Help!!! What can I do???

[Terra]

Just wanted to update and say that Terro works miracles!! Miracles I tell ya!!!!!!!!
It's 48 hours later and I have not seen 1 ant!!!

Thanks for all your help everyone!!!


So we've noticed [and it's getting worse] that since our a/c has been out [for 5 weeks now and the landlord still "doesn't have money to fix it"]...we are getting in infestation of sugar/grease ants...and they are everywhere...in the bathroom, living room, kitchen....
We keep the place clean, put all food away, we are not filthy people...
We have sprayed but its not helping...

I REALLY hate using chemicals...but I just don't know what to do....

I thought about doing the Fogger and leaving for the day. I've done this in the past for fleas [darn cat!] and it worked like a charm!

But do you ladies have any suggestions??
No matter what we do they are there...

TIA!!

[MsMin]

Companies like Combat make the little boxes that the ants take the substance back to the nest and it kills them all. There is one especially for black ants. Good thing w/ these is there are no messy chemicals to spray on surfaces that children may touch. Just place them in areas out of a child's reach. they come w/ a sticky to place them under cabinets etc. WE have also used a perimeter spray. Max I think by ortho? is a good one. It works faster than the boxes. We are careful b/c of the pups in the house.
I do suggest you look into your rights for the A/C too. I think 5wks is more than reasonable to expect a repair. I know states vary but for example in our state we can give the landlord notice and he has 30 days to fix it or we can have the repair made and subtract it from the rent. You may also see about a reduction in the rent since you did rent an apt. w/ A/C and there should be an adjustment for the lack of A/C. You may be surprised how fast they can come up with the money to fix it! Remember he may be breaking your lease. If nothing else it can be a great bargaining tool. It's just not fair that you should suffer with no compensation.

[offwego]

Are the nests visible outside that you have access to? A non chemical (albeit you need to keep doing it a few times) solution is to poor boiling water down the anthill..a couple of kettles for a few days running can really make them unhappy!

[AZ Disney]

I would suggest googling Landlord/Tenant Law for the state of FL. I am a previous renter and landlord that has always known my rights and therefore have prevailed on both sides when issues have come up. I do not know FL law at all, but it would seem that 5 weeks is completely unreasonable to not fix the a/c and you should be able to excercise your rights. Landlord/Tenant laws are typically not difficult to understand, but you do need to follow them precisely.
Just make sure you are reading them from a factual website, such as the state of FL.
Good Luck.

[AZ Disney]

I did a quick google myself. This is not a gov't website, but does give a lot of information and provides the FL statute numbers.
http://static.floridapirg.org/flp.asp?id2=25878

[kakn7294]

I'd check into that A/C situation too - and pronto! You shouldn't have to suffer like that. As far as the ants, there's a couple of non-toxic solutions that might help. I've heard that they will not cross baby powder sprinkled around the windows and doorways where they are entering the room. I've also heard that a vinegar and water or a Windex and Ivory soap solution sprayed directly on the ants and the areas where they come in will kill and deter them. Some people swear by black or cayenne pepper too. I've also heard leaving bay leaves or mint leaves laying around will deter them too but both of those can be dangerous to both the baby and the cat. Double-sided carpet tape stuck to the floor or window sills will stop them from coming in too - but David might like to play with it too. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[Bethis26fan]

The best thing I've found for those little ants (we get them every spring for some reason) is stuff calle Terro. It's in an orange box and you just put a little of it on the tabs (it looks like thick sugar water) and they take it back to there colony and it kills them. Works in like 24 hours. Awesome stuff. lol

[Terra]

I did a quick google myself. This is not a gov't website, but does give a lot of information and provides the FL statute numbers.
http://static.floridapirg.org/flp.asp?id2=25878

Thanks for looking that up!!

The best thing I've found for those little ants (we get them every spring for some reason) is stuff calle Terro. It's in an orange box and you just put a little of it on the tabs (it looks like thick sugar water) and they take it back to there colony and it kills them. Works in like 24 hours. Awesome stuff. lol

Oh, I'll look for that on my trip to the grocery store! Thanks!

