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cainaries
21-08-2012, 17:55
May be it is just us in hillbilly country La Palma but we are plagued with ants. We've bought some powder which works for about 24 hours and then they are back. A friend said she put the powder down and then watched the ants quickly divert round it and carry on.

And some of them bite!:(:(

junglejim
21-08-2012, 17:59
Nippon,or the gel stuff works-they take it back to nest and queen dies
eg http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NIPPON-ANT-KILLER-LIQUID-GEL-25G-25-GRAM-X-3-TUBES-/190714765335?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Garden_Plants_Weed_ Pest_Control_CV&hash=item2c677c6017

Cost about €5 from Ferreteria.

kingbaker
21-08-2012, 17:59
May be it is just us in hillbilly country La Palma but we are plagued with ants. We've bought some powder which works for about 24 hours and then they are back. A friend said she put the powder down and then watched the ants quickly divert round it and carry on.

And some of them bite!:(:(


I'd bite them back.........the little blighters!!!!!!:lol:

Suej
21-08-2012, 18:14
We've got 'em too Cainaries! I just use talc they suffocate on it! that stops the buggers biting!!!:eyebrows: Be careful with what you use is the way of ant killing powders with your cats!

cainaries
21-08-2012, 19:23
We've got 'em too Cainaries! I just use talc they suffocate on it! that stops the buggers biting!!!:eyebrows: Be careful with what you use is the way of ant killing powders with your cats!

You're so right! Spent about half an hour in the ferreteria with the very nice assistant whilst we solemnly read all the labels to make sure they were safe with pets. Didn't see any Nippon gel, though, JJ. (The name of that will amuse OH, he'll be waiting for snipers to attack).

We've never had them before, is it the weather?

Sunterra
21-08-2012, 19:23
I would recommend using EcoGel which you can get from the Ferrateria. Similar to that posted by Junglejim. You put down a small line or blob of gel around the area where the ants are, they eat the gel and take it back to the nest which results in the whole nest being killed off. Ensure that you push the ants to the gel area as they get wise to what it is, but by tapping the area around them it will send them towards it and their nest. A tip for those with animals, put the animals feeding bowl into a container/on top of a large plate with water, the ants will not traverse over the water to the food. Also spray around all doorways and garden areas where you see ant activity. A word of warning regarding the powder, it can be dangerous for animals and can also kill your garden plants/roots, particularly as everything is so arid. Also heard garlic is a good weapon against them, but not tried that as yet!

cainaries
21-08-2012, 19:27
Thanks, Sunterra. Back to the ferreteria tomorrow then. And especially for the tip on how to feed the animals. In addition to our own 'darlings', we feed a stray cat and the dog just hates him. I shall have to be careful how I organise all the plates or it will be more like a Greek restaurant after a party if I'm not careful.

Sunterra
21-08-2012, 19:35
I am assuming you feed the stray outside, use a tinfoil container for it and save on plates to avoid the Greek style restaurant affect!!

warbey
21-08-2012, 19:46
A lazy way is if they swarm there are enouh to pour boiling water over.

Again this damages Plants too..

I find they like certain Plants which have a lot of Sap in them = Sugar.

Rhubarb and Begonias for example.

Malteser Monkey
21-08-2012, 19:46
C my Mum has them in London - the tiny ones like Bichos, she's had powder pots put in the bathroom and kitchen

They are attracted by food smells, hence toilet and kitchen

warbey
21-08-2012, 19:56
We stayed in an Apartment Complex in Catalonia.

I left a Bunch of Grapes in a Fruit Bowl on a Sideboard.
We were on the First Floor
The following Morning the Place was black with a Trail of Ants on a one-way System to the Bowl.

Never seen anything like it before..

Suej
21-08-2012, 19:57
C my Mum has them in London - the tiny ones like Bichos, she's had powder pots put in the bathroom and kitchen

They are attracted by food smells, hence toilet and kitchen

I don't keep food in the toilet anymore Monkey!:tongue:

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Thanks, Sunterra. Back to the ferreteria tomorrow then. And especially for the tip on how to feed the animals. In addition to our own 'darlings', we feed a stray cat and the dog just hates him. I shall have to be careful how I organise all the plates or it will be more like a Greek restaurant after a party if I'm not careful.

