I'm just curious as to whether or not anyone else is currently having problems with Ant infestations?

Back this past Spring, when we received all of that torrential rain, we had a problem in our house (For the first time ever), but fortunately the Orkin man laid the smackdown on the little bastards, and everything's been fine since.


However, just today I happened to look at my car (New, and in Pristine Condition), and I saw some Ants crawling over it. I sprayed them off with a hose, then I noticed more coming out of the space between the Front Driver's Side door, and the Fender. I kept at it with the hose for 30 minutes, and I figured that I had at least made a dent in the problem. My initial belief was simply that the ants were coming from under my hood, or at least from the outside of the vehicle.

Then, a few minutes later I happened to look back inside the car from the windshield, and I noticed a half-dozen ants on the dashboard and interior of the windshield. I had a family member go get some Bait traps while they were out at Home Depot, and when they came back I prepped the traps.

Now, here's the craziness. I opened the Driver's Side door to place the trap on the dashboard, and I figured that the ants must've made it into my car through the air vents. Well, damn if I didn't open the door and notice hundreds if not a THOUSAND ants, including eggs, completely covering the inside top of the door frame above the window, and the car frame adjacent to it. I was shocked as hell, and the family member with me grabbed a can of ant spray, doused a rag in it, and wiped the little demons to hell. Then I decided to give the entire car a good inspection, and the Back Right Door had the same issue, and the Passenger Side Door had the MOST. When the Passenger door was wiped, eggs fell all over the floor. Then we sprayed the doors, seats, etc., completely inundating the terrorist buggers, and they slowed down for the time being. I went inside and grabbed the vacuum, and I cleaned up the carnage, then I went after a few more hundred live ones as well (Amazingly, the suction alone killed them). Then, and as of right now, I have two bait traps placed in the car as well. Not even an hour after the entire trap placing though, we noticed a ton of ants all around the car on the driveway, so I sprayed my tires, and we sprayed around the car as well. The last time I looked, I actually saw an ant just chilling on the passenger seat facing forward, as if he was waiting to go for a cruise.

This is crazy though, because I was in the car just this past Sunday, and Monday, and there were NO ants, no bugs, and NO, I never eat in that car, and I have never spilled any drinks in it either.

The only conclusion that I have come to is that Aphids must've dropped down from the tree overhead, and that must've attracted the entire freaking colony to a joy party. Some of the ants actually had Aphid colored green pieces in their jaws, and so it seems the most likely explanation. It's pretty crazy though, because we've never had a problem like that before, and no other cars have so far been effected. I also wonder if the long period of dry weather, then the sudden rainy period, might have also had a part to play in their entire fiasco.


Anyways, has anyone else had a similar problem, or has anyone in the area suddenly noticed an influx in Ants?

If the bait traps are those little black square plastic traps with a round dome, those work really well. But they don't kill the ants, they are designed to have the ants take the poison back to the ant colony where it will kill the entire colony.

There's something up with your car that is attracting the ants. Even if you never eat in your car, is it possible that something you transported, from the grocery store, or takeout, could have leaked or spilled?

Even without spilling, I've come home at night with chinese takeout, and could still smell it the next morning when I was going to work. I don't know if that would attract ants, though.

I'd suggest starting your car and turning on the A/C or Heat full blast and using a bug bomb, but that wouldn't be so healthy for you.

Permethrin is supposedly "safe", you may want to douse the exterior of your car with it. ?? That might work. ?? It comes in a convenient bottle with hose attachment, so you can just spray your car from bumper to bumper with it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
The function of conservatives is not to meet every liberal program or scheme with a denunciation or a destructive counterscheme, but rather to weigh its advantages and defects, supporting the first and challenging the second. A declaration of ideological warfare against liberalism is by its nature profoundly unconservative. It meets perceived radicalism with a counterradicalism of its own.

PackLeader, it could have been that the colony was migrating, and your car happened to be in the way. It would explain why the ants showed up again after you killed off the first wave; ants lay down a track of pheromones wherever they go for other ants to follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------
13 4826 0948 82695 25847. Yes.

Cinnamon is a great ant deterrent. I had an ant trail in a couple of places I was at, and laying cinnamon down made them disappear for good.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4464941_repel-ants-cinnamon.html

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980528a.cfm

Peppermint oil works pretty well, and it doesn't stink up your car like most ant killers. You can probably find it a local garden center, labeled as "poison-free" ant and spider spray.

---------------------------------
Who knows from whence he came, and who knows where he goes, dot dot dot.

some ants are attracted to electronics. maybe you left something on in your car and it made em go crazy?

