Ants!!!!!

If you're plagued by wasps try trapping them. Get an old jam jar and half fill it with water, leaving traces of the jam round the inside of the jar. Cover the neck of the jar with cling film and punch a few holes in it, about 2 centimeters in diameter, and put the jar where the wasps fly around. They will smell the jam and crawl in through the holes in the film to get at it. They never seem able to crawl out again and will eventually drown in the water. I do it every year - it works.
 
Right - now we have sorted the ants and wasps, what am I to do about all those blooming midges that are gathering outside my new French windows .. described in the dictionary as insects with piercing mouthparts for sucking blood ? :eek:

Funny thing is, never feel them bite, just the lumps on your scalp later that itch like crazy.

Can't understand why they never bump into each other. :confused:
 
I once read that it's only the pregnant female midge that bites you - so put 'em on the Pill. :(

A few years ago my granddaughter called out to me one afternoon as I was in the kitchen, "Nana, there's budgies flying around and they're coming in through the French window." I was a bit nonplussed as the most exotic bird we ever get is the very occasional woodpecker. I went to have a look and saw a load of midges. Easy mistake to make when you're only 4. :D
 
I've spent the day sucking up, 409ing, pledgeing, smooshing our lot of ants. Wew've tried everything and still they come. Well finally dragged everything out of the kitchen and nothing goes back until they're ALL gone (or until Cindy and Annie get back from Florida;) ).

BEA
 
smooshing our lot of ants. Wew've tried everything and still they come.
BEA

You certainly have your fair share of insects out there Brian. Course you built on a swamp aren't you ?:D

When I lived out there for a little while .. adopted a stray cat, wouldn't let in the house 'til I had de-ticked it (the thought of those always gave me the creeps). Used to put it's food out on the porch and was a race between the cat and the ants. Even though the cat was fast, practically starving, with one eye when he/she came to me, was nearly always a tie, however, don't think the cat minded the extra bit of protein in its plate .. :D

One morning poured out my breakfact cereal and, yes, you guessed it, out tumbled a whole regiment of ants .. looked in the cupboards and absolutely crawling .. had to throw everything away and go to the local Dollar shop for insecticide. When I was cooking they all decided to drop in the pans .. discovered they were coming in through the extractor over the hob. Couldn't block just had to put the repellent around the outside of the vent .. seemed to work anyway. Actually, they looked much smaller than ants.. so not quite sure what they were.

Loved the glow flies though, even though you had to watch them behind those mosquito shutters.
 
Right - now we have sorted the ants and wasps, what am I to do about all those blooming midges that are gathering outside my new French windows .. described in the dictionary as insects with piercing mouthparts for sucking blood ? :eek:

try smoking!!!! when i go for a walk down the canal if i light up they don't bother me :D;):D
 
Right - now we have sorted the ants and wasps, what am I to do about all those blooming midges that are gathering outside my new French windows .. described in the dictionary as insects with piercing mouthparts for sucking blood ? :eek:

try smoking!!!! when i go for a walk down the canal if i light up they don't bother me :D;):D

Yeh, think you're correct here lillypad .. have tried it (a tip from my former husband who fished) .. and seems to have effect. Trouble is, although am quite a heavy smoker, not a chain smoker .. so the little buggers get me in the end ... :(

Perhaps could walk about with one of the swinging lamps things like they do in religious festivals :)
 
I do believe that skunk will eat ants ... or that they can be trained to do so. I can send some over.
 
As long as you are upwind of your neighbours it will be ok. But I have to warn you that skunk have ... well, sort of an odor that is, you know, kind of unique, it tends to promote projectile vommitting in any humans who get too close.
 
Sounds crazy, but try vinegar! Fill a squirt bottle with plain old cheap white vinegar, and squirt it anyplace you've seen ants (kitchen counters, windowsills, etc) and let it dry. It's non-toxic, won't harm anything, and the smell will go away in just a couple of minutes. ........but its only a suggestion!! besides vinegar is good for allsorts:D
 
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Mmmm ... Ants and chips, with lots of vinegar ... a new delicacy!

Well, seems there is summat like chocolate ants .. yuk.

Hey, Panther .. just found this in old fashioned book on Household Hints:-

Controlling the Blighters



  • Sprinkle sugar where ants will find it.Follow ant trail back to the nest. Pour kerosene, turpentine or paraffin into nest. The ants will not return, and paintwork will not be affected.
  • Borax and sugar is an effective ant poison. Mix 2 cups sugar, 1 cup hot water,2 tablespoons borax, 2 tablespoons boracic acid. Boil for 3 minutes, cool and bottle. Place in low-sided dishes near ant trails. Replenish dishes until ants are eliminated.
  • Crushed cloves sprinkled near nest will repel ants
  • Sprinkle talcum powder across ant trail outside nest .. (already recommended earlier)



Sounds like a lot of bother to me, probably the basis of modern 'ant' insecticides anyway, and not sure would particularly wish to eliminate them in a mass 'genocide' .. just stop them coming in to yer' house, eh ?
 
[

Controlling the Blighters

  • Sprinkle sugar where ants will find it.Follow ant trail back to the nest. Pour kerosene, turpentine or paraffin into nest. The ants will not return, and paintwork will not be affected.
Okay Katex, did the above suggestion. Slight problem, was I or was I not suppose to light this concoction? I think I've now solve the ant problem, as well as my dirty siding. However, having the darndest time geetting the house fire under control.The worst of it is I had finally got the kitchen so nice and clean!:Banane08:

BEA
 
[

Well, seems there is summat like chocolate ants .. yuk.

Hey, Panther .. just found this in old fashioned book on Household Hints:-

Controlling the Blighters

  • Sprinkle sugar where ants will find it.Follow ant trail back to the nest. Pour kerosene, turpentine or paraffin into nest. The ants will not return, and paintwork will not be affected.
  • Borax and sugar is an effective ant poison. Mix 2 cups sugar, 1 cup hot water,2 tablespoons borax, 2 tablespoons boracic acid. Boil for 3 minutes, cool and bottle. Place in low-sided dishes near ant trails. Replenish dishes until ants are eliminated.
  • Crushed cloves sprinkled near nest will repel ants
  • Sprinkle talcum powder across ant trail outside nest .. (already recommended earlier)
Sounds like a lot of bother to me, probably the basis of modern 'ant' insecticides anyway, and not sure would particularly wish to eliminate them in a mass 'genocide' .. just stop them coming in to yer' house, eh ?
images.jpgwould be just as simple to buy ant killerimages.jpg

shocked.gif
 
[/LIST]Okay Katex, did the above suggestion. Slight problem, was I or was I not suppose to light this concoction? I think I've now solve the ant problem, as well as my dirty siding. However, having the darndest time geetting the house fire under control.The worst of it is I had finally got the kitchen so nice and clean!:Banane08:

BEA

You windin' me up right ! :D

You are. aren't you ? :eek:

Agree Panther .. just as easy .. could try the cloves though, that sounds easy.
Sorry, Lillypad .. got mixed up on whose thread it was originally .. :o
 
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