Ants in my pants!

[B00]

Well ok, not in my pants- but I do have the little bu88ers in my living room!

I've no idea where they're coming in from, or why they here to begin with. We're currently in the middle of having the road dug up (gas) outside, so I'm assuming it might have something to do with that?

Anyway regardless, the little sods, seem to be congregating round my fireplace- suppose they don't like being cold??

Anyone any idea's how I can get rid of them? I'm itching at the thought of them- help me before i crack!!

[karenmac60]

Have you got a gas fire? My parents have a terrible problem with them in the chimney and they can't figure out how to get rid of them, they've tried all sorts of lotions and potions with no success I'm afraid. It's worse in the late summer when the flying ants come out....

[B00]

yeah I have, reckon they're behind there? Never noticed them before they started digging outside. And the most important question, how do i get rid of them?

[regulo]

If you can discover where they're coming in, simply dust the area with talc, they won't cross it.

[B00]

How do you discover where they're coming from? They seem to be on the lip of my hearth- the carpet perhaps??

[China Doll]

Try and follow the movements of one, they will generally all follow the same route to and from a food source until that food source is gone because of how they communicate. Once you've established that, I recommend ground black pepper.... Very simple and worked wonders when I put it down in my mums kitchen. They use their anteni (sp) and the pepper confuses/hurts them and they stop following that route.

[B00]

Oh ace, so ive got to get on me hands and knees and follow a black ant around a dark brown carpet? LOL

Don't fancy my chances :-(

[cazzz1975]

they are attracted to food sources, any crumbs or sticky residue around will bring them in. once one comes across food of some kind he will make a path back to the nest and call for reinforcements.

they are likely to come in via the doors or windows, they will have a trail, if you watch them they will have a specific path to follow back to the nest.

[regulo]

Grit your teeth, get on your knees, and follow the b****rs. If not, try dusting all round the wall/carpet join in the area. They wouldn't normally be active at this time of year, so they've been disturbed by your roadworks probably. Do you have a solid floor or wooden floorboards? If the latter, they could be coming up almost anywhere under your carpet, if the former, they're probably in the wall cavity, and are coming in under the skirting board. Sorry, that's the best I can do!! Good luck.

[B00]

Ok, ive watched 2 now (with the dogs nose in my face looking at me as if i was simple...), they disappear under the carpet which hugs the front of the fireplace.

Now what? I don't have to pull the carpet up do I?

I'm tired and cranky and this is frankly making me want to bloody cry.

[boxtops]

I would say ant powder but you have to be careful of that with the dog.

[B00]

Yeah think you're right boxtops- think the talc powder idea suggested up there might work too? Or does that just keep 'em at bay rather than kill 'em?

[China Doll]

Keeps 'em at bay, won't kill them... Use the black pepper... They just get the message that this is no longer a viable food route and hopefully move off to another one. Also dog will probably stay away as the pepper will make him sneeze too.

[B00]

Not got any black pepper at moment- got white, work just as well? Sod it off to sprinkle it anyway.

[jno]

you might find it isn't the road at all, then, and they're nesting under the floorboards or something. Pepper around wherever they're coming out, anyway.

[China Doll]

Anything that upsets their communicating love... Good luck.

If it continues and you suspect there is something under your carpet, you might want to pull it up or else come august and time for the queens to fly the nest your carpet may well appear to move.... :c(

[B00]

I give up- dog's just licked half of it off the floor, ruddy puddled she is...

It just seemed strange jno, that ive only seen them past couple of days and that's when the road started being dug up.

[B00]

Oh jesus CD! That sounds the stuff of nightmares!

Right, see how this goes (had to re-sprinkle thanks to the dog) if it doesn't work, I've got just the job for Mr Boo this weekend.

[jno]

yes, does sound suspicious, doesn't it. But I'd be surprised if they all relocated from the street to under your floorboards in a couple of days. Unless there's some direct route from the street into your basement and up to the fireplace? Might pay to have a look outside and see if there's any there when it's light.

[boxtops]

Just don't sit by the fire for a romantic interlude .....

[B00]

We don't have a basement jno. So not from there.

Will try the talk idea tomorrow too, then will buy any powder over weekend.

If that doesn't work- im emigrating.