I keep getting (sweet) ants--help?

[sbgrace]

I'm frustrated with ants. If killing ants is icky to you, please don't read on!

 

We got ants in April. I put out Terro and they ate it and, presumably, died. But two days or so later, I had more. Repeat. Again and again and again. I've went through bottles of Terro, continually, for several months. I don't think anything inside the home is attracting them, because the colonies initially enter from various points in the house--sometimes the entire other side of the home--before they eventually find the Terro. They have never gotten in food or anything else. All the visiting ants eat the Terro, so they are sweet ants. They come up through the baseboards, not doors or windows.

 

About 1.5 months ago, we treated the perimeter of the house. I thought if I did that, and then continued the Terro inside, the ones inside would eventually die and new colonies wouldn't be able to come in from outside. I've treated the house perimeter (outdoors) 3 times since then. The stuff is supposed to last 8 months outdoors but clearly the ants don't care. The outdoor/indoor combo works for a 2-5 days, and we're back to ants.

 

I believe I'm getting new colonies of ants continually. I haven't ever been able to locate nests outdoors. I just don't get this. This is a new to us home. We've been here a year, and I didn't have this problem last year. In our old home I would (very) occasionally get ants. I would do the Terro and never see them again. I don't understand what's happening. Help?

[fairfarmhand]

Perhaps these ants are resistant to the poison? I would try another type or call an exterminatorr.

[Chris in VA]

We are getting them here in our Jerusalem apt. I have a disinfectant spray that seems to help, but my mil suggests wiping down surfaces with vinegar.

I would prob call an exterminator iiwy, tho.

[Georgiana Daniels]

We just went through the exact same thing. If you are still getting them you should call an exterminator because they have stronger stuff that's not available in stores.

[Pawz4me]

We went through the same thing a couple of years ago. Except it went on through the summer and continued into January and February. We kept everything scrupulously clean inside and out, but the ants persisted. I tried a variety of natural ant killers/repellents, vinegar, etc. Nothing worked. We finally broke down and hired an exterminator to come every three months. The first time he sprayed inside and outside, and ever since then he's just sprayed outside. No more ants.