Doc67 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 2:15 pm

SlackWaster wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 11:05 pm It's been just under eight months now and I still do not have ants. A combination of killing the nests and not leaving food crumbs etc around seems to have done the job. And if a different breed of ants, or a new nest appears, I'll lknow just to find out what they like, mix it with Boric Acid and kill the nests.

I think it's been a success - it's lovely.

I am under attack again. Major building works nearby have disturbed a lot of nests and they seemed to be on the move.

Talk me through the steak/water/boric acid recipe please. I have some beef in the fridge, but it's the good stuff. I could get some local road kill at the market and stick it through the grinder. What's the meat to water to acid recipe.

Cheers.

Some boric acid on (really small chopped up) meat like a slice of ham will wipe out a nest.

But the best thing is no food lying around. Not the smallest bit. No food, no ants & roaches, they won't waste their time on empty areas.

Kammekor wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:45 am

Doc67 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 2:15 pm

SlackWaster wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 11:05 pm It's been just under eight months now and I still do not have ants. A combination of killing the nests and not leaving food crumbs etc around seems to have done the job. And if a different breed of ants, or a new nest appears, I'll lknow just to find out what they like, mix it with Boric Acid and kill the nests.

I think it's been a success - it's lovely.

I am under attack again. Major building works nearby have disturbed a lot of nests and they seemed to be on the move.

Talk me through the steak/water/boric acid recipe please. I have some beef in the fridge, but it's the good stuff. I could get some local road kill at the market and stick it through the grinder. What's the meat to water to acid recipe.

Cheers.

Some boric acid on (really small chopped up) meat like a slice of ham will wipe out a nest.

But the best thing is no food lying around. Not the smallest bit. No food, no ants & roaches, they won't waste their time on empty areas.

I think this is the key. I cleaned underneath the microwave and all around the worksurfaces with Mr Muscle and left a lot underneath and all around the nooks and crannies.

xandreu wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 9:42 pm When people talk about ants in Cambodia, do they mean actual ants that bite you, the things we get in western countries also (or at least in the UK, especially in the summer) or do they mean those things that are about a quarter of the size but don't bite you and are just more of an annoyance?

Depends on how you live. In apartments it's usually the smaller black ants, which come in several sizes, which are the annoyance, but if you live on a ground floor with a garden you might also see much larger red, black and red-black ants which can be a (literally) pain when you stand in their way. The larger ones have a nasty sting / bite which will make you run for boric acid. They're great cleaners though, a large gecko will be reduced to bare bones in less than 24 hours by those. You will often find them in mango trees (and other fruit trees), but they basically eat everything unless it's artificially sweetened.

Doc67 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:50 am

Kammekor wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:45 am

Doc67 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 2:15 pm

SlackWaster wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 11:05 pm It's been just under eight months now and I still do not have ants. A combination of killing the nests and not leaving food crumbs etc around seems to have done the job. And if a different breed of ants, or a new nest appears, I'll lknow just to find out what they like, mix it with Boric Acid and kill the nests.

I think it's been a success - it's lovely.

I am under attack again. Major building works nearby have disturbed a lot of nests and they seemed to be on the move.

Talk me through the steak/water/boric acid recipe please. I have some beef in the fridge, but it's the good stuff. I could get some local road kill at the market and stick it through the grinder. What's the meat to water to acid recipe.

Cheers.

Some boric acid on (really small chopped up) meat like a slice of ham will wipe out a nest.

But the best thing is no food lying around. Not the smallest bit. No food, no ants & roaches, they won't waste their time on empty areas.

I think this is the key. I cleaned underneath the microwave and all around the worksurfaces with Mr Muscle and left a lot underneath and all around the nooks and crannies.

And thoroughly clean / wash your dishes. What most consider clean still contains enough protein for the smallest ants to make the effort.

Kammekor wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:52 am

Doc67 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:50 am

Kammekor wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:45 am

Doc67 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 2:15 pm

SlackWaster wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 11:05 pm It's been just under eight months now and I still do not have ants. A combination of killing the nests and not leaving food crumbs etc around seems to have done the job. And if a different breed of ants, or a new nest appears, I'll lknow just to find out what they like, mix it with Boric Acid and kill the nests.

I think it's been a success - it's lovely.

I am under attack again. Major building works nearby have disturbed a lot of nests and they seemed to be on the move.

Talk me through the steak/water/boric acid recipe please. I have some beef in the fridge, but it's the good stuff. I could get some local road kill at the market and stick it through the grinder. What's the meat to water to acid recipe.

Cheers.

Some boric acid on (really small chopped up) meat like a slice of ham will wipe out a nest.

But the best thing is no food lying around. Not the smallest bit. No food, no ants & roaches, they won't waste their time on empty areas.

I think this is the key. I cleaned underneath the microwave and all around the worksurfaces with Mr Muscle and left a lot underneath and all around the nooks and crannies.

And thoroughly clean / wash your dishes. What most consider clean still contains enough protein for the smallest ants to make the effort.

I'm pretty fastidious on that score, but one frying pan became a big draw so that got the boiling water, detergent and old toothbrush treatment to get into the handle cracks etc. and that fixed it.

When I eventually move I am getting a dishwasher, I really miss those things that clean at boiling point. Sod the electric costs.

Doc67 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:56 am

Kammekor wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:52 am

Doc67 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:50 am

Kammekor wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:45 am

Doc67 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 2:15 pm

I am under attack again. Major building works nearby have disturbed a lot of nests and they seemed to be on the move.

Talk me through the steak/water/boric acid recipe please. I have some beef in the fridge, but it's the good stuff. I could get some local road kill at the market and stick it through the grinder. What's the meat to water to acid recipe.

Cheers.

Some boric acid on (really small chopped up) meat like a slice of ham will wipe out a nest.

But the best thing is no food lying around. Not the smallest bit. No food, no ants & roaches, they won't waste their time on empty areas.

I think this is the key. I cleaned underneath the microwave and all around the worksurfaces with Mr Muscle and left a lot underneath and all around the nooks and crannies.

And thoroughly clean / wash your dishes. What most consider clean still contains enough protein for the smallest ants to make the effort.

I'm pretty fastidious on that score, but one frying pan became a big draw so that got the boiling water, detergent and old toothbrush treatment to get into the handle cracks etc. and that fixed it.

When I eventually move I am getting a dishwasher, I really miss those things that clean at boiling point. Sod the electric costs.

Looks like you had a good time....

I use diatomaceous earth, ordered online- works well

I used a slurry made of boric acid and imitation maple syrup. Works like a charm but make sure it's relatively thin. Sometimes they won't get into a dish so I've just made a small puddle on the floor. Not pet friendly though so if you go that route you can use it in a cupboard if they're there.

I had an apartment on St 130 and I had at least 3-4 different varieties. It eliminated all of them. In the kitchen cabinets, on the floor, on the bathroom sink, etc. They each have their own specialty.

Not too long after one variety had gone another moved in but eventually it got rid of black ones, red ones, and translucent reds. I had a friend that tried it on fire ants in the US with zero results. The syrup mix works good and overnight. Sometimes I just leave it out and freshen it up with a little syrup when it becomes too thick. The scouts find it and that takes care of them! Eventually I think it loses its potency and has to be thrown out but it only takes a little bit anyhow so a container should last for years. I just used a tad bit on the end of a plastic spoon handle with the syrup.

I actually saw a utube vid on it for fire ants so I don't know why it didn't work for him. I couldn't find it in the PI when I lived there so I bought mine in the US on a trip back in 2017. Sorry, can't help you there.