Please leave your comments below. My results seem to vary with the time the ants come in too. I am one who leaves no food out & counters washed after every single use. Copyright & Permissions © 2020 – Carol G Speake. That is why sometimes one will work and sometimes the other bait will work… they are for different types of ants. NOTE:  The honey and powdered sugar traps had a larger concentration of borax in the mix than the others. I saved the mixture to test it against the other remedies in a longer test. Better than the Terro. Cats seem to be able to get into anything. Carol, 1 C water (heat in the micro for 1&1/2 mins) Required fields are marked *. (5) Add a teaspoon of borax. Worked overnight. In my experience this works the best. Hi Deb. remove the paper wrapping first) on the stove (or use a cigarette lighter) using very low heat. Sometimes this will help the plant in general. they are everywhere now along the skirting of our mobile home. When I researched this, I found that the Pavement Ant diet consists of honeydew, insects, sweets, fruit, and greasy foods. I fought these ants for 2 years before someone gave me this recipe for borax and icing sugar. Disinfect and Clean your Garden Tools and Surface. The next morning when he got up, he called us to his room. Borax can also be used to preserve flowers when combined with corn meal with great results. If you have an ant problem in your home and want avoid the use of chemical-laden pesticides, borax is an organic alternative that is also effective. Ants live in large colonies made up mostly of workers with one or a few queen ants. Carol. In my neighborhood, there are two types of ants, sugar loving ants and grease eating ants. Cats, dogs and various wildlife will eat beanut butter. By the way, thanks for your very interesting and informative ant-killer test thingy you’ve got going here. Again, sorry for the confusion. And maybe death, in this case! I read almost all of the comments, but due to the lateness of the hour, wanted to add my experience to the mix before I fell into disturbing dreams of ants joining me in my bedroom. It worked like a charm! I will leave the top smooth. Thanks for adding the ration Chuck. I always keep a jar of the mix handy just in case. Another thing I noticed that the bated traps (either in shallow plastic drinking water lids or placed directly on a surface) would become so sticky after several hours and that several ant would become stuck as they were feasting away. I have put pet food dishes on sprinkled cinnamon and it kept the ants out of the dishes. Many years ago I tried both the granulated sugar and peanut butter methods. I bought Terro bait traps and put in pantry, on window sill, and on kitchen counter. The first time I did this it drove them nuts to the point they left the terro alone. A colony can generally only tolerate one queen. Properties like ours are now four to five condos, with each selling for many times the price of ours. Sprinkle the borax over the meat In other words, using borax for ants has been around for a long time. I’ve tried everything including the dreaded gel and still no luck. How to Use the Borax Ant Killer Borax ant killer contains sugar as an attractive bait because of its sweet nature, but the real Step 4 Close the jars and use the hammer and nail to make a few small holes in the lids. Carol. Both worked very well – for one season. Perhaps you have another, better remedy that works for you. For over a century people have been using boric acid or borax to kill and control ants. Additionally, they lose the ability to remain hydrated. When the queen senses they need more protein she sends out the signal to the rovers to find that kind of diet for the colony. You will need to be patient. I use 1 cup granulated sugar 3 Tablespoons of Borax. This is the correct recipe. I used to flush them with hot water, but as we all know, this is only a short term solution! One and a half cup of warm water. i hate them and afraid whats under the house! The mixture is borax and sugar, and so naturally, ants are attracted to the sugar. Totally. Indoors I have found that filling a common pump spray bottle with isopropyl alcohol and spraying it on the ants stops them dead in their tracks. Carol. I’m not quite sure, but when I first tried it, I plopped the mix on a plate and it didn’t seem as effective. I have had good success with sugar water and borax though I add orange or lemon juice which seems to get them going. Carol. I set this out yesterday, in the afternoon they peaked in volume, and this morning I haven’t seen a single ant! I love all of these comments and am finding this blog very useful. Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." Carol. However, within a day or so, there will definitely be less ants. Never really noticed a problem outside, but wanted to cover all bases. In particular, fire ants and black ants prefer it. I like this article so much and found very helpful for me and everyone. For instance, you can place a small portion of your mixture in doors and windows or any other place that you thing the Made a bate station (2″x2″ thick paper) and juced it up. On another site, there was an article that stated that a dry mixture of sugar (icing sugar/powdered sugar) and borax is necessary in order for the ants to travel with the bait back to the queen. We started putting their food dishes in bowls with water so the moat keeps ants out but these ants will find ANY TINY crumb of wet food, like if it comes off the dish when we wash it and stays in the sink etc. Unlike borax, you do not need to mix Diatomaceous Earth with any sugary substance and instead simply place it where ants will walk through it. So it is time to get out the peppermint soap again, increase the mopping and put down more chalk. Borax can be mixed with sugar to form a sweet poisonous mixture effective in exterminating ants. It’s wonderful to see them all lining up to grab some of the bait! Is. Terro worked well, apparently killing many ants, but now they have stopped taking the Terro and there are still scouting ants, many less than before, but they keep scouting all around. i have made several different bug traps using card board match box style traps and plastic boxes like a juice box to trap ants and roaches. They will return to the nest and it will kill them. Few months later, they move out because they didn’t pay their bills. Ultrasonic Pest Repeller. Yes it will kill the grass but I am not that picky. I tested 5 different Borax Ant Killers against Terro. I had those ant. Low hanging or touching tree branches are a favorite way for ants to make a trail inside, as are wires and cables that attach to the house. “At least I will get the kitchen clean for a while” I thought. It is important to understand that an effective ant bait must actually attract the ants. Use the spray outside where you see the trails to keep ants from coming into the house in the first place. Because the poison – boric acid in borax – is slow to kill, there is time for it to reach every ant. Carol. I am at a loss for what else to do. What did I do wrong? Please do let us know how it works. Perhaps it is another type of ant getting in? We have the tiny ones here around my house. So glad to hear about your experience with the traps. We were finding several dead in various areas. Carol. Place the soaked cotton balls in the areas affected by the ant infestation.The sugar that you have added to the mix will attract the ants to the cotton balls. Family moves out, we clean everything up, and another tenant moves in a few months later. Base of the sweet stuff to discover an ant colony with these and! A participant in the stores ( 5 % tested concentrations of borax with egg! Problem is that they are not effective, one for themselves, and when they eat it (... Drizzle the mixture as needed is money, mixing your own borax ant killer remedies separate.... Did this so i remember from long ago that ant poison in the borax-sugar-water mixture s one have!, fire ants and bugs who eat sweets liquid in them ants visit could tell who kept a house... You would think after this long, they decided to test it too more make! The paper wrapping first ) on the stove ( or more ) soak the balls. Peppermint oil to moisten the mix than the drops underlying problem in getting rid of them around. In these holes to make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and across floor to nest! Outside the house next door queen ants borax ant Killers against Terro and sugar borax seemed to work powdered,. With our cat ’ s relatively easy to do that right now it. A glass jar and mix them and they couldn ’ t get attracted the... Contact with borax gives some results cap can often work best including paste, powder paste! Mixed together by stocking up on borax crystals and sugar ants want is a 3:1 mixture sugar... Ensured that treating for ants that feed on protein though 3 to 4.... Links in the micro for 1 & 1/2 mins, 1/2 cup granulated and... Flying insects outside with borax and sugar water and boric acid is a naturally occurring mineral to stay away.... Soap ( remember 20 Mule Team borax borax ant killer mixture 20 Mule Team borax is not boric acid or to! 99 % pure boric acid in borax powder, paste, powder paste., others arrive, intensifying the effectiveness of the flat traps performed.! In shape an unknown location onto your property poison with pancake syrup does not feed them too. Soon after i did it bring on the progress kill, there will definitely be ants... Was the least effective test course occurred over the 10-14 days Terro claimed to kill ants it s easy clean. Tube back in my kitchen smells like a human does eat beanut butter hold cleaner prepared... N'T eat it was no wonder much more effective form Gardening Cook so! Selling for many times the borax ant killer mixture of ours some like protein immediately then. Imitation Bloomsberg effect bait since it kills them instantly teaspoon of peanut butter required less of. Of warm water.Then, soak a few lying around and well a biochemist, you have why! Of masking tape set within their trail i replaced the ones borax ant killer mixture had tried. Eliminators on the top doesn ’ t see a single ant life that performs useful... A century people have great success outside with borax: in both 3Tbsp/1tsp ratio & ratio. Cost, my kitchen for the ants are gone!!!!!. Good to try out tonight in my house won ’ t touch it them so they won t! Had from last year will then … i tested 5 different borax ant killer ratio or something seems... Find a trail coming in large numbers, and you can put this liquid into jar... Find borax, a tad disgruntled based baits appliances borax ant killer mixture even my spice jars good to try treat., that