Ants in the pants!

[hypernova]

Not really in my pants, but...

Last year, we had a small issue with ants.  Nothing requiring an exterminator or anything.  They came in two spots.  They eventually gave up on one spot, as I guess we kept that part of the floor clean enough.

Now this year they've found two new spots to come in.  Still not a big issue, but a nuisance to look at nonetheless.  Plus, it could get worse if not nipped in the bud.  All spots seem to point to where the vinyl siding meets the concrete basement/foundation.  What I'd like to know is what is the best product to use to seal this up?  Just some regular foam spray can insulation?  (I was concerned with the aesthetics of doing this.)  Of course, it does run the entire perimeter of the house, so I'll need a bit of it...not sure how much.

Or, are there any other options to seal this section of the house up?

Yes, I could just keep the floor clean and be vigilant about killing any ants I see, but we work for a living, and the five year old is pretty damned messy.  I do what I can, but I'm realistic about this, and a spotless floor probably only lasts for ten minutes

[massive88]

I thought being realistic would be to accept that you cant plug every Ant sized hole.  =D

Id suggest cleaning best you can, and attacking the outside perimeter of your house with some Ortho or similar.  Call in a professional if its really bad.

[HaRuMaN]

http://www.terro.com/products.php

[sunnywala]

http://www.terro.com/products.php

+1

[hypernova]

http://www.terro.com/products.php

+1

You guys have experience with the product?  Effective?

I thought being realistic would be to accept that you cant plug every Ant sized hole.  =D

But when you know where the hole is, you might as well plug it, yes?  In my case, it's more of a slim line.  Like I mentioned, I know the expanding foam insulation would do the job, but I question whether it'll look like crap after I'm done.

[HaRuMaN]

Terro stuff is VERY effective.

If you really want to seal, why not use a clear silicone caulk?

[hypernova]

Clear caulk may work.  Good to hear also on the Terro brand name.

[javeryh]

I thought we were going to be talking about this:

[hypernova]

I thought we were going to be talking about this:

I've gotten a few suggestions.  So let's go for it!

I've never played it myself.

[hypernova]

http://www.terro.com/products.php

+1

Just thought I'd give an update on the ants situation.

Terro is by far one of the best products I've come across.  I stuck out those six traps where they go right before we left on vacation.

I came back, and haven't seen a single ant in the three weeks since we've been home.  And we've been seriously slacking on keeping the floor clean.  Compare that to before, I'd sweep the floor at least once a day, and it wouldn't make a difference, even with my homemade boric acid solution.  Their numbers just never seemed to go down.

Great suggestion on the Terro.  I'm a definite believer in their product.

[DaOld Man]

They have a lot of different products. Which ant killer did you go with?
Also, anybody tried