Ants, Ants, flamin' Ants.
Submitted: Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 17:38
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Fred G NSW
I remember this topic has cropped up recently, but here goes again.
Seems I have an ant
farm somewhere in the caravan, most likely in the depths of the fridge/freezer cabinet.
We have had a fair bit of rain over the last couple of weeks, and the small lots of ants I have seen on my benches, I put down to the wet, and kept them under control with Mr. Mortein.
HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!
This arvo before I went for a shower, I put a saucepan of my beautiful chicken & sweetcorn soup on the stove, ready to fire up when I got back.
Let me tell you, those previous little infestations, were only the scouting parties, or recogniszance patrols, because when I got back, the whole flamin' battalion, plus support battalions had invaded my soup.
That was the declaration of war. Tomorrow I'll take the outside vent sheets off, and have a search.
I am after suggestions for what is effective in getting into and destroying their inner hideouts, short of calling in napalm strikes.
What have others done to "Take Out" their HQ.
Thanks all for any help.
No soup for Fred tonight :-(
Reply By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 17:43
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 17:43
Fred,
Try Liquid Ant Rid works
well.
Cheers Kev
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Follow Up By: Fred G NSW - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 17:48
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 17:48
Thanks Kev. Good to hear from you.
Does it get back to the nest? So many hidy holes in a caravan.
The other stuff was like putting them on steroids I reckon.
Cheers mate.
Fred.
FollowupID:
729534
Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:02
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:02
Fred,
The workers take it back to the nest and it kills the boss lady :)
Ant Rid Details
Cheers Kev
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Reply By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 17:45
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 17:45
Hi Fred,
They will more than likely be in a spot you can't get to to eradicate them properly.
I had the same problem so I got some of that Ant Rid and set some baits for them. They were in the roof mounted airconditioner so it was not easy to get at them
Didn't take much and they were all gone.
Try that if you can't find the nest.
Cheers, Bruce.
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Follow Up By: Fred G NSW - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 17:51
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 17:51
Thanks Bruce. Kev suggested that as
well. I'll deffinitely try it in the morning.
Fred.
FollowupID:
729536
Follow Up By: Ozhumvee - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:01
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:01
Fred we've had trouble with the ants here at
home too them little black buggers by the thousands.
The Ant Rid does work as long as it is fresh, if it is a bottle that has been opened for a few weeks the chuck it as it seems to stop working and all you are doing is feeding them
We either make puddle on the kitchen benchtop near where they are walking or put it in a little lid piece of alfoil or similar if it is on an absorbent surface.
FollowupID:
729538
Reply By: Member - Keith C (NSW) - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:06
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:06
G'day Fred, Combat brand ant bait is the go, they are bait stations in small plastic doovers, like cocky baits, no mess, just put them where you like, not instant , but will wipe them out, put one in behind the frig,under the sink etc.,
Regards Keith C
AnswerID:
456470
Follow Up By: Uncle-Laurie - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 20:19
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 20:19
We have used these as
well and they work great..
cheers Unc
FollowupID:
729566
Reply By: Fred G NSW - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:20
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:20
Thanks Kev, Bruce, Peter, Keith....It's "ON" at first light.
I'll let all know how things go.
Still no bl@@dy soup :-(
Fred.
AnswerID:
456473
Follow Up By: carts - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:49
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:49
Fred, I note your comment about first light and a couple of other posts.
The best time to set the ant rid or borax is when you are going to be away from the van for a few hours. Ants are intelegent enough to recognise danger from vibration or movement or light. A quiet environment attracts more ants out to collect the goods and return more to the nest.
Also ant rid doesn't get less effective with age. the ants learn the ant rid is killing them off and avoid it. You need to mix the a/ rid with a variety of other sweet substances daily so they dont learn the pattern. Also some times ants dont want solids, they just want liquid. Mixing a/rid or borax with a few drops of soft drink or ice cream works.
Carts
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Follow Up By: Fred G NSW - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 19:00
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 19:00
I have taken all that on board carts. Good stuff.
I am going into radio silence mode now, ready for the dawn assault.
Thk's for the advice mate.
Fred
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Follow Up By: Member - Corrugate75 - Monday, Jun 06, 2011 at 06:37
Monday, Jun 06, 2011 at 06:37
G'day,
Here's hoping the mission is a success...
The other one that works
well for the little black ones is Baby Powder... it doesn't kill them, but is less toxic than Mortein etc and suitable for use if you have kids. We had this suggested to us by a caravan park owner in
Mildura, just put baby powder (talcum powder) as a barrier all around your van (in our case campertrailer) as a barries and the ants won't cross the barrier. You can pour some in their holes too and the fine talc blocks the hole so they can't climb out.
