How can I get rid of ants/keep the from entering my house?

Question

When it's hot outside, ants come into our house. Even if we don't have the air conditioning on. We've tried Terro, but they don't even have any interest in it anymore. They aren't on the counters and aren't interested in food. I just hate the appearance of them, and we're in the process of trying to sell our house, so it doesn't look good.

What can I do?

For right know, I have sprayed the area that they enter from with some Ortho ant and spider killer.

Is there anything around the house that I can pour/put in/around their "entrance" so that they will be dissauded from entering?

We don't know where they are coming from, and it's just frustrating to me.

Answer 1

I have placed a thin trail or red pepper, (cayenne) along dorrways and window sills and this stopped them quickly. The thing is that they walk through it and then l**k their feet? and they really don't like the taste evidently. They learn quickly also. Try it, it's cheap and effective.

Answer 2

Try buying some diatomaceous earth (DE) and sprinkling it at the access points. DE is a fossilized deposit of microscopic shells created by one celled plants called Diatoms. These plants inhabit all the waters of the earth, and serve as the basic food for aquatic life, just as grass is the basic food for land animals. When ground up into a fine powder, DE makes a unique, safe way to control all sorts of insect pests. While it does not hurt people and pets, the microscopic sharp edges of this powder slashes the exoskeleton of insects causing them to quickly dehydrate and die. You'll likely have to buy it online, although some nurseries and farmers' coops might carry it. We recently got a 10 pound bag for about $15. For most people, that's enough to last a LONG time.

Answer 3

Put some regular white vinagar in a spray bottle and either stream it or spray in all thresholds and cracks-especially window ledges. Also good for fleas, spiders, bugs, and mosquitios.

Answer 4

Boric Acid is sold at local grocery stores.   It eviscerates them from within.  Sprinkle it at the doorways and into corners and crevice's.  When they eat it they will die, the insects also carry it back to the nests and may thin the amount of insects you will have visiting you in the future

Answer 5

Use a mix of cinnamon and sugar. The ants will pick up the sugar, along with the cinnamon, and take it back to their queen. Ants can’t digest cinnamon and once the queen dies from not being able to digest the cinnamon the colony will die without her.