Ants - how do I kill them without killing toddler?

[Murtette]

For the last few days, we have had ants in our kitchen. Never more than half a dozen at a time but the ones which I kill by squashing them are quickly replaced. I can't see where they're coming from, they just seem to magically appear in the middle of the floor. So far, they haven't got into the cupboards but I want to stop them before they do.

So, what do I use? Pre-DC I used ant powder but am worried that, as it will have to go down in the kitchen, DD will ingest some of it. Any suggestions, o wise MNetters?

An anteater?

You need Nippon ant traps. They're little round disks that the ants go in and feed and the poison is taken back to the others. You do need to keep your toddler away from it but they are very effective

Nippon liquid, in a little tube like a toothpaste tube. It is sweet and sticky and they take it back to the nest to share. You put a couple of drops on a non-absorbent surface such as a coin or plastic disk where they will find it, and spread several around. They are probably coming in from outside, under a door or through a crack round a pipe. You can put the baits outdoors but rain will wash it away. Keep replenishing it until the ants no longer appear.

Because ants are much smaller than toddlers, you can put the bait in places a toddler won't fit, including under kitchen cabinets and behind the cooker.

Thanks! Nippon bits purchased. I've tucked them into places where the toddler shouldn't be able to get to and she's generally avoiding the part of the kitchen where the ants are anyway as she is terrified of the ants!

Bicarbonate of soda. It works a treat and is harmless to Humans!

Takes about 7 days to get rid of them all together and although tempting don't kill any of the ants you see as they will be the ones taking the poison back to the nest!

What do you do with the bicarbonate of soda Solo?

You just sprinkle it wherever the ants are...can't remember if it acts like ant powder or if they just don't like it, but it's all I use indoors and even outdoors if I have no ant powder.

I had never heard of the bicarbonate of soda solution but after googling it, it seems to be widely recommended.

The info below comes from Yahoo answers.

"Take a small amount of icing sugar and mix it with an equal amount of bicarbonate of soda.

Mix the two powders together and then place small amounts against the walls or other areas where you would not normally walk but where you would normally see the ants.

The ants will be attracted to the sugar and will eat some of it and collect more to take home to feed others, so all of them will get their share.

The sugar and baking soda powders are similar in size and, once mixed together, the ants cannot separate the two items, so, as they eat the sugar, they will also ingest the baking soda, which they would otherwise never touch. This is the reason for using icing sugar.

Once the ants eat the baking soda it will react with the formic acid in their stomachs and cause gas. The bodies of ants are unlike humans and they cannot eliminate gas so it will build up inside them and cause them to literally explode."

Oooh! I've never mixed it with icing sugar before!

Is it wrong that all I want to do now is catch a ant and feed it icing sugar and bi-carb and watch the little bugger explode?

Oh dear what a way for the poor ant to go. Won't stop be trying it though if they come into my house!

I don't know if it would work here, but there's diatomeceous (sp?!) earth, which is ground up diatoms. That kills by effectively cutting insects to death; it gets into their waxy covering layer and abrades away. I always thought that was pretty evil.

Bonkey, you may have to wipe ant stains from your ceiling.