Becki's Boys Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of ant hills safely? They're in the Dog area, so I don't want to put anything on there that would hurt the puppers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WoobiesMom Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 I've heard cayenne pepper works pretty well, but that might irritate the dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WoobiesMom Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Here's some tips: The first line of defense is to remove the attractants: keep counters free of crumbs and sticky spots. Cover the sugar and put the honey jar in a plastic baggie. Cut off water sources such as drips or dishes left soaking overnight. If the ant invaders persist, try these simple measures: Keep a small spray bottle handy, and spray the ants with a bit of soapy water. Set out cucumber peels or slices in the kitchen or at the ants' point of entry. Many ants have a natural aversion to cucumber. Bitter cucumbers work best. Leave a few tea bags of mint tea near areas where the ants seem most active. Dry, crushed mint leaves or cloves also work as ant deterrents. Trace the ant column back to their point of entry. Set any of the following items at the entry area in a small line, which ants will not cross: cayenne pepper, citrus oil (can be soaked into a piece of string), lemon juice, cinnamon or coffee grounds. Mix a half teaspoon each of honey, borox, and aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet, etc.), in small bottles. Place bottles on their sides, with lids off, in areas of most ant activity. Ants will carry the bait back to their colonies. Important: use indoors only; must be kept away from pets and children. Leave a small, low wattage night light on for a few nights in the area of most ant activity. The change in light can disrupt and discourage their foraging patterns. Ants on the deck? Slip a few cut up cloves of garlic between the cracks. Clove oil-based commercial ant deterrents are available online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painted_ponies Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 I'm guessing we're talking about fire ants, right? I'd be scared of most poisons, like AmDro Pro, etc. because the poison grains are coated in an oily substance that dogs might find tasty. I wonder if an insect growth regulator (IGR) might be safe? Normally those work by preventing the bug from growing an exoskeleton so they don't affect critters who don't live in chitin shells. But I'm no expert. If I were you, I'd call the county extension agent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickim Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 DH and I just had a house built--the ground it is on is very sandy and thus a lot of ants are around. I went to the dollar store and bought them out of the cinnamon they had--must've been about 20-30 containers. I sprinkled them everywhere around the base of the house. The dogs left the cinnamon alone (it it made it smell like baked stuff outside for awhile). It took 2-3 applications of the cinnamon, but it did work. I've also heard that ants don't like mint, so you could plant mint plants around the base of your house. And if you know where they're coming in--I've heard that ants don't like Bounce dryer sheets, either (and Bounce is supposed to keep away mosquitoes, too). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beach BCs Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 If this is inside the house you can wipe you base boards with lemon pledge. It has to be the real thing, no generics. Ants don't like the smell of it. Just wipe it as if your dusting a table. If it's outside and it's fire ants let me know how you get rid of them. Poor Texi got bit on the nose the other night and the critter would NOT let go! ANd I have horrible reactions to them myself. Granted the one time I took a Benedryl with a glass of wine was not one of my brigtest moments. But it was a great nights sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon M Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Where I work we use a product called "Seven 7 Dust". It is supposed to be safe for the animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of ant hills safely? They're in the Dog area, so I don't want to put anything on there that would hurt the puppers. To everyone else, I think the OP made it clear she's talking about ant hills OUTSIDE. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyleew Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Diatomaceous Earth. Just sprinkle it on the ant hill and the ones that don't die will leave. They avoid that stuff like the plague. I had ants in the house last year and I tried everything. I used the Bounce sheets, cinnamon, mint, cloves, cucumber skins and I am sure there was more, but I just can't think of it all right now. They didn't leave until I sprinkled DE in every place I could see them coming in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurie etc Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of ant hills safely? They're in the Dog area, so I don't want to put anything on there that would hurt the puppers. Diatomaceous Earth (DE) works great for killing ants and fleas - it is chemical free and is totally safe around people, pets, well... anything that doesn't have an extoskeleton. You can find it at most garden centers- It's a finely ground powder of diatoms that breaks down the extoskelton of insects - kind of like walking through crushed glass for them. I have used it along kitchen baseboards, on puppies that were too young for flea insecticides, along the outside of my house to keep fleas from coming in. I know people who feed it as a preventative for internal parasites. The catch is you would have to re-apply it if it rains - but I don't think it is expensive, and a small amount around ant hills should be enough to kill them. The only precaution is that you don't want it to be inhaled -so actually putting it down the ant hill openings would be preferable to putting it right on the open ground where your dogs could sniff and inhale the powder. Laurie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyleew Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 If you do get DE, make sure it is food-grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becki's Boys Posted July 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 Thank you all. I'm going to go look for the DE tomorrow. Food grade version . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LJS1993 Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 I'm thinking you can just use the granules, put a heavy, weighted box over the hill and the affected location. Give it the proper time, then thouroughly water the region of all the contaminants. On the ranch this is what we would do and our dogs had no ill effects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 50 fire crackers work too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosefarm Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 DH and I just had a house built--the ground it is on is very sandy and thus a lot of ants are around. I went to the dollar store and bought them out of the cinnamon they had--must've been about 20-30 containers. I sprinkled them everywhere around the base of the house. The dogs left the cinnamon alone (it it made it smell like baked stuff outside for awhile). It took 2-3 applications of the cinnamon, but it did work. I've also heard that ants don't like mint, so you could plant mint plants around the base of your house. And if you know where they're coming in--I've heard that ants don't like Bounce dryer sheets, either (and Bounce is supposed to keep away mosquitoes, too). FYI, the bounce only works if its the original scent which is Oleander, though not stated as such. Oleander is a natural bug repellant. at least I have read that somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosefarm Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 Diatomaceous Earth (DE) works great for killing ants and fleas - it is chemical free and is totally safe around people, pets, well... anything that doesn't have an extoskeleton. You can find it at most garden centers- It's a finely ground powder of diatoms that breaks down the extoskelton of insects - kind of like walking through crushed glass for them. I have used it along kitchen baseboards, on puppies that were too young for flea insecticides, along the outside of my house to keep fleas from coming in. I know people who feed it as a preventative for internal parasites. The catch is you would have to re-apply it if it rains - but I don't think it is expensive, and a small amount around ant hills should be enough to kill them. The only precaution is that you don't want it to be inhaled -so actually putting it down the ant hill openings would be preferable to putting it right on the open ground where your dogs could sniff and inhale the powder. Laurie Also make sure when applying this you wear a mask! There was quite a debate about DE on a poultry board, people use it for their birds to dust bath in and ingest. However the DE particles are NOT things that you want inhaled into your lungs. Just wanted to put that out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LJS1993 Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 50 fire crackers work too! Yes, basically like nuclear bombs for ants!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyleew Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 I have heard that, too about the mask, but so far have not had a problem with it. It is actually a pretty heavy powder and I sprinkle it very closely to the ground so not much dust is stirred up. The last bag I ordered came broke open, so as soon as I opened the box the dust hit me. My sinuses bothered me a bit that night, but I am fine otherwise. I also add DE to both my dogs' and my cats' food and I use it all around the yard and house for various pest control issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.