Watch the ants don't get in the cat bowls! Get a ice cream container lid or something similar turn it upside down and put talc in the recessed edge then the cat bowl on top! it works!!! :wink:

Sunterra
21-08-2012, 20:11
They go for any type of food, but more sugar the better, that is why this Ecogel which is a sugary sap encourages them to eat it.

warbey
21-08-2012, 20:20
:tiphat:
I don't keep food in the toilet anymore Monkey!:tongue:

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:



Boil in the Bag, not the Bidet, so to speak.....:tiphat: :nono::nono:

cainaries
21-08-2012, 22:19
I am assuming you feed the stray outside, use a tinfoil container for it and save on plates to avoid the Greek style restaurant affect!!

Nooooo .... the windows are open and Señor eStripey el eStray has mastered the art of coming through them. He's stumped by the cat flap but the windows are alarmingly easy! Given the way my animals go at their food, I wouldn't use tinfoil but we are still planning to try the water trick and thanks for the recommendation.

Our ants are going for meat, not sugar! Haven't touched fruit but anything with meat ... oh, I don't even want to go there.

slodgedad
21-08-2012, 23:00
A pet aardvark may do the trick..:)

caroletenerife
22-08-2012, 01:17
I have lots of ants and i have watched where they come from, so when i feed the dogs i give them their own tiny little bowl of food at the edge of the terrace. It keeps them out of the house and saves them a long walk too xx

KirstyJay
22-08-2012, 01:29
You can get Ecogel in the ferreterias now. It's similar to Nippon, but Spanish :)

timmylish
22-08-2012, 01:31
Please, please take the advice regarding the gel substance. For years whilst in Cabo Blanco and subsequently after moving here (we brought them with us!) we were infested. Truly infested. Having used the gel last year we have not had one any, not one, in our apartment. 5 Euros aint a lot to pay to obtain relief from these blighters!

julia44
22-08-2012, 04:24
I have just started using the Ecogel, brilliant, the cats dont go near it.What I found was a good idea was to put a piece of cat food on the terrace and when all the ants appeared follow them back to where they came from and put a drop of the gel near the nest. I also spray the door thresholds with cat flea spray and that stops the ants breaking in.

Malteser Monkey
22-08-2012, 10:09
I don't keep food in the toilet anymore Monkey!:tongue:

Sorry the bidet like warbs said ! :laugh:


Our ants are going for meat, not sugar! Haven't touched fruit but anything with meat ... oh, I don't even want to go there.

Sounds like the same ones C will ask my mum what the powder in the pots is

candy2411
22-08-2012, 11:26
We stayed in an Apartment Complex in Catalonia.

I left a Bunch of Grapes in a Fruit Bowl on a Sideboard.
We were on the First Floor
The following Morning the Place was black with a Trail of Ants on a one-way System to the Bowl.

Never seen anything like it before..

We did exactly the same in Menorca, made the mistake of leaving a pizza (still in takeaway box) on kitchen table when popped out for few drinks! on returning the trail of ants was from beside the patio doors in living room and into the kitchen up on to the table and into the box! Unbelievable! Could have been worse I suppose, could have been cockroaches.:eek:

seanocelt
02-10-2012, 12:28
Any particular ferreteria guys? Finding a few micro ants past few days.

Suej
02-10-2012, 12:46
Please, please take the advice regarding the gel substance. For years whilst in Cabo Blanco and subsequently after moving here (we brought them with us!) we were infested. Truly infested. Having used the gel last year we have not had one any, not one, in our apartment. 5 Euros aint a lot to pay to obtain relief from these blighters!

I have bought Eco gel and can't make out the instructions!!! can anyone help? I don't think you are supposed to use too much as the tube in only small! seanocelt I bought it in Ferreteria Caribe next to the big Todo on Valdes centre!

garlicbread
02-10-2012, 13:21
I feel sure it's been mentioned on here before but by far the BEST WAY to get rid of the micro ants is to buy ACIDO BORICO (Boric Acid) from a Farmacia , last time we bought some it was €1.75 for 50gms, enough to last a lifetime!
Mix it (say a teaspoon full) 1:2 with icing sugar and add water to make a thick paste, place on or near where you think the ants are coming from and in 24 hours or less they'll be dead and gone.

Andrzej
02-10-2012, 13:32
I feel sure it's been mentioned on here before but by far the BEST WAY to get rid of the micro ants is to buy ACIDO BORICO (Boric Acid) from a Farmacia , last time we bought some it was €1.75 for 50gms, enough to last a lifetime!
Mix it (say a teaspoon full) 1:2 with icing sugar and add water to make a thick paste, place on or near where you think the ants are coming from and in 24 hours or less they'll be dead and gone.