I'd check into that A/C situation too - and pronto! You shouldn't have to suffer like that. As far as the ants, there's a couple of non-toxic solutions that might help. I've heard that they will not cross baby powder sprinkled around the windows and doorways where they are entering the room. I've also heard that a vinegar and water or a Windex and Ivory soap solution sprayed directly on the ants and the areas where they come in will kill and deter them. Some people swear by black or cayenne pepper too. I've also heard leaving bay leaves or mint leaves laying around will deter them too but both of those can be dangerous to both the baby and the cat. Double-sided carpet tape stuck to the floor or window sills will stop them from coming in too - but David might like to play with it too. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

I did read the renter's rights...and A/C doesn't fall under habitable living...it's just not fun...LOL...
WE're just going to break down and get another little window unit...
Although next week a cooling front is coming our way...I'm so excited!! I'm ready for some fall weather anyway!!
Thanks for the tips!! I can put some bay leaves in our living room windows with sticky tape because David can't get to them since furntiure is against the windows...otherwise he WOULD be all hands!!

[offero]

Ok so this worked for us but we live in NY so ant issues may be different. First, I put down some chili powder in their trails. Next I went outside and sprayed where they were coming in. And lastly following some advice I caulked the holes where they were coming in, there is even rumored to be caulk that ant will not even go near. I haven't seen it at all but maybe they have it down there. My ant problem started in mid April after doing this it almost completely ceased. the only issue I had was to spray outside two more times.

[Jasper]

I might be wrong but since you say that you keep things neat and clean, food put away, etc. it would seem to me that your landlord would have some responsibility for taking care of the bug problem as well as the a/c. Certainly tenants have a level of responsibility for pest control, but when they are doing their job then the landlord should also have some responsibility as well. Granted, if you can't get them to fix the a/c it is obviously going to be tough getting them to fix this as well.

[Terra]

I might be wrong but since you say that you keep things neat and clean, food put away, etc. it would seem to me that your landlord would have some responsibility for taking care of the bug problem as well as the a/c. Certainly tenants have a level of responsibility for pest control, but when they are doing their job then the landlord should also have some responsibility as well. Granted, if you can't get them to fix the a/c it is obviously going to be tough getting them to fix this as well.

I just told my DH this last night. If I read the Ten. Rights correctly the landlord is responsible for pest control/extermination. [of course we do spray the OTC stuff...] But as far as professional...

We DID tell her we're having a problem and we think it's partly due to the A/C off and windows open. Come to find out our neighbor is having issues too with pests. Time to give the landlord ANOTHER call!! LOL

[youngOx96]

I've never tried this myself, but some of my co-workers swear by this. If you put down a perimeter of lye OUTSIDE your house, it will keep almost every bug away. I heard this from a retired exterminator, so who knows if it really works.

Good luck.

[murphy1]

Terra, she is totally responsible for it. I always had ant problems in Florida in my apartment I had there, and even here in GA, but the cold gets them here. They always had to send out an exterminator to my apt and truly that was the only thing that worked on those guys. I hate those pesky things. And please don't feel like you're dirty or unclean, they hit everyone down there, and then there are the roaches, too, yikes!!

[Terra]

I've never tried this myself, but some of my co-workers swear by this. If you put down a perimeter of lye OUTSIDE your house, it will keep almost every bug away. I heard this from a retired exterminator, so who knows if it really works.

Good luck.

I have heard that too and totally forgot about it until you mentioned it!
i can't remember where to get lye though. Do they sell it at grocery stores?

Terra, she is totally responsible for it. I always had ant problems in Florida in my apartment I had there, and even here in GA, but the cold gets them here. They always had to send out an exterminator to my apt and truly that was the only thing that worked on those guys. I hate those pesky things. And please don't feel like you're dirty or unclean, they hit everyone down there, and then there are the roaches, too, yikes!!

Thanks!
That is the first thing people ask...well do you have food laying around or dishes dirty...The dishes may sit for an hour or so but that's it...

Yeah, I think it's a FL thing! I just don't remember them so bad...lol...
we are having to keep about everything in our frig except canned goods....because they are getting into everything...!