If ants are hanging around the toilet, go get checked for diabetes.

Funny, I just started experiencing ant problems in my apartment just a couple of days ago. I have never had an ant problem, and in addition, I've been keeping the place pretty clean (at least much cleaner than a few weeks before even noticing the problem).

Yes, we've had ant problems in the Spring and now lately with a vengeance. I put those little dome shaped traps around with no results. I broke down today and bought a can of Raid (unscented). That seems to be doing the trick.

You know your work place has an ant problem when you adjust your glasses because you can't see, only to find an ant walking across your lens. Ugggshe

4eyes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You know your work place has an ant problem when
> you adjust your glasses because you can't see,
> only to find an ant walking across your lens.
> Ugggshe


I saw one walking on my keyboard one day, like I said earlier in the thread, just sprinkle cinnamon in their trail, they will be gone within a day.

Blessed are the murderous.

This is so funny- I am having the exact same problem right now. They are all over the workings of the car, but not really on anything inside the car. I don't know how to get rid of them. It seems almost as if they are trying to build an ant hill in my car. My car is clean and I, as you, never eat in my car. Most of my problem are in the door frame areas and on the outside of the car. I have sprayed with Rid-Ex. Do you have any other tips that might work better?

for some reason, the ants are bad this year. we have been fighting them since spring. all the spiders around the house are lazy bastards and arent doing their job eating them. today i sprayed around the house. we'll see what happens.

wait a few more weeks and the cooler weather will kill them all off. after that, scrub your car down because the pheremone trails can last for a looooooong time.

Yep, I have had problems in the kitchen and they like to live under my hot tub cover on the edges of the tub.

Best thing I have found - Terro Syryp. They sell it at home depot and it's cheap. It's like sugar water, the ants LOVE it and they go back to the nest and die there, and the poison spreads to the others. 24 hours after putting Terro out the ants in my kitchen were GONE.

Good luck!

I had ants in my house. Went to Home Depot bought a gallon of perimeter spray. Sprayed all the way around the house near the foundation. Ants were gone in a day. If I see more I do a repeat. No ant problems anymore.

What do you get if you cross some ants with some tics?

All sorts of ANTICS!!! Ohhhhhhh!

Use anyone but Superior Pest Service. They are anything but, Superior! I used to do my own thing with chemicals at Home Depot but then we had kids and I thought I would use a pest service to be safe.

I called Superior and I used them for Ants in the house and I swear there was Ant Fertilizer in what ever they were spraying. I used them for almost a year than the true form came out when I tried to cancel my pay as you go service. They sent me bill after bill after bill and made it a nightmare to get it canceled. The manager was rude as hell and would not cancel my service. I knew there would be a day when I would get even with them. So thanks to Fairfax Underground, FU to Superior.

I now use the BUG MAN from Alexandria he is great (he is on yahoo yellow pages)! He actually told me me not to do anything but spray windex to deter the ants untill the kids get older but now he takes care of all our pest needs.

Ants? Not so much. Stink bugs? Everywhere. Sign of the apocolypse.

Insect Killer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I had ants in my house. Went to Home Depot bought
> a gallon of perimeter spray. Sprayed all the way
> around the house near the foundation. Ants were
> gone in a day. If I see more I do a repeat. No
> ant problems anymore.

That stuff works well. Just like the little ant spikes and domes.

But the hand pump on the perimeter spray always makes my hand hurt like it used to when I would make way too many snowballs when I was a kid.

Luckily, the pain only lasts about a half a day, and the ants are gone afterwards.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
The function of conservatives is not to meet every liberal program or scheme with a denunciation or a destructive counterscheme, but rather to weigh its advantages and defects, supporting the first and challenging the second. A declaration of ideological warfare against liberalism is by its nature profoundly unconservative. It meets perceived radicalism with a counterradicalism of its own.

496 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ants? Not so much. Stink bugs? Everywhere. Sign of
> the apocolypse.


Yeah, those stink bugs are really becoming a fucking menace.

My parents have been dealing with them for 2 or 3 years, and recently I must have carried one back to my house in something, and now they're starting to appear in droves at my house.

I never had this problem before, but it's starting to look like they are here to stay and making a party out of it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
The function of conservatives is not to meet every liberal program or scheme with a denunciation or a destructive counterscheme, but rather to weigh its advantages and defects, supporting the first and challenging the second. A declaration of ideological warfare against liberalism is by its nature profoundly unconservative. It meets perceived radicalism with a counterradicalism of its own.

if you see ants, look for their hill it is nearby. They do not travel far.

A couple of years ago we had ants in our kitchen. I checked the internet machine for recommendations and one site said the hill nearby (it was a couple feet from my door) and pour scolding hot water on it.

