heellppp - there is a phalinx of ants marching into my kitchen - what can I do that dd won't eat?

[bunnypeculiar]

Seriously, there is some scary military stuff going on down there ... Not sure of the spelling of phalinx, mine you.

Dd is just one, crawling, into EVERYTHING - is there anything I can put down that won't kill her as well as the ants??

(ds was helpfully driving them down with his jeep this morning - but it's clearly made them more determined....)

Peppermint oil - sprinkle it around where they are coming in.

they must be coming in for some food. Clean up the food source and they will march off elsewhere.

Trice, yes, suspect there are ahem, food traces in my kitchen - but to be fair, they do invade every year at this time ...
Will try peppermint oil, thanks megalegs

cloves too - even if she eats them they won't kill her.

Block up the hole where they're coming in and if they're heading somewhere specific get rid of whatever it is, or put it in a tupperware or something.

Once came home from work to find a column marching under the front door, right through the sitting room, into the dining room, into DH's empty breakfast juice glass, each having a quick lick (or whatever it is ants do) then marching right back out of the front door. Worryingly organised but vanished entirely after glass was washed up...

Just discovered the bin was their goal (makes me feel better - you're allowed to have food scraps in the BIN, right?!) - have emptied it, and will sprinkle garlic liberally around.
Thanks!

not cloves of garlic, actual cloves!

chalk

You can buy some Nippon, it's stuff like sugar syrup and put it down on a piece of foil, it gives off a scent that attracts them. They sup it up and take it back to the nest and it kills the whole nest.

It's not safe for your dd but you can put it down somewhere she can't get at it (on a worktop or anywhere) the ants will def find it.

Ants will not cross a chalk line, put a thick chalk line round your doors and any entry points to your house.

Then find the nest and treat that

wait a minute ... just recehced thie ... chalk you say?? chalk?? I can create a rubicon for ants???

And grouchyoscar - all the ants of Surrey live in my garden - if I treated all the nests I would have to descimate my garden...

I get plagued with ants. Put cinammon around the base of your house outside. I spray white vinegar throughout the house and put a cupful of white vinegar down (smell soon goes). This kept the ants out of my house last year. Done this, so far not seen any. They also don't like lemon juice which I put down outside.

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Just so you're not ignored, THANK YOU Pruni. Esp for correcting my spelling - was bugging me, but not quite enough to get a dictionery out...
And thank you Mumtoaprincess.

They've fecked off for the minute anyway - whatever was tasty has obviously all gone.

But will keep this thread watched for future battles, as They WIll Return

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