I have a wooden house here in Thailand and it is above the ground on wood posts. The ants climb up the posts and enter the house. I have put ant power around the posts, but when it rains it is all gone and in come the ants. I tried petroleum jelly and when it gets hot, it just kind of melts and runs down the posts. I put powder inside the house where I think they are entering, but they always find a way in. Anything that I can put on the posts that won"t wash away when it rains? Thanks.
By Ben
I'm not sure how well if will keep up in the rain but I have heard that a chalk line will deter the ants. Draw a chalk line around each post and see if that stops them.
I would put diatomaceous earth around every post, but I'm not sure where you can get that in The Phillipines. I also don't know if rain would wash it away. Worth a shot though.
Because anything applied outside will melt or wash away I suggest a line of ordinary table salt along the edges of the floor inside. Put it all around the outer edge of the rooms where they will have to cross it to come into the rooms.
I am wondering if you could do something like coat the sticky side of wide tape, like duct tape, or any really tough sticky tape, with the ant powder that you have found effective, and then staple or tack the tape to top of the posts. At the top, it would be less likely to wash away quickly and because it is stuck to the tape, it might last longer.
Put rope and comet sink cleanser around each post.
I don't know if you have this in your country, but here in Canada we have wide sticky tape with a gluey substance on it that we wrap around trees to stop canker worms from crawling up the trees. it is sticky on both sides, so the worms, ants, etc. can't crawl up the trees. It works when it is really hot and when it is cool, as well. Maybe you can find it on the internet.
Mwife and I love your house. Ehere can we get plans?
Thanks, Maricar and Richard B.