Cheers
Corrugate
FollowupID:
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Reply By: carts - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:22
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:22
Gooday Fred, Ant rid usually works
well, sometimes takes a few hits over 2-3 weeks. another method is to get some powdered borax from woolies coles. Mix it with some bread or biscuit crumbs and a little jam or chocolate syrup or something that will attract ant. ( Chicken and sweet corn soup might work) place about a teaspoon full in two separate containers. place one on kitchen bench and one at the back of a kitchen cupboard. replace the mixture every day and use a different sweet substance every day. The ants will take the mixture back to the nest and the borax will kill the nest off It also doesn't hurt to place some around each wheel and jack, This will deter any free loaders on the ground from climbing aboard looking for the food they can smell. Alternately a residual insect spray will do the job on the ground.
Good hunting Carts
AnswerID:
456474
Follow Up By: Fred G NSW - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:30
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:30
carts.....I have taken all that on board......BUT....they ain't gonna get any more of my C & S/C Slurp :-((
tHANKS MATE.
Fred
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - barry F (NSW) - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:22
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:22
Hi Fred, we had a problem with the little black ones in our van a year or so back when on a trip. Sprayed all the visible ones with Mortein surface spray every day and eventually did a "search" & found a whole colony of the little buggers with a zillion eggs under one of the bunks.
I'm not prone to exaggerating but there were that many eggs I harvested them & I had egg omelette for brekky!! Very tasty in my opinion but SHMBI was not impressed with my culinary expertise.
Bit off topic I suppose , but on the subject of food, I have wondered now & then what Cane Toad Humble Pie might taste like? If you know of anybody that has recipe or better still have had a feed of it I would appreciate comments this type of bush/camping tucker. Thanks & cheers
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:32
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:32
Barry,
I think cockroach Humble Pie has been the only thing on the menue for the last 5 years so why change it for this year ;)
GO THE MAROONS
Cheers Kev
| Russell Coight:
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Follow Up By: Fred G NSW - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:37
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:37
Barry.
I knew I would have a mate in the trenches LOL.
No C & S/C slurp here tonight mate, so the ant egg omelette is an option.
That other stuff ya mention makes me wanna vomit.
Gotta get the head down now.
Big day in the morning, I have an Ant army to deal with :-)))
I'll let ya's all know how I go with the little begga's.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Toyocrusa (NSW) - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 20:57
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 20:57
Seems like i've been hanging round this
forum for years Barry, just waiting for you to get the chance to be able to crow to anyone that would listen. I reckon it might be just your turn this year. Good on ya mate,sick it to em. (and your reply was a crackup) Cheers,Bob
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Reply By: Axle - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:23
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:23
G/Day Fred, Mate i'd be going off to if my sweet corn & chicken soup(favourite) was invaded like that!,,, Bring in the big artillary..Bagon Surface spray, nothing will get past it for a few months, spray underneath on top and everywhere you can get to over the van, and watch em all fall!..lol.
Cheers Axle.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Fred G NSW - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:28
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:28
Aaaagggghhhhh.....Baygon....Axle, my friend, I'll try anything, but it ain't gonna bring back my humungous pot of chicken & sweetcorn slurp :-(((
Fred
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Ralph K (WA) - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:39
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 18:39
Tried CS crystals!!!
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - DickyBeach - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 19:12
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 19:12
My (country-born) Dad used to grind together with a mortar & pestle equal portions of icing sugar and plaster-or-paris and thus constipated the little b*****s.
Dead ants everywhere the next day!!!
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Fred G NSW - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 19:30
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 19:30
Dicky, that is an option also in the war plans.....hopefully they won't welcome that though, after my C & S/C SLURP.
Fred
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Duke (TAS) - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 20:21
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 20:21
Fred
To keep this thread as a Military Operation use Bombs!!!
Mortein Bombs that is. Next time you are going out for a couple of hours let two off in the Van. Nearly as good as Napalm but not as much collateral damage. Go get em man.
Duke.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 20:21
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011 at 20:21
We had the same dilema with Ants before we started our trip.
The
Cook tried all sorts of Ant Rid Solutions with no luck.
On this trip we have notched up about 4500 ks so far.
And when we started we would see them every day and we would kill what we could see.
Eventually we have wiped them out.
PS. I was reading where a Couple who had their van at a park in the NT had ants in their van and 4wd.
The pest man came out and got rid of the ants in the van.
But the little buggers got in behind the 4wds dash and shorted out the electronics, and cost them big $$.
Cheers
AnswerID:
456496