Those little ants...

They came to some sort of picnic in my kitchen and didn't leave. I tried a non toxic alternative from Whole Foods called Orange Guard. It got some good reviews on the Internet so the kiddo and I bundled into the car and made a road trip. It does kill on contact and inhibits the creatures only until they find a new path. Basically it doesn't work very well. I tried it for several days on end and it wasn't effective for a long term solution.

In my research, I came across several different sites that recommended a Borax and corn syrup solution. The recipes varied from a 50/50 to a 1/3 part Borax/Corn Syrup mixture. I use Borax in the house as an all purpose cleaning solution. I found some Molasses syrup in the pantry, bought mistakenly instead of molasses. So I went ahead and opted to follow the 1/3 solution. I mixed them together in a bowl and microwaved for about a minute until the Borax dissolved into the syrup, stopping to stir a few times.

Next I found a disposable container with a lid. I punched 4 holes in the sides about half an inch from the bottom of the container, poured the mixture in, and put the lid on. I then placed it where I was seeing the infestation.

Wow! Those ants went to town. I checked the container after an hour or two and it was swarmed with the busy little critters. Over the next 24 hours, the activity was slowing. A lot. By 36 hours, the ants were gone. It is now about 48 hours later and so far there are no insects. Here's hoping.

According to the 20 Mule Team Borax site, this is a naturally occurring mineral. It is a toxin and stripping it from the earth's surface doesn't do it any great favors, but in my opinion it is the least of all evils. This link gives some great tips on how to use Borax in your home. Just be careful around children and animals. It doesn't have a scent so it could be ingested. That is why I put a lid on my container and don't sprinkle it around my house.

UPDATE: its been almost a week and I haven't seen one ant!