Ants all over the place!!! Help!

Hello, everyone!

As you all know, I'm new here. You've all made me feel very welcome!
However, something is really bugging me: ANTS! Loads of ants! It makes me wonder if I have an ant condo in my varanda... If I do, I can't see it anywhere...

I have a small child and I don't want to use heavy pesticides - the ordinary house plants pesticide I normally use is quite efficient with almost everything else. That and a lot of patiente, but so far I've managed to get most bugs to bug off.

But those wee little ants and their cousins with wings just seem to feel very cosy with the pesticide, no problem at all!

Any suggestions?

Please help!

Hello MyHiraeth

I know ...they can be such a pain when they get into your food packets. I found an excellent product here in spain which is an aerosol foam barrier (like hair mousse) You identify the enty points and run a line of barrier foam in a place out of the way of children (although the one I have is not poison) Like for instance under the window/door sill or the edging of a kitchen cupboard. I've watched them...they don't like it. Of course you do have to keep on top of it because where there's a will, there's a way!!!! It's mainly a summer time thing - ours disappear in the autumn.

I bet you can get something similar in Lisboa! Mine is made by Cruz Verde. If you have no joy - I can post you one. I'd try chucking you one over but probably not strong enough.

I remember reading you can use a vinegar spray as well, but I think they dislike anything very strong smelling as "The Fragrant Pharmacy" suggests essential oils like Peppermint, Spearmint, Citronella and Garlic either a couple of drops where they come in or a dilute spray for work tops, cupboards etc.

Ants hate Penny royal - a variety of mint, so if you keep a pot or two on your verandah it should put them off. I think you should wipe a line of it across their path, or perhaps sprinkle a few crushed leaves in their way. Jekka McVicar the herb expert swears by it as an ant deterrant. I haven't any ants so can't try it out, but I would rather use that than an insectecide, especially if you have a young child.

The ants in Spain are very professional! It can get to the stage where you are almost willing to try anythig!!!! Especially when you discover that they have been making regular trips to the christmas cake you had been storing so carefully wrapped in marzipan cling film AND foil at the back of the top shelf!!!!!

Whatever works for you and gives you peace of mind peace of mind.

Good luck with your trials Myhi!

Thanks so much everyone!

Lizzy, toss it over, I'll jump to catch it!! LOL Seriously, we do have that barrier foam thing here. The ants haven't decided to get inside yet, probably because the varanda leads to the bedrooms and not to kitchen..

But they are so many that when I'm deadheading the portulacas they crawl all over my hands and arms, the buggers!

Baa and Pat, I saw an ant repelant in Planet Natural, and it does have mint oil. However, I can't order from Europe, which is a shame. It's a very good site, and I found a lot of things I could use there. The ladybugs in particular, I just love them (I think they are the only bug I like - them and the baby wasps whose yellow stripes turned purple from feeding on my lavender so much LOL!!!), and here in Portugal they are not easy to find. And they are much more expensive...

I'll keep you posted!!! :-)

Thanks a lot, everyone!

Love

MyHiraeth


PS - Lizzy, I am SO sorry for your Christmas cake!!!! I think I would climb the ##### walls if I were you!!

Myhi - where did you learn your perfected English??????? You even write like an English woman, very clever to be able to use a second language that well.

In admiration,
Lizzy

Thank you Lizzy! God knows... I had english lessons at school like everyone else.. I think it must be something from a past life! Maybe being a compulsive reader also helped!

And, as I've said before, it's my other passion!! :-)

Hello girls!
I have the most wonderful news - I got rid of the ants!!!!!!!!!! Ah!
It was a long shot, but I read somewhere that if you put sesame seeds in the ant "hive" - I can't remember the right word - the ants will abandon it. But then, to disperse them, you're supposed to use vinegar, and I was a bit afraid that might affect soil ph too much.

So I figured it wouldn't hurt to throw some sesame seeds about, and guess what - it worked! It reallly worked! No more ants!

Anyway, I'm planting some Penny Royal this weekend - it's a beautiful plant! - you know, just in case the ants get used to the sesame seeds... ;-)

Love

Hiraeth

Glad you got rid of the pesky things - I'm really glad we don't have ants here - I guess there are a few advantages to the cool climate ;-)

More than a few advantages, Rannveig, believe me! We are baking at 40º C here in Lisbon today, and believe me, it's NOT nice! ;-)

Iceland is a must go place for me - have found the money for the journey yet, but I will!

