4 Steps To Eco-Friendly Ant Control
from http://www.gardenmandy.com/4-steps-to-eco-friendly-ant-control/

There is no polite way to put it. Ant invasions are just no fun. Ants can be annoying, possibly destructive little creatures and sometimes, we would rather they just go away. Unfortunately, they tend to show up where we least want them to be, they disrupt our environments, and everyone would like to know how to get rid of them most effectively.

But there are methods of eradicating ants that do not involve harsh chemicals or sprays that we would also rather avoid. Using these Eco-friendly methods, most homeowners are able to free themselves of pesky ants, and all without deadly sprays or noxious chemicals.

Step 1: Starve Them Out!

First, it is important to know that most ants thrive on sugary or starchy food substances, and they are not choosy about where those foods are found. So, a good beginning is to starve them out! Give them nothing to eat or drink and they will soon forage elsewhere.

• Seal all foods in airtight containers
• Clean up any sugary spills such as juices or milk
• Keep fresh and dried fruits sealed and/or hang them in a basket that denies access to ants. Never leave a basket of fruit sitting on the floor!
• Wash dishes right away and keep trash receptacles sealed.

Step 2: Re-route and Deter

Next, employ some methods to actually re-route and deter ant activity.

• Substances such as citrus or lemon oil, pine oil, cinnamon, clove, mint, sage, or coffee grounds are all quite unattractive to ants and will usually turn them away.
• Soak a piece of twine in one of these substances and stretch it on the ground across an area where you want ant trails to stop, and they will usually not cross that line.
• This can be very effective for areas such as where trash/recycling containers are stored, or at the bottom edge of doorways leading into the home.

Step 3: Block Entry

• Third, you can use caulking to seal closed any entry points where you notice ants persisting in entering your home. Once they can no longer gain entry, they will go elsewhere.
• You can also spray white vinegar along any areas where ants have previously trailed or gathered, which will eliminate the scent they leave behind for other ants to follow.
• An alternative would be orange oil mixed with water or a light solution of water and dish soap. Using plain vinegar tends to leave behind the least amount of residue.

Step 4: Set A Sugar-Borax Trap

Note: Borax is a mined natural substance and a recommended eco -friendly pest control. It is toxic if ingested.

You can lure the ants to another area away from your home. One successful recipe is:

• Get a small jar and place a piece of toilet tissue in the bottom
• Place ¼ cup borax and ¼ cup sugar into the jar
• Fill the jar to the top with water and screw the lid on.
• Punch eight holes in the lid and place it where you want to draw the ants.
• The workers will be attracted to the sugar, but will be killed by the borax.

Note: This method will not kill the queen. If you’re looking to irradicate the colony try 1 Tablespoon Borax to 1/4 cup powdered sugar. It’s not strong enough to kill the workers right away. They will carry the sugar back to the queen.

WARNING: Label the jar as “poison” and treat it the same as any other chemical you would keep out of the reach of children and pets!

From other web sites

Homemade Ant Killer With Boric Acid

Boric acid is, in essence, a poison to ants. It impacts their stomachs, their nervous systems, and their exoskeletons. To be fair, boric acid is a poison to other living creatures, too. However, the amount of boric acid that is ideal to use as ant killer is such a trace amount that using it in your home does not pose a large threat to pets or humans. Indeed, in contrast to other products — which usually contain larger amounts of harsh chemicals — boric acid is considered to be a much less toxic insecticide.

Ants live in large colonies made up mostly of workers with one or a few queen ants. The queens rarely venture out, relying on the workers to bring them food. Boric acid, as a slow-acting poison, is an effective ingredient in ant bait. The workers gather the boric acid when it's mixed with a tasty food and carry it back to the colony to share, killing many ants at once.

Types of Ants

Boric acid ant killers do not work against all species of ants. Boric acid works well against the vast majority of ants that might enter a home, including ones that are smaller and black or reddish-black, such as the Argentine ant or the Pharaoh ant. These types of ants are collectively sometimes referred to as sugar ants. Boric acid usually does not work on ants that generally stay outdoors, like harvester ants or fire ants. If you are experiencing troubles with these kinds of ants, you should contact a pest control specialist.

What to Mix

There are good reasons why you only need to use very small amounts of boric acid. (If done right, the insecticide will only be 1-2% boric acid.) First, you will mix the poisonous substance with food that ants enjoy. If you use too much acid, it could overpower the aroma/taste of the bait, which means the ants will not eat it.

Some ants have a sweet tooth while others are more likely to seek out fats and grease. Mix your boric acid with a couple of different foods to find out which one draws the most ants before you settle on your recipe. You can dissolve sugar in water, use jelly or honey, or use peanut butter, regular butter or bacon grease. Mixing 1 teaspoon of boric acid with 1 cup of the food makes a 2 percent solution. If you're using sugar water, add about 8 teaspoons to 1 cup of water, then add 1 teaspoon of boric acid. If the ants aren't attracted to your baits as well as you'd like, reduce the boric acid to 1/2 teaspoon per 1 cup for a 1 percent solution. Clearly label any leftover bait you store.

How to Place

You have many options when choosing the bait receptacle. You can use a small jar, such as a baby food jar, with holes punched in the top, bottle caps, 2-inch lengths of drinking straws, wax paper or tin foil. If you're using sugar water, pour it over cotton balls in the bottom of the container. Ants can find their way into a most containers - what's more important is where you place them. If you see a line of ants in your kitchen, place the bait directly in the line. Don't skimp on the bait stations - it might take 20 or 30 to effectively control your ant problem. If you suspect ants or have seen a couple but you don't know where they're coming from, place the bait stations along windowsills or in countertop corners. Keep them out of reach of pets and children because too much boric acid can be harmful to them as well.

Duration

Using homemade boric acid ant killer isn't an immediate fix for an ant problem. It's a slow-acting poison, and each ant that takes it back to the colony shares it with only a few other ants. It might take a while for the poison to reach the queens, which can effectively kill the colony. It should take only a few days for you to notice a reduction in the number of ants near the bait, but it could take three to four weeks to completely eradicate the colony causing your problems. Change the bait every few days to keep it fresh.

How to Get Rid of Ants with Three Ingredients

If you have small children or pets, be sure that you keep them away from the Borax, and always wash your hands after using.

Supplies

1/2 cup of sugar (8 Tbsp.)
1 1/2 tablespoons Borax
1 1/2 cups warm water
Cotton balls or paper towel

Instructions

1. Mix the Borax and sugar together until well combined.

2. Add the mixture to your warm water and mix constantly until the powder has been completely dissolved.

3. Seal the mixture in a jar or container for future use, and use only what you need to get rid of ants. Save the rest of the solution for later.

4. It is important that you clearly label the jar, as it will just look like water. Do not leave this where children can get to it. (Because this is such an easy and inexpensive solution to make, however, I only kept what I made until after the ants had been gone for a week or more.)

5. Fill some jar lids, milk caps, or other shallow containers with cotton balls or a wad of paper towel.

6. Add the sugar-Borax solution to the prepared lids making sure to soak the cotton balls (or paper towel).

7. Wait. It may take the ants a while to find the solution. But, once they do, let them feast (and take the solution back to their home). At our house, to speed up the finding process, I placed a couple of the soaked cotton balls directly on the ledge in my kitchen where most of the ants were.

PSA: You will have more ants before you get rid of ants! However, within a day, you’ll probably see much fewer ants. Over the course of just a few days, all of the ants should likely be gone.

Note: If your ants don’t seem to be attracted to sugar, try mixing in some peanut butter instead. They may have a savory tooth rather than a sweet tooth! Just like people, insects are all different…