Pest control. I found where the tiny ants are living.

[uppityperson]

This isn't really garden related, but thought gardeners might relate.

We have tiny black ants, not the stinging kind but the kind that mass for sugar and/or oil. I was weeding last summer and disturbed a nest which swarmed up my arms and legs. Glad no one else was home to see me doing the "strip your clothes off while jumping up and down shaking arms and legs and screaming arghhhh" dance.

It is spring, I hear, and for the last week I've notice 2 ants in my kitchen sink every morning. Not 1. Not 3. Always 2. Until yesterday when there were a bunch. They didn't seem to be coming through a window, or from the under sink trash, couldn't track them down. Until I loaded the dishwasher and found a whole bunch in there.

So, I guess the next step (after running the dishwasher) is to pull it out and examine the surrounding insulation for the nest. No, they don't bite but they crawl all over you really fast. I think I'll put the dishwasher on extra rinse also.

[Imalittleteapot]

1. Attack kitchen ants with orange oil

Any product with orange oil kills them instantly. I use Fantastik Orange Action. I came upon this remedy by accident one day when a parade of ants were coming in from under the window over the sink and going down the wall to the counter top.
There were so many that smashing them ( :-( } with a wad of paper towels took more energy than I was willing to give. I sprayed them with Orange Action and they died on contact.

[uppityperson]

2. Thank you for that.

We're going to have to pull the dishwasher out this week and decontaminate it. I have some citrasolve and some tangerine essential oil (if tang works). There is a vent in the top of the door and they're crawling in and out, perhaps I can drip some in there. Better than nasty pesticides.

So far I've been dealing with them on an individual basis.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. Diluted pure orange oil is a wonderful pesticide!

The stuff I buy is great for cleaning and killing all kinds of pests on plants and around the house.

I dilute it one ounce to one gallon of water for both my cleaning and my vermin killing needs. It also smells very nice unlike most other products designed to kill pests.

I can't recommend it enough for killing ants in the garden. It and neem oil are my two favorites for keeping my garden area as pest free as possible.

This isn't the brand I use but it's a good example of what you'll be looking for.

Link to orange oil: http://www.garden-ville.com/4429859_36600.htm

[mod mom]

3. Thank you I knew I could rely on a DUer to provide me an answer!

:hi: (found my answer in less than 5 secs)

[Shoelace]

4. we've had good luck controlling ants with Terro

that you find in any hardware, garden store. It's boric acid based in a syrup and harmless to wildlife, etc. It takes time and good to use after the main wipe out is finished. They take it all back to their homes, feed it to the young and voila, within a couple of weeks, most are gone.