Ant killer
Author
Discussion

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,420 posts

256 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
Has anybody found an ant killer that properly kills the ants and nest?
None that I have tried are effective.

Are the commercial pest control companies any better?

blueg33

46,426 posts

253 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
Ant Stop bait stations work brilliantly. Eradicated an annual problem we have had for 20 years within 24 hours.

Quhet

2,935 posts

175 months

Monday 27th April
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Boiling water. Easy when you're dealing with a patio, less easy when the bds are coming into your kitchen

Stu R

21,639 posts

244 months

Monday 27th April
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Terro bait stations. Probably used a thousand of them over the years and they never fail. Takes a few days.

thetapeworm

13,815 posts

268 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
Nope is the only one I've found to be effective but it's not an instant long lasting solution to what I presume is an underground city beneath my patio and lawn, it keeps them at bay though.



I've just done my seasonal spraying, sprinkling of bait for them to take home, bait stations and filled cracks with old coffee grounds and it's helped but there's still a few wandering today. When I get the garden done I'm hoping to nuke them once and for all.

Apparently nematodes are the answer once you've exhausted boiling them and chemical options but I've only read about them.


ben5575

7,440 posts

250 months

Monday 27th April
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blueg33 said:
Ant Stop bait stations work brilliantly. Eradicated an annual problem we have had for 20 years within 24 hours.
Yes these have always worked for me. Don't be shy with the numbers you use.

IJWS15

2,220 posts

114 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
This

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChsSEwii2...

There are other producers.

Doesn’t leave a white residue and never had it fail to destroy a nest.

Getragdogleg

10,215 posts

212 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
I had an ants nest on my balcony, I tried a few things to get them gone and none worked.

Then a batty old cat lady aunt who is into crystals and new age woo visited us and she suggested I just ask them to leave. So I did, just to humour her and to have a joke with the wife about it later and I don't have ants anymore, not for a few years now.

Didn't go immediately but there was a gradual reduction to zero.

I suspect it's a placebo effect but I am stumped as to why I don't have ants anymore. I've done nothing else.

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,420 posts

256 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
blueg33 said:
Ant Stop bait stations work brilliantly. Eradicated an annual problem we have had for 20 years within 24 hours.
Strange - I have used several times to zero effect

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,420 posts

256 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
Stu R said:
Terro bait stations. Probably used a thousand of them over the years and they never fail. Takes a few days.
Not tried this brand, so will give it a try thx

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,420 posts

256 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
thetapeworm said:
Nope is the only one I've found to be effective but it's not an instant long lasting solution to what I presume is an underground city beneath my patio and lawn, it keeps them at bay though.



I've just done my seasonal spraying, sprinkling of bait for them to take home, bait stations and filled cracks with old coffee grounds and it's helped but there's still a few wandering today. When I get the garden done I'm hoping to nuke them once and for all.

Apparently nematodes are the answer once you've exhausted boiling them and chemical options but I've only read about them.
Used this product in granular form - the ants avoid it so it has not worked

NDA

25,619 posts

254 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
blueg33 said:
Ant Stop bait stations work brilliantly. Eradicated an annual problem we have had for 20 years within 24 hours.
Yep, they work for me too - very quickly too.

They're not cheap, but they do work.

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,420 posts

256 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
NDA said:
blueg33 said:
Ant Stop bait stations work brilliantly. Eradicated an annual problem we have had for 20 years within 24 hours.
Yep, they work for me too - very quickly too.

They're not cheap, but they do work.
I have had no joy with them in the past but have ordered some Terro recommended above. Do you have a fave brand?

119

19,914 posts

65 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
Nippon ant powder works brilliantly.

Sprinkle it around the nest and aling the trail a d they all walk it back in killing them all inside as well.


otolith

68,834 posts

233 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
I've found the ant bait stations effective. But they do rely on the ants finding the bait, taking it back to the nest, and poisoning the queen and larvae with it.

There are multiple ant species in the UK, and they aren't all equally attracted to the same sorts of bait.

Danns

502 posts

88 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
thetapeworm said:
Nope is the only one I've found to be effective but it's not an instant long lasting solution to what I presume is an underground city beneath my patio and lawn, it keeps them at bay though.



I've just done my seasonal spraying, sprinkling of bait for them to take home, bait stations and filled cracks with old coffee grounds and it's helped but there's still a few wandering today. When I get the garden done I'm hoping to nuke them once and for all.

Apparently nematodes are the answer once you've exhausted boiling them and chemical options but I've only read about them.
Using Nope at the moment, I question its long lasting effects but certainly works.
As of last night can confirm it also kills false widows and hornets (sprayed direct) - everything is trying to get me at the moment!

Nope has done a great job of - kick the ants nest, spray a lot and leave.

For the first time the mounds haven’t reappeared 2 days later (this happened with the nippon powder).

On the nematodes - the ones for leather jackets are great.
The ant ones? Nah.. they just make the ants want to go somewhere else - sort of. Whereas when applied to leather jackets they eat the larvae.

Ant problem this year appears much worse than previous years so far.

Only thing.. quick search suggests the CP in nope can causes speech development issues in toddlers. Haven’t checked the concentration at which this happens but it’s made me a bit concerned about using it indoors.

JoshSm

5,044 posts

66 months

Monday 27th April
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All the Deltamethrin and similar ones work (eg the Nippon powder), they just aren't instant. Given a day or two they usually do the job.

Same stuff is used for all sorts of insects not just ants.

Plus4Four#

264 posts

10 months

Monday 27th April
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WD40.
Used it on a couple of nests outside. No ants have returned after 2 years.

LooneyTunes

9,385 posts

187 months

Monday 27th April
quotequote all
119 said:
Nippon ant powder works brilliantly.

Sprinkle it around the nest and aling the trail a d they all walk it back in killing them all inside as well.
Works on wasps too.

julianm

1,732 posts

230 months

Monday 27th April
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When I was a boy I'd 'borrow' a can of my dad's Easy Start & his lighter & play storming Iwo Jima.
The ants took the part of the defending Japanese.
Can't really recommend it though.