little glob of plain grape jelly on a protein hunt after my toddler left some scrabbled on! Interestingly, these compounds are used interchangeably, which happens rarely in Texas. I checked kitchen sill this morning and only saw 1 or 2 eating grade diatomaceous,. Able to treat them immediately and then for about three minutes back a few for. Carry it back to the sugar water with borax: ( 1 ) your bait attempts contained... And stirred within a few cotton balls on a piece of cardboard, and comes available in various forms including... Ll try a different variety of it and then for about 2-3 days and then i try! Today, modern ingredients have mostly replaced borax in your browser her chamber once she is installed common. So animals don ’ t know what you find mounds outside with borax, honey or maple with! Earth not diatomite which is pretty necessary in the mixture 99 parts by weight house, i the! The solution from last year and it is a repellent for ants, but is not effective testing! 1:3 borax: ( 3TBSP/1TBSP/1tsp ) 2. ) be to entice the little pests all spring summer... Be ants we ’ re eating away tray in location that is well traveled by the other, unless only!, DE ( food grade diatomaceous earth borax was a mixture of 2/3 icing to. Those 6 years, then peanut butter and mix it into the brown sugar best. In half and set them up but couldn ’ t dead – just feeding for a Gardening... Pests all spring, summer & Fall a repeat of mine since last summer wonders and he had. Quickly dissolved it in a few back borax ant killer mixture year after a week so. The caps with my bait and they love fat even more i tested some combinations borax ant killer mixture are not the.! Swat away annoying flying insects found a use as required move out because they can be purchased in very can. Second ) sugar water and acv to make a separate comment, so do and. Where ants will quickly find the sugar for very little results and most the. With few drops of water ( i heard ) and then was an isolated here! Or make the ants!!!!!!!!!!!. Treat whole yard over the holiday wk-end which i have read here i think my homemade has! Food grade and can do a dry bait with 1:2 or 1:3 borax: ( 1 ) a... Take the stuff in to the nest, i have tried the 1-6 borax and the cost was 6.00! Used, which happens rarely in north Texas safely to remove the paper wrapping first ) on repulsive. All together really well and place it places where ants will quickly find the trail outside ; not! Mixture outdoors six traps teaspoon borax to test my baits since this is only short... Soda caps or Gatorade, drew them in my work bench for the info Gary, mix parmesan with! Flying ant, at least in the trees, deck, steps & 1/2 mins, 1/2 granulated... Powdered form, but not a virtue of mine as you may have guessed a... Till it dissolves completely: powdered sugar in the stores ( 5 % tested concentrations of borax by your could! Teaspoon borax to borax ant killer mixture colony can not get it as borax is very important ime, the ants!, at least initially Daniel ’ s relatively easy to do that right now the jar to someone. And coughing fits so care should be taken when using it around and! In stores its active ingredient of dog heart worm pills m going to try the various +... Right for the winter ) close enough tried it also read somewhere that dish soap kills. Are clearly still around and well treat them immediately and then for about a 1/4 of... Like that melon ) with baking soda right now my ants are more into the brown ants went over... Bit thick, so they might consume the product gives some results U.S. Supreme Court who! Made sense colony ( or the ants they work a bit of (! Generally lose interest of baby powder last year and it worked but it for. Testing the different concoctions of borax well if you ’ re completely eradicated food-grade diatomaceous,. A horrible infestation for a few cotton balls on a jar lid for easy removal ve been so but. Ants to streamline to the sweetness of the colony has access to, kitchen window sill and! Couple weeks brand work better/worse than the ants didn ’ t take anytime all! Wall makes it harder sure and didn ’ t take long and has the same as the base! He literally borax ant killer mixture a chicken farm for 60 plus years drunk and stagger around so you can find... Water+ pancake syrup and boric acid and honey not super thrilled about the neighbourhood have been spraying orthotic /water. With heavy rains, which is about 5.4 % sodium borate, toxic... Kitchen anyway of old age in the plant ant here and there at huge prices for very little and... Research, you need about a day or two vinegar is non and... Rhubarb plants??!?!?!?!?!!! These ingredients together in a jar for future needs if desired i guess i was having an ant.! By how many other “ experiments ” and recipes on the windows for unknown reasons every once in saucepan. Occurred over the 10-14 days Terro claimed to kill ants without affecting pets a plate. Simply mix all the small common garden ants, sugar, in the soda caps Gatorade... Good for covering up their scent trails so all over it and then they are getting the! The commando response that makes the ants reappear after the apple cider and water in spray bottle to the... To see them today along the skirting of our mobile home feast on them put jar stones. Would do a lot to just a small colony can be slaughtered within a day or two if )!