A little black ant crawled across my keyboard. I could no longer put off writing this article.
What are these little black ants all over my kitchen, and how do I get rid of them without using dangerous chemicals?
Before we moved to Brentwood, Tennessee, our houses were never invaded by ants like these. They're tiny, fast, and attracted to anything sweet or wet. They march across the floor in long parades.
Here's how I am getting rid of these tiny black ants without poisoning my kids...
Insecticide sprays are out of the question.
Neither did I want to hire an exterminator.
I just can't feel good about squirting poisons around my home. Not with pets and kids on the floor.
So, I researched the Internet to find a natural ant killer. Vinegar, cinnamon, soapy water...I tried them all. No luck!
The other natural suggestion seemed to be borax, which you can buy in the laundry aisle of most supermarkets. I had some on hand, so I tried sprinkling it around the doorways and windowsills in the kitchen.
The kids started poking their fingers in it! Borax is natural, but it's not necessarily safe. Definitely not for kids who might rub it in their eyes or put it in their mouth. According to Wikipedia, less than 5 grams can kill a pet or child.
Is there any way to use natural borax without leaving it out in the open?
Bingo! Terro Ant Bait uses a sugary Borax gel inside a small plastic case. A child would have to pick it up and suck on the opening in order to come in contact with the borax.
How Did Terro Work On Small Black Kitchen Ants?
Great! We put two Terro traps on either side of the kitchen sink. Instantly, the ants began swarming the opening. They ingest a bit of the Borax solution, crawl home and die.
Two days later, we still have a steady stream of ants at both traps. But the ants elsewhere in the kitchen are largely gone.
We will continue to use Terro until the original source of ants dries up. If necessary, we may put special Terro product outside to target the colony itself.
You can read more about these effective ant killers at Terro's Frequently Asked Questions page.
Do you have experience killing these small black kitchen ants in Brentwood? I would love to know what works for you!
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We used to have a horrible infestation of black ants and a strange colony of FLYING black ants. (Who knew?)
If it gets bad enough, hiring a local exterminator who uses organic pesticides might be a good option for you. Even though it's more of a hassle than just doing it yourself, the guys who did our house a few years ago know what they're doing: we've been ant free ever since!
(Unfortunately the name of the specific company escapes me...)
Also, now that the Go Green craze is going on, it should be a lot easier to find someone who uses more organic insecticides.