What do you use to kill ants?

Ok. Probably the nicest thing to do, but if they start running trails along my home, I kill them. I don't want them coming into my home, and yes, I've caulked the hell of all visible cracks. Haven't used regular pesticides in decades. I used to just mix dish soap and water in a spray bottle and that did the job just fine. But as time went by I got lazy and just grabbed whatever was under the sink. I've had a cleaning lady for years and the stock of cleaning supplies under my sink has accumulated over the years: clorox surface cleaner, floor cleaner, "green" general sprays, toilet cleaner, carpet sprays. They all work just fine I find. Don't even know why people by pesticides.

Boiling water (gallons)around large mounds worked in sandy soil in AZ/NM. Best if done when there is only a mound or two. Perks into the nest if your lucky a kills the colony. Used only on the nasty reds and carpenters.

borax mix with sugar and water. leave by ant nes t hole.

I usually don't bother with the inside, since we don't have very many of my oppressed 6 and 8 legged exoskeletal friends. Inside....I usually use a Mk-1, Mod-0 fly swatter, which doubles very nicely for gaining cooperation from the 4-legged occupants of my domain.

OK.....so outside is a different story!!
My current go-to toxin is an Indoxacarb based insecticide (Advion, Spectracide Once and Done and RealKill fire ant bait.) I live on 5 acres, of which about half is mowed and all of which is fenced. The fencing controls most of the mammals. The mowing, in addition to looking nicer keeps the insect population down considerably. I usually direct-treat the areas closest to my houses by soaking the day after a fairly heavy rain. I usually only have to do this a few times a year.
It reduces the number of beneficial ants that are easily killed by the "spray and pray" broadcast or dusting methods (the fire ants in the mounds that I soak have already killed off the surrounding beneficial insects!) and I'm not dumping any more chemicals into the ground than I absolutely need.
Boiling water is cool (pun almost unintended) but it's too time and energy intensive, and besides, in my experience, they just pile the scalded bodies in a ring around the perimeter of their mound and just go on being fire-ants.
Sometimes......if I have a co-conspirator, I'll take a shovel full from one mound and (rapidly!) exchange it with a shovel full from another one. That will usually keep them busy for quite a little while.

If you're one of those persons who fight for the rights of the imported fire-ant, here's some good news for you. Usually...about 2-4 times a month during the summer I get stung by the little bast...(*) I mean those nice insects who are just trying to protect their mounds. I'm hyper sensitive to insect venom, and it sometimes leaves pretty nasty wounds, but eventually they do heal up.
I call it "The Yard Tax".
Liberals won't quite understand this appellation, since they think that taxes are a good thing, but that's life, I guess.

If you're interested:
http://www.uaex.edu/other_areas/publications/pdf/fsa-7036.pdf

A product called Tempo is an excellent choice. I dont know if its available in every state or not. Its a synthetic pyrethroid that has a low toxicity to mamals. It can be used in dairy barns and comercial kitchens. It also works great as a perimeter treatment around the outside of your house for flea's & ticks. Kills mosquitos if you spray your yard. There is nothing wrong with pesticides if used according to the label. What is wrong may be to use a caustic cleaner that has never been tested or approved for that use. The residue from it may be far more harmful if somone was to come in contact with it without properly washing it from thier skin or if they were to rub thier eyes.

I take the "Evil Deity" approach to killing ants.

First I try to talk them into commiting mass Ant Suicide. (usually won't work)

If that fails? I visit numerous plagues upon them. From Spontaneous Ant Combustion by prismatic manipulation of the suns rays...

To sudden unfathomable Ant plagues brought on by pesticides and poisons disguised as raindrops or manna from heaven.

It's really pretty horrible of me.

Someday Ant Karma will get me.

Spiders? Spiders I kill with a respectful Ninja like grace. But that's because I fear them more...

i spray the foundation with ortho and ant traps inside. proly reduces the prolem by 50-75%.

Years ago, a large bug made the fatal mistake of coming in the front door of our home. One of the roommates grabbed a can of spray and proceeded to attempt to drown the bug. The bug simply walked out of the puddle of poison. I picked up the can, looked at the label, turned to the group of people watching the bug, still unfazed with the poison, and stated, "Linda, you are using this stuff all wrong" I then took the can and smacked the bug flat, period!
I just walked away muttering something about reading the directions, while everyone else just went ROFLOL!!!

Ant Sand, works a treat in the garden

Simple Green (the "non toxic" stuff) works well on ants. It works even better on Flies! The first thing it does is disables their ability to fly. A fly that cannot fly is a "walk" and killing "walks" is very easy.

The concentrated Simple Green is a very effective Black Widow Spider killer too. I get very leery when I read the stuff claims to be "Non Toxic". How do they determine this?

Borax and sugar water is mucho effectivo!

Inside you can go natural, just have the right pets. I have Wolf Spiders living in our house, they hunt ants and don't spin webs. My kids always wanted to play with them, but I discouraged that.



JeffD

Gulp.

Your kids wanted to play with that?

I try, strive to live in harmony with the living creatures around me...insects, and all...

But Spiders? I'm convinced they aren't natural. Multiple Legs, Multiple Eyes...fangs...and they spin entrapping webs.

They are the bloody Vampires of the insect world. Arachnids feasting on a different species.

Oh, I let them live in peace...away from me....if they make themselves known in my presence?

I am less than Eco-Friendly.

I'll act in self-defence against bitey things like mosquitos and teensy red ants, but my dog goes after them for sport. And spiders are great to have around.

And, I must confess, I've poisoned a couple of wasp nests in my day, but that was an act of defending my family.

the only spider i can tolerate is the daddy long legs. they always seemed benign.

I pour gasoline over them...just joking. I run my Prius back and forth over them...in EV of course.

I catch and release the bigger ones. It's easy to do since they have little fear.

JeffD

The borax based liquids can be bought at Walmart for garden ants. For fire ants which sent me to hospital once Amdro granules may be needed. Thank goodness we do not have fire ants here but with global warming I think there are coming north to get me.

Cordyceps fungi! Turns ants into zombies !!!

I would be more impressed by my spider house guests if they would up their game against the mosquitoes who happen in.

I am ill-disposed towards mosquitoes, more so than for most arthropods. Have only heard one sensible claim for why they should be allowed to live. It's a longer story to tell though. So I'll wait for an invite.

So many entertaining arthropod stories...way more fun than sparring over climate change. Out.

Individually, or collectively?

Over....

This I have to hear. Invite initiated.