Cornmeal to control ants?

[BonBon]

My yard has been over-run with ants all of a sudden. I have to get rid of them but I hate using pesticides in the parts of the yard my pups go in.

I thought I read somewhere that cornmeal would kill ants? Is that true? Does it really work?

How do you apply it? How much should I use?

[Darlene68]

OMG and double I am terrified of ants, they gives me the willies! I don't know anything about cornmeal, but I hope they don't stick around your yard for long!! Good luck!!

[livingdustmops]

If you do a search on cornmill it says it does not kill the ants....

[BonBon]

Originally Posted by Darlene68

OMG and double I am terrified of ants, they gives me the willies! I don't know anything about cornmeal, but I hope they don't stick around your yard for long!! Good luck!!

Fortunately (not sure if that's the right word to use here ), these are the regular little black ants and not fire ants or those ugly great big ants. Still, I need to get rid of them - I do not want them to find a way into my house.

[BonBon]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

If you do a search on cornmill it says it does not kill the ants....

Aw, darn!

So what can I use that will be safe for my kiddos? Anything?

[Darlene68]

Originally Posted by BonBon

Fortunately (not sure if that's the right word to use here ), these are the regular little black ants and not fire ants or those ugly great big ants. Still, I need to get rid of them - I do not want them to find a way into my house.

Yep, It's those monster ants that freak me out!!

[LuvmyYorkies2]

Are you seeing the ant hills they're coming from? Here's what I found out(if you can find the mounds):

Start by drowning the ants with boiling water. Approximately three gallons of boiling water to each mound should do the trick. Follow with a natural repellent of citrus peelings and water. Blend in a blender and pour it over the anthill. Another natural remedy is to mix equal parts of sugar and borax. Place the sugar/borax mixture strategically around the yard in small containers (jar lids work just fine). The ants are attracted to the sugar and carry it back to the mound and within a week or two the borax will kill the mound. One other natural remedy is to use instant grits or cream of wheat. Sprinkle the grits over the mound. The ants will eat the grits and the grits will expand and blow up inside them. This method has been known to remove an ant hill within a day or two.

Good Luck...they are creepy, quiet little things.

[LuvmyYorkies2]

Something else I found:


Killing Ants: Dehydrate Them

You can sprinkle diatomaceous earth around and in the ant beds. You can get it at swimming pool places and it is harmless to humans and pets. It dehydrates and kills the ants.

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by BonBon

Aw, darn!

So what can I use that will be safe for my kiddos? Anything?

I used diatomaceous earth in AZ....

http://www.spray-n-growgardening.com/searchprods.asp

I think you can also buy it at home depot but not a 100% sure...

[BonBon]

Originally Posted by LuvmyYorkies2

Something else I found:


Killing Ants: Dehydrate Them

You can sprinkle diatomaceous earth around and in the ant beds. You can get it at swimming pool places and it is harmless to humans and pets. It dehydrates and kills the ants.

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

I used diatomaceous earth in AZ....

http://www.spray-n-growgardening.com/searchprods.asp

I think you can also buy it at home depot but not a 100% sure...

The diatomaceous earth you two mentioned looks really interesting. The insect dies of dehydration within a couple of days of touching this stuff? And it says it's completely pet-safe and works on other insects, too. I'm going to give this stuff a try!

[BonBon]

Originally Posted by LuvmyYorkies2

Are you seeing the ant hills they're coming from? Here's what I found out(if you can find the mounds):

Start by drowning the ants with boiling water. Approximately three gallons of boiling water to each mound should do the trick. Follow with a natural repellent of citrus peelings and water. Blend in a blender and pour it over the anthill. Another natural remedy is to mix equal parts of sugar and borax. Place the sugar/borax mixture strategically around the yard in small containers (jar lids work just fine). The ants are attracted to the sugar and carry it back to the mound and within a week or two the borax will kill the mound. One other natural remedy is to use instant grits or cream of wheat. Sprinkle the grits over the mound. The ants will eat the grits and the grits will expand and blow up inside them. This method has been known to remove an ant hill within a day or two.

Good Luck...they are creepy, quiet little things.

I'd heard about the boiling water trick but I have so many ants and mounds - I mean they have seriously taken over my yard. I'm going to try the diatomaceous earth you recommended first and see how that works. I may go ahead and pour some boiling water on some of the bigger mounds, just to get rid of some faster.

Thanks!!

[manolos mom]

Bonnie here is a very good website. Natural Insect Pest Control

[LuvmyYorkies2]

Originally Posted by BonBon

The diatomaceous earth you two mentioned looks really interesting. The insect dies of dehydration within a couple of days of touching this stuff? And it says it's completely pet-safe and works on other insects, too. I'm going to give this stuff a try!

Great! Let us know how it goes. I'm interested to see if it really works.

[2girls]

I refer to this website alot so here is an all natural way to rid ants. I never tried but good luck~

Natural Insect Pest Control

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by 2girls

I refer to this website alot so here is an all natural way to rid ants. I never tried but good luck~

Natural Insect Pest Control

Thanks...

PS....on the D. earth in AZ because we had some really nasty little creatures I put it around the whole base of the house...all the way around...and then I put it along the wall (all the homes had 6ft stucco walls) also.