I fired up a lobster pot full of water and bought it to a heavy boil. Took the pot outside and made it rain for the ants. Haven't had a problem since.

Use Raid MAX - even though it's supposed to be for cockroaches. That stuff is very strong, and will last a long time between sprayings.

Radiophile Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A couple of years ago we had ants in our kitchen.
> I checked the internet machine for recommendations

"Internet machine" Is that like a computer?

496 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ants? Not so much. Stink bugs? Everywhere. Sign of the apocolypse.

Seriously, these things are impossible.

bump for no raisin

.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2012 06:02PM by Alias.

Hey everyone!!! i am having that problem right now!! i just bought a 2000 dodge stratus and i seen little black ants like crawling in the car and a few got on my arm and i was like okay let me go vacuum this car out real quick and well that did not work.. and then i noticed them all over my window seals so im like what the crap is going on.. ive never had this problem either ever. so i raided there assess and this morning i drove my car to work and they were on my hood on the top of the hood the back part of my car... everywhere! i am so pissed and i just wanted to know the best thing to do?

Hot Shot spray and Terro ant traps are your friends!

I left my BMW at the dealership over the weekend for a repair of the horn and when the gentleman opened the door, I got in, said thanks, and by the time I got the door closed ants were all over my legs (i wore shorts today-100 degree weather) and arms. I jumped out of my BMW and saw ants traveling to and from from the trunk, inside the trunk, all the way through to the front bumper, under the wheel-well, under the hood, on the tires, etc. I was furious because the technicians thought I was going to go home and take care of the ant problem there. When I asked for the hire-up and they saw how visibly upset I was, they gave me a loaner and sent me on my way, promising to get rid of the ants. Does anyone know whether I am in for some trouble now that the ants made it into my car, a 2008 528xi BMW? I have never ever in my driving-life had a car invaded by ants. The car had no type of food in it. It appears it was parked adjacent a tree on their premises that is infested with ants.

Marie,

You have ants in your car because you have a douchebag car that only douchebags drive. Only a douchebag would go into that much detail about what type of BMW they drove when talking about ants. You could have said you had ants in your car and left it at that.

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Marie,
>
> You have ants in your car because you have a
> douchebag car that only douchebags drive. Only a
> douchebag would go into that much detail about
> what type of BMW they drove when talking about
> ants. You could have said you had ants in your car
> and left it at that.


Yeah, you're a pretentious dick Marie

I had sex with my uncle's wife's sister. Did I bang an ant?

MARIE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I left my BMW at the dealership over the weekend
> for a repair of the horn and when the gentleman
> opened the door, I got in, said thanks, and by the
> time I got the door closed ants were all over my
> legs (i wore shorts today-100 degree weather) and
> arms. I jumped out of my BMW and saw ants
> traveling to and from from the trunk, inside the
> trunk, all the way through to the front bumper,
> under the wheel-well, under the hood, on the
> tires, etc. I was furious because the technicians
> thought I was going to go home and take care of
> the ant problem there. When I asked for the
> hire-up and they saw how visibly upset I was, they
> gave me a loaner and sent me on my way, promising
> to get rid of the ants. Does anyone know whether I
> am in for some trouble now that the ants made it
> into my car, a 2008 528xi BMW? I have never ever
> in my driving-life had a car invaded by ants. The
> car had no type of food in it. It appears it was
> parked adjacent a tree on their premises that is
> infested with ants.


So what does your husband do that he has enough money to give a nice car like that to an idiot like you?

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Marie,
>
> You have ants in your car because you have a
> douchebag car that only douchebags drive. Only a
> douchebag would go into that much detail about
> what type of BMW they drove when talking about
> ants. You could have said you had ants in your car
> and left it at that.

You beat me to it. Typical BMW douchebag.

--------------------------------------------------------------
13 4826 0948 82695 25847. Yes.

Marie you are hilarious I love the way you emphasized the guy is a douche bag .... You seem to be very upfront and honesti love it!!!!! Hahahaha

