# Crazy ants ignoring my Cedar mulch



## WhatInThe (May 30, 2015)

I thought Cedar mulch was supposed to repel ants. Some yes and some definite no. I think there are crazy ants going over and through a fresh new layer of Cedar mulch. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps I put some over an existing colony and they have to get to and from. Even when it repels the ants they'll still walk right beside or above it. Starting to think cedar mulch isn't all that it's cracked up to be.


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## AZ Jim (May 30, 2015)

It will discourage termites though.


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## Don M. (May 30, 2015)

WhatInThe said:


> I thought Cedar mulch was supposed to repel ants. Some yes and some definite no. I think there are crazy ants going over and through a fresh new layer of Cedar mulch. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps I put some over an existing colony and they have to get to and from. Even when it repels the ants they'll still walk right beside or above it. Starting to think cedar mulch isn't all that it's cracked up to be.



The BEST way to get rid of ants is to spread a few strategic drops of TERRO Ant Killer in any area where you see them.  They are really attracted to that stuff, and the workers take some back to the nest, and pass it around...eventually killing the entire colony.  Another, and cheaper, solution...which takes a bit longer, is to spread some Artificial Sweetener which contains Aspartame around.


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## WhatInThe (May 30, 2015)

Don M. said:


> The BEST way to get rid of ants is to spread a few strategic drops of TERRO Ant Killer in any area where you see them.  They are really attracted to that stuff, and the workers take some back to the nest, and pass it around...eventually killing the entire colony.  Another, and cheaper, solution...which takes a bit longer, is to spread some Artificial Sweetener which contains Aspartame around.



Second person of late to recommend Terro. I have some Amdro liquid and they are ignoring the bait, only a handful stopped by for a bite to eat. I did find the entrance to a colony so that's why they are going over the Cedar mulch although I don't think they care. I sprayed a barrier pesticide but now they are scattering into another area sprayed so hopefully that will take care of them. I should've waited until a I found a bait that worked then sprayed and plugged after ant activity ceased.

I'm pretty sure they are crazy ants because they are very erratic. There is little pattern to their behavior and they don't seem to stay on a typical trail or line most ant colonies use.

The Cedar mulch has had effect in other areas although they get too close for my comfort. I'll still lay it down because it can deter other things like termites as stated. Crickets seem to hate it as do many spiders.


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## Don M. (May 30, 2015)

I would recommend the Terro liquid to any homeowner.  A 1 ounce bottle can be found at most hardware, and Walmart stores for less than $5, and it only takes a drop or two to eliminate a colony.  I buy a bottle about every 2 years, and put a few drops on the edges of the front and rear decks in the Spring when 3 or 4 days of dry weather are forecasted, and the ants mob the stuff for a couple of days....and then they are pretty much gone for the rest of the year.


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## AZ Jim (May 30, 2015)

I don't get ants here for some reason.  Maybe because it's 103 as I post.


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## Don M. (May 30, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> I don't get ants here for some reason.  Maybe because it's 103 as I post.



Ants require a fairly moist soil and an abundance of "woody" vegetation.   I wouldn't expect to see many in the desert SW.  However, contrast that to the Fire Ant colonies that are increasingly migrating into our SE states, and the problems they will pose as time passes.  Here, we get a lot of Carpenter ants, which attack the oak. walnut and hickory trees.  We have tons of woodpeckers which do a pretty good job of keeping them under control...but they still kill enough trees every year, such that I have an endless supply of firewood for our big outdoor wood furnace.


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## Underock1 (May 31, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> I don't get ants here for some reason.  Maybe because it's 103 as I post.



Jim, More than you probably care to know, but just out of curiosity, I did a little research. Arizona has more species of ants than any other state in the union. Mostly due to the diversity of habitat. Desert, mountain, urban, etc. The desert has a number of species. Some are related to the Fire Ants down South, and just as aggressive. So I guess your lucky not to have any.


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## Ken N Tx (May 31, 2015)

Don M. said:


> I would recommend the Terro liquid to any homeowner.  A 1 ounce bottle can be found at most hardware, and Walmart stores for less than $5, and it only takes a drop or two to eliminate a colony.  I buy a bottle about every 2 years, and put a few drops on the edges of the front and rear decks in the Spring when 3 or 4 days of dry weather are forecasted, and the ants mob the stuff for a couple of days....and then they are pretty much gone for the rest of the year.