I totally agree...this is the best solution to get rid of ants.........we had the same problem and nothing worked until we got ACIDO BORICO from the Farmacia (I think we paid 1.80e). Worked wonders within 24hours! You should have seen them queing up to gobble the stuff!

Sunterra
02-10-2012, 19:39
Any particular ferreteria guys? Finding a few micro ants past few days.

Most Ferreterias stock this. I got mine at the small one in San Eugenio.

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I have bought Eco gel and can't make out the instructions!!! can anyone help? I don't think you are supposed to use too much as the tube in only small! seanocelt I bought it in Ferreteria Caribe next to the big Todo on Valdes centre!

Just squeeze a small line across their path, you will see them stop to eat the gel. Also put little blobs in areas where you think they are emerging from, they will eat the gel and take it back to nest to poison the other ants. Word of advise with Acido Borico becareful pets do not get it on their paws!

cainaries
02-10-2012, 19:53
Most Ferreterias stock this. I got mine at the small one in San Eugenio.

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Just squeeze a small line across their path, you will see them stop to eat the gel. Also put little blobs in areas where you think they are emerging from, they will eat the gel and take it back to nest to poison the other ants. Word of advise with Acido Borico becareful pets do not get it on their paws!

Thanks so much for that advice. If I have to worry about what pets are getting on their paws, that's no use at all.

Meantimes, I have been up at midnight scrubbing and cleaning and the other morning at about 6 I was cleaning out all the kitchen cupboards. I am not a domesticated type so this has got me really annoyed now. Thanks to you all for the advice. Still waiting for loads of rain to wash them all away but not enough wet stuff so far. (I know, be careful what I wish for).

ruffus
02-10-2012, 19:56
I feel sure it's been mentioned on here before but by far the BEST WAY to get rid of the micro ants is to buy ACIDO BORICO (Boric Acid) from a Farmacia , last time we bought some it was €1.75 for 50gms, enough to last a lifetime!
Mix it (say a teaspoon full) 1:2 with icing sugar and add water to make a thick paste, place on or near where you think the ants are coming from and in 24 hours or less they'll be dead and gone.

Absolutely agree. I had these in my apartment, mixed up a bit of this with sugar, and Bobs your Uncle, the ants are now no more. Excellent stuff

cainaries
02-10-2012, 20:51
I have bought Eco gel and can't make out the instructions!!! can anyone help? I don't think you are supposed to use too much as the tube in only small! seanocelt I bought it in Ferreteria Caribe next to the big Todo on Valdes centre!

Is this safe to use with your cat, Suej? I'm sure you are very careful, just wanted reassurance in case i can actually find some of it.

Suej
02-10-2012, 22:25
Is this safe to use with your cat, Suej? I'm sure you are very careful, just wanted reassurance in case i can actually find some of it.

That's what I am worried about C! I bought it a month ago and still haven't used it! My problem is there is not an actual trail of ants we just keep spotting the odd one or two so don't know where they are coming from!

euroteide
03-10-2012, 09:25
I dont know which powder you use, but in my case I have bought " Acido Borico" and made dough with condensed milk, placed them in the corners of my house and no insects appeared for a year. Make sure you read the instructions as this is a very dangerous acid and must use gloves to make the dough.

nurse ratchet
03-10-2012, 11:54
Is this safe to use with your cat, Suej? I'm sure you are very careful, just wanted reassurance in case i can actually find some of it.

We have three cats and there's never been a problem using this Boric Acid mixture I described in an earlier post and , by the way, if you mix it with condensed milk as opposed to icing sugar/water, it's good for cockroachestoo.

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I dont know which powder you use, but in my case I have bought " Acido Borico" and made dough with condensed milk, placed them in the corners of my house and no insects appeared for a year. Make sure you read the instructions as this is a very dangerous acid and must use gloves to make the dough.

I would not describe it as dangerous, Boron, the main constituent of Boric Acid is considered to be an essential micronutrient for plants and perhaps humans. Boron in the diet most commonly comes from the boric acid naturally present in most foods. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts are particularly high in boron. In fact, the average person eats between one to three milligrams of boron each day as part of a normal
healthy diet. Boric acid also occurs naturally in water and
soil.
Boric acid crystals are white, odorless, and nearly tasteless.