Ant Bait Recipe
Generally speaking, ants pose no immediate threat to a household. At worst they are an inconvenient nuisance wreaking a bit of havoc on your dry food supply. However, with no discouragement, a small nuisance can turn into a big problem. Ant bait is a food product that is appealing to ants, but which is laced with a toxic insecticide. Borate-based baits are inexpensive, easy to create at home, and extremely effective. When properly applied three to four times a year, borate bait can eradicate entire colonies of ant invaders. Does this Spark an idea?
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Preparation
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Before you begin baiting your ants, make your home as unwelcoming as possible. Minimize any readily available nutrition resources by placing all food in resealable plastic bags or containers and removing any sources of standing water. Inspect your home for entry points, such as foundation cracks, pipe fittings, and window ledges. Make a note of any area of visible ant activity.
Bait
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The most popular homemade ant bait uses a combination of boric acid and a sugared base. For liquid bait, 1/8 tsp. of boric acid is combined with 1 tbsp. of honey, syrup or jam, and 1 tsp. of vegetable oil. Dry bait is created by mixing1/4 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tbsp. of boric acid. Semi-solid bait can be made by stirring 1 tbsp. of jam into 2 tbsp. of peanut butter and then adding 1 tsp. of boric acid.
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Application
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Position the bait in a location of obvious ant activity. If your bait is in liquid form, place a few drops on a sheet of waxed paper and set it near ant trails or around ant nests. If your bait is in a solid form, sprinkle it along the backs of cupboards and drawers, around doorways and in windowsills. Semi-solid baits should be kept in small jars with the lids removed. Jars can be positioned in convenient locations, away from children and pets. Once the ants locate the bait, they will carry it back to the nest, where it will be consumed by the resident population, killing the entire colony.
Alternatives
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If you're uncomfortable using boric acid, there are a number of less harsh, but slightly less effective, ant remedies. For example, you can mix equal measures of lemon juice or vinegar and water and douse any ant entry points to discourage further use. Or you can sprinkle crushed chalk or charcoal over an access point and ants won't walk across it.
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