It takes about a week to work, but they are gone!!!


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## NancyNGA (May 31, 2015)

I would need to buy this stuff by the gallon.  Fire ants are all over our property down here.
They are nasty critters and taking over.  The main thing is not to stand still for very long.


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## WhatInThe (Jun 3, 2015)

Thanks for the recommendations on Terro. I've seen results but not elimination in less than two days. I've had to refresh the bait several times but I don't think I've used over two tea spoons yet. I was reading some ant species can have up to 40 queens and a 1000 ants in a colony. And some ants co mingle with other species by sharing their colony. Ants were coming at the bait from two directions for a while now they are back down to one. As soon as I see no activity I'm going to clean the area and any old ant trail path because they say they emit an odor to mark the trail to a potential food source. Then comes a barrier pesticide to repel them in the future.


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## Ruthanne (Aug 19, 2015)

Just what I was looking for-anti killer!  I bought Hot Shot brand ant bait and still have tons of them in my kitchen.  I used the spray for ants whenever I saw them and still will.  Does Terra work for indoor ants, too?  Actually I'm not even sure if they are ants but that's what they resemble.  They are smaller than the ants I usually see indoors.  I guess I should buy some of that Terra.


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## Pappy (Aug 19, 2015)

Yes Annie, it works fine indoors. In Florida, we have one or two sessions of ants around our kitchen sink. Terro usually gets rid of them.


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## Falcon (Aug 19, 2015)

The other day a bunch of ants were swarming around a spilled drop of some kind of food stuff on the kitchen counter. 

SO,  I put a couple drops of Terro from my handy bottle  near them. An hour later there were 1,000s more ants eating the stuff;
a virtual mob!.  Later in the day,  most of the ants had left except a few dead ones, which I rinsed down the drain.  

Haven't seen ONE ant since.  Think I'll buy some stock in the Terro company.  That stuff REALLY works.


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## Meanderer (Aug 19, 2015)

Falcon said:


> The other day a bunch of ants were swarming around a spilled drop of some kind of food stuff on the kitchen counter.
> 
> SO,  I put a couple drops of Terro from my handy bottle  near them. An hour later there were 1,000s more ants eating the stuff;
> a virtual mob!.  Later in the day,  most of the ants had left except a few dead ones, which I rinsed down the drain.
> ...



What a testimonial, John!  I will have to pick some up, Thanks!


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## Ruthanne (Aug 19, 2015)

Pappy said:


> Yes Annie, it works fine indoors. In Florida, we have one or two sessions of ants around our kitchen sink. Terro usually gets rid of them.


I'll have to look on Amazon, they have everything.  Thank you.


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## AprilT (Aug 19, 2015)

Cinnamon or clove  sprinkled around my doorway, windowsill or other areas has always done the trick for me.  They also sell these items in oil.  This is if you want a quick non-toxic fix from the kitchen.  You can also use cornmeal or something like farina they'll eat it and explode if the intent is to kill the poor dears.


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## Don M. (Aug 19, 2015)

Annie said:


> I'll have to look on Amazon, they have everything.  Thank you.



Terro ant killer can be found in virtually any good store that sells lawn and garden stuff....hardware stores, KMart, Walmart, etc.,etc....no need to go to Amazon.  A 2 ounce bottle usually costs less than $5, and only a few drops are needed to kill out an entire ant colony.  They eat the stuff, take it back to their nest, and pass it around....and in 24 to 48 hours, all the ants are gone.  The best way to use it indoors is to put a few drops in an old metal lid, from a glass jar, and set the lid on the counter top, or window sill, or wherever you are seeing the ants.  The ants will quickly find it, and in a day or two, the ants should be all gone, and then you can toss the lid.


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## NancyNGA (Aug 19, 2015)

I found Terro at Lowes as sprinkles, in a 3lb bag, for outdoors.  It seems to be working. If you sprinkle some on an ant hill the ants definitely disappear.  I suppose it's possible they just went somewhere else, but I doubt it.


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