Ants keep termites at bay

ThePackLeader Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm just curious as to whether or not anyone else
> is currently having problems with Ant
> infestations?
>
> Back this past Spring, when we received all of
> that torrential rain, we had a problem in our
> house (For the first time ever), but fortunately
> the Orkin man laid the smackdown on the little
> bastards, and everything's been fine since.
>
>
> However, just today I happened to look at my car
> (New, and in Pristine Condition), and I saw some
> Ants crawling over it. I sprayed them off with a
> hose, then I noticed more coming out of the space
> between the Front Driver's Side door, and the
> Fender. I kept at it with the hose for 30 minutes,
> and I figured that I had at least made a dent in
> the problem. My initial belief was simply that the
> ants were coming from under my hood, or at least
> from the outside of the vehicle.
>
> Then, a few minutes later I happened to look back
> inside the car from the windshield, and I noticed
> a half-dozen ants on the dashboard and interior of
> the windshield. I had a family member go get some
> Bait traps while they were out at Home Depot, and
> when they came back I prepped the traps.
>
> Now, here's the craziness. I opened the Driver's
> Side door to place the trap on the dashboard, and
> I figured that the ants must've made it into my
> car through the air vents. Well, damn if I didn't
> open the door and notice hundreds if not a
> THOUSAND ants, including eggs, completely covering
> the inside top of the door frame above the window,
> and the car frame adjacent to it. I was shocked as
> hell, and the family member with me grabbed a can
> of ant spray, doused a rag in it, and wiped the
> little demons to hell. Then I decided to give the
> entire car a good inspection, and the Back Right
> Door had the same issue, and the Passenger Side
> Door had the MOST. When the Passenger door was
> wiped, eggs fell all over the floor. Then we
> sprayed the doors, seats, etc., completely
> inundating the terrorist buggers, and they slowed
> down for the time being. I went inside and grabbed
> the vacuum, and I cleaned up the carnage, then I
> went after a few more hundred live ones as well
> (Amazingly, the suction alone killed them). Then,
> and as of right now, I have two bait traps placed
> in the car as well. Not even an hour after the
> entire trap placing though, we noticed a ton of
> ants all around the car on the driveway, so I
> sprayed my tires, and we sprayed around the car as
> well. The last time I looked, I actually saw an
> ant just chilling on the passenger seat facing
> forward, as if he was waiting to go for a cruise.
>
> This is crazy though, because I was in the car
> just this past Sunday, and Monday, and there were
> NO ants, no bugs, and NO, I never eat in that car,
> and I have never spilled any drinks in it either.
>
> The only conclusion that I have come to is that
> Aphids must've dropped down from the tree
> overhead, and that must've attracted the entire
> freaking colony to a joy party. Some of the ants
> actually had Aphid colored green pieces in their
> jaws, and so it seems the most likely explanation.
> It's pretty crazy though, because we've never had
> a problem like that before, and no other cars have
> so far been effected. I also wonder if the long
> period of dry weather, then the sudden rainy
> period, might have also had a part to play in
> their entire fiasco.
>
>
> Anyways, has anyone else had a similar problem, or
> has anyone in the area suddenly noticed an influx
> in Ants?

The ants have adapted to the traps and the poisons designed to kill the colony, so those items are mostly ineffective. I have a "Green" solution if you're interested and here it is...

1). Go to the dollar store and get some inexpensive sugary candy. Preferably those big marshmellowy type things they sell.

2). Get some sugar and mix it with water. (Or you can use cheap sugary soda - The dollar store has cheap soda you can use).

3). Clean the areas where you see the ants with either windex or clorox. This will destroy the chemical trails the ants leave for each other.

4). Take the sugar water and create a trail away from your home. Preferably out to an area in your lawn away from your house. Make sure you leave alot and make sure you do this when its dry outside.

5). Take the candy from the dollar store and pile it up on your lawn in one small area far away from your house.

6). Using the sugar water and make a trail from where you saw the ants previously, to the location of the dollar store candy you bought and piled up in the yard.

7). The ants will find the sugar water trail and follow it to the pile of candy. They will then usually move the colony to be closer to the candy and will stay in that area away from your house.

8). About a month after that, leave some more candy where you piled it up. ***Note: The pile doesn't need to be very big.

9). If you have a garden, you can put the pile of candy next to the garden and the ants will "police" your garden for bugs.

I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.

Ants are facinating insects. They're annoying when they get into your house and bug you at outdoor picnics.

So far, so good. I have no Ant issues at my home.

Fan of Ants

Kent Brockman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.

Can't we just all get along?!?!?!?!?

Ants observer.
Attachments:

I'd rather deal with ants than roaches!

Like the above poster said, windex if you have kids, break out the Raid Max or get that Terro Syrup, it WORKS.

Or you can use the natural sugar solution above. I heard straight Borax works too.

flight risk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'd rather deal with ants than roaches!

You are SOOOOOO RIGHT! Ants are much easier to deal with than roaches. Oh God, Roaches breed like crazy and you have to gas, gas, and gas again to get rid of them.

Ants over roaches anyday!
Just remember....he's got high hopes...high applie pie in the sky hopes....an ant can't move a rubber tree plant!