Love
Hiraeth

Oh, I believe you - I wouldn't want to swap places with you, 40°C is more heat than I can take! It's a nice crisp 14°C degrees here, sunny and calm. A really lovely day!

Yes, a visit to Iceland is well worth it I think. You won't have to worry about getting too hot at least! lol

We went to Portugal in 2001 - Albufeira- which is a really popular vacation spot with Icelanders - we loved it! Such beautiful beaches! The heat wasn't that bad by the seaside but we drove up to Alte one day, further inland and the heat!!!! We almost melted! Lovely place though. Also visited Silves - beautiful town. Would love to come back and do a bit more sightseeing - my older daughter was only 3 at the time, so we stayed mostly by the pool. After three weeks we'd had enough of sun and heat - really glad to come home to cooler weather :-)

Glad you have fixed the ants. I've not heard of the sesame seed solution before, but will keep it in mind. I would rather deter things than kill them with nasty potions.

Our weather is more like Iceland today than your 40 degrees, quite cool and showery. I'm even thinking about putting the electric fire on this evening.

....good morning....! I envy you all northern europeans... couldn´t sleep for the heat last night - that is, until I decided to spray myself as I do with the gardenias! I'm becoming quite the prima donna myself lol!

Sure hope it'll cool down soon down there in Portugal, MyHiraeth! Not good loosing sleep because of the heat ! I'd send you a cool breeze if I could - there's plenty to go around up here lol!

Oh, Rannveig, thank you! I hope it cools down as well, otherwise I'll have to use the AC, which I hate because it makes a noise like a thunder!

I've been reading your posts on Iceland and I'm getting more curious than ever... definetly next on my travel wishlist! Along with Wales, I think...

You weather is rather cool, though, I'd settle hapilly for a mild 18º-28º C in the summer and 15º-5º in the winter .... that's usually our winter temperature anyway, and I'm very confortable with it! It's so invigorating!

What we are lacking more and more every year is transition seasons - there's hardly any spring or autumn.... One day it's really cold and the next week everyone is baking... I so miss that spring "softness" we used to have! And the slowly cooling days in the autumn, wow, those were my favourites! I remember the year my son was born, I took him out in litlle more than his dipers (diapers??) until the last days of october, and then suddenly it got cold enough for polar coats!

Anyway, Autumn or no Autumn, I want my polars back!! LOL

Love

Hiraeth

Yeah, I wouldn't mind 5-15°C in winter and maybe 15-25°C in summer would be nice - Oh well, can't have it all. What I find worst about the winter months is the darkness here - You really want to hibernate for about 2 months!

How old is your son? I have a three year old daughter that would just LOVE to be able to run around outside half dressed! She loves wearing skirts and dresses and often just stays inside because she doesn't want to put on pants and a fleece sweater (yes fleece sweaters are summerware here!) - ruins the outfit lol!

Hi, Rannveig!

So your daughter's 3 years old?? So is my son! - that is, until next sunday !
It's such a nice age, they come up with new tricks everyday!!! LOL
We are "ordering" a new baby at the moment LOL... and it would be nice if it turns out to be a girl! (I'll be delighted to have another boy just as well, obviously, but I'd like to have the "girlie" experience!)

However, my son would thoroughly understand you daughter, he would never go out on anything spoiling his looks! I had to smart up my own looks just to get him to leave me alone (LOLOLOL) in the mornings - he used to be shocked at my careless dressing habits!!! I remember this particular morning I decided to wear my knee high mountain boots with a dress (it looked good, in a twisted Lara Croft way... lol) and he made me swap them for a pair of high heeled black shoes.... and then he said see mom, now you look like a princess! LOLOL

Is she your only child?

Love

Hiraeth

No, I also have a 7 year old daughter who will turn 8 in September. They are both pink through and through although the older one does wear pants! :-) Your son sounds to be a great caracter! My 3 year old, doesn't get on my case too much, but she's very happy on the rare occation that I do get dressed up! She thinks I should wear dresses more often LOL! She had to wear pants to preschool today - no clean skirts - and she was not happy about it! :-)

My son started pre school again today, he was so excited about it!

He does get on my case a bit ;-) but then he's so generous with compliments that it really pays off to listen to his fashion tips!!! He thinks I should wear dresses, shirts with flowers and frills, long skirts, high heels... I don't know where he got those ideas! :-)

Sounds like he has very good taste!