[MNNHFLTX]

Terra, you need to get some Terro (sorry, I couldn't resist saying that!) Seriously, get the Terro baiting system--the ants will crawl into the trap and take the chemical back to the colony and within 24 hours the ants will be gone. No mess, either. At least it could be a stop-gap measure until the landlord finally gets his act together. Of course, you'll need to place them out of reach of your son.

Good luck getting the AC situation fixed too. Having lived in Florida, I cannot fathom not having a functioning air-conditioner for that extended period of time.

[youngOx96]

I have heard that too and totally forgot about it until you mentioned it!
i can't remember where to get lye though. Do they sell it at grocery stores?

I've never seen it at the grocery store, but its possible. I think you would have better luck at your local home improvement store like Lowe's or Home Depot.

[thrillme]

I'd avoid the bombs since the ant colony really doesn't live in the house it's only going to kill those that are out for lunch.

Any bait that they take back to to colony works pretty good. If you're in a pince powdered laundry detergent works to kill fire ant mounds and I'm not sure why.

I can't fanthom the landlord in an apartment not fixing the A/C and getting away with it. Rent house "maybe" but not an apartment complex. "habitable necessity". But then here in the heat here in Texas can be unimaginable sometimes. I always have to laugh when power companies talk about saving money on your HEATING bills. I hope your A/C gets fixed quickly. I can't believe A/C doesn't fall under

[Disneyatic]

My parents are big organics in gardening and they swear by (excuse the spelling) diatamaceous earth for killing/deterring ants. You can find it in the garden section of any Home Depot/Lowes type store. It acts like tiny micro razor blades when the walk over it or you pour it over their mounds. We have used it in our yard before and it seems to work, I am not sure about putting it indoors around the house, you may check that out though. Vinegar also works but it will kill grass, so be careful if you pour it around your perimeter

[Terra]

Okay, so today I really been "trailing" these pesky ants...and using vinegar and the spray that we have...I'm trying to track down where they are coming in at...but to no avail...
I follow there trails and they just seem to be going in circles...AND they are EVERYWHERE....in the bathroom, the bedrooms, living room...crawling on the computer...the oddest places...

Everything that is not canned food is in our frig because they were getting into it....from formula to gold fish crackers to bread to mac and cheese!!

I'm so annoyed...

I think I seriously just want to get the foggers/bombs now and use those just to see...

BUT with a baby now I'm not sure..
Of course I leave the house like it says and follow all directions...I've done it in the past for me and am fine...

But what do you think?? What are your suggestions on this??
I know that on the foggers it says to cover things like dishes and food that are sitting out from the cabinets [so the solution will get into the cabinets..]...
Should I cover everything...LOL..that would kind of defeat the purpose...
But I'm worried about the residual junk and David...because he puts EVERYTHING in his mouth!
I can put his toys in my car [he doesn't have alot, just a couple of baskets]...

Help...LOL...I'm being over run!

[mickeysworld]

Terra,

So sorry to hear you are under attack! I just went through nearly the same situation a few months ago (we are neighbors, I'm over in the St. Pete area). The sugar ants were in the bathroom, living room, family room and (un)fortunately the only thing that worked for us was to have a pest control company come out and take care of those little suckers professionally! We tried the sprays, the baits, the traps, none of it worked and I knew where they were coming from - an electrical outlet.

Anyways, after several different attempts we finally threw in the towel and called the exterminators and $350 later, our ant problem disappeared, thank goodness!(this was for an entire year of coverage, once a year and if I see any more critters they come back no charge). And just on a side note, the pest guy told me that with sugar ants, I should resist the urge to smush them because apparently the queen knows how many workers she has sent out for food and when the right number don't come back to the nest, she sends out a signal that they are under attack and doubles her nest and attack! Yikes! It took a good 5-7 days and no smushing but I haven't seen another sugar ant since!

As for being worried about the baby and foggers, I hear ya on that one, my 15 month old also loves to put everything in her mouth and I would worry about that too. Could you maybe give your pediatrician a call and see what they think?

Finally, I agree with the other posters who say it is the responsibility of your landlord to fix your pest and a/c problem. I feel for you! Good Luck with everything.