wierd question about ants

[bluegirl]

Hi all,
I have an older in-ground pool and under the concrete deck living in the sand/gravel is a colony of flying ants. I have tried for years to eradicate them, but every year they come back. They seem to enter & exit thru the coping thus bringing with them some sand into the pool. Do I need to worry about damage being done to the extent that the deck may cave in because the sand is being removed. Anyone have any ideas about eliminating them? It's bugged me (pun intended) for a lot of years.

 

[JVTrain]

I would try mixing in some food grade (not pool grade) diatomaceous earth in with the sand in that area if possible. Sprinkle some on the surface dirt in the pathways where the enter or exit as well. Food grade DE is like shards of glass to ants and other insects. It's chemically inert in any environmental or pool situation so no worries about chemical contamination of the pool.

 

[jrguzmanr]

I've heard a paste mix of borax, sugar and water does the trick. I've never tried it so let me know how it goes if you try it.

 

[twinkiesmommy2009]

I would try mixing in some food grade (not pool grade) diatomaceous earth in with the sand in that area if possible. Sprinkle some on the surface dirt in the pathways where the enter or exit as well. Food grade DE is like shards of glass to ants and other insects. It's chemically inert in any environmental or pool situation so no worries about chemical contamination of the pool.

This works really well but only works while it's dry. Try to put it out when the weather looks like it will be clear for a few days so they will walk on it and it will settle in a little before any rain.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mickey4paws]

Those flying ants are awful, Bluegirl, I defnitely can sympathize. Usually we get one hatching a season, but this year we've had two. I'll find thousands of them on top of the pool in the morning. I turn the jets up and turn on the pump and try to get as many in the skimmer basket as possible. Have to skim the rest and it's not very appetizing, that's for sure. I don't know where mine come from, haven't been able to find a nest.

JVTrain, if I sprink some of that food grade DE around the coping, it probably wont' stop the flying ants since I don't know where their nest is, but would it stop other crawling ants? I'm also trying to figure out a way to stop all the bugs that get in the pool. I've heard Dawn dishsoap works but not too sure it would be a good idea to put it in the pool. Probably better to make a spray of Dawn and water and spray around the coping.

 

[atttech-2]

I have had great success baiting ants with Terro and Maxforce by Bayer. The Terro is a borax based liquid and the Maxforce is a granule. What I do is put a few drops of honey and a smear of peanut butter on a disposable plate this will draw them in for both sweet or protein seeking ants. Wait a few hours until the ants have a good parade going to and from the food. Then I sprinkle a small spoon full of the granules on the plate and 5 to 7 drops of the Terro. If they go after the Terro more than the granules you may have to reapply it every 2 to 3 hours throughout the day because as it dries they become less interested in it but one day of continued attention is usually all it takes to completely kill off the whole hill.