I am a vegetarian and try not to kill living things and this includes ants. Is there anything I can use to keep ants out of the kitchen without killing them?
By CuddlyDuck from Birmingham, West Midlands
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Read the posts below your post (under "Related") (archived messages from the past). One person said lemon juice, for example.
I have that talcum powder stops them, because then their feet cant grip. Maybe you could google that for more information.
Sprinkle baby powder where you see them. Kills them on contact. Also cinnamon along any cracks or gaps is a deterrent, but a bit messier. I wonder if cinnamon oil would work?
I have found that most ants will not cross a chalk line. I have drawn a chalk circle around ant mounds in my driveway, and every time they get close to the line, they back up.
Below is what I read on The Huffington Post:
"Many insects are highly sensitive to smell, including spiders, ants, fleas and typically so-hardy-they're-almost-alien cockroaches. Squirt lemon juice in windowsills, the thresholds of doors, along baseboards and into any cracks where insects might get into the house. Add lemon juice to your floor wash for even more insect-repelling action."
I have very good results by just using dry corn meal around where they are coming in. We have a pantry in the garage that I spread corn meal on the shelves and they do not bother coming in any more.
I have used cucumber peelings scattered wherever you see the ants. This is a good remedy for your countertops, and windowsills, because they are safe to use in that environment. If you want to kill them, Terro is the best solution. Just a few drops on a small piece of waxed paper in a strategic place near their entry works well. Minutes after they discover it, they will form a circle around the drop to drink. You will not have to deal with them further for they will carry the "treat" back to their nest. And they will just disappear from your kitchen.
Place bottles of honey in the yard where you want them to go. I tried it and it kept the yard more clear so my dog didn't have to step on the ant beds. (I am not referring to the fire ants.)
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