Terro and allow to dry. Place these anywhere ants like to visit--the children and pets cannot get to ant poison, but the ants are eradicated.

Now that my dc are older, I use freezer boxes. I already have one on my computer table!

J

[Janna]

I've been having problems here with those tiny ants also. I think I have them controlled for the most part, but there are enough stragglers to make me irritated. So where does one get the Terro? If you say Wal-mart, give me a 2nd choice, LOL.

[Jean in Wisc]

I've been having problems here with those tiny ants also. I think I have them controlled for the most part, but there are enough stragglers to make me irritated. So where does one get the Terro? If you say Wal-mart, give me a 2nd choice, LOL.

Most stores that sell pest control items have it--some larger grocery stores, K-Mart, Pamida...maybe even the hardware stores. Our little ACE Hardware has it.

J

[Quad Shot Academy]

I heard somewhere that the smell of peppermint oil confuses the ants so they can't follow their trail. I bought a bottle of real peppermint oil at the health food store and lightly dabbed all around the door they were coming in. At first it backfired and I had lost ants wondering all over. I had to smoosh them, but new ones quit coming after two days. I make my own household cleaner, so I add a small amount of the oil (just to where I can barely smell it) to that and use it to clean the floors with. I have not seen an ant inside for years! HTH!

[Janna]

Thanks, Jean. I'll try my local hardware store.

[momto3]

Terro is the best!

[Rhonda in TX]

I told DH about the Terro. I'm leaving in about 10 minutes for the airport, so I'm leaving him to deal with it while I'm gone. Hee!

I'll update when I get back if there's anything to share. :)

[Faith]

Terro does work the best. I buy mine at Lowes. When I first lay them out, the ants pile in them. The next day... gone. A few stragglers here and there after that. I put out more and it helps ALOT. I even put one in my dishwasher for one day (didn't use the dishwasher that day, by the way) and they loved it. Gone the next day. They even have the powder to treat outside around your home. You can put it in the ant piles you find. HTH

[Leta]

We use instant grits. After everything is sealed up, you could try sprinkling instant grits around. They take the grits to the queen, who dies because she can't digest them, and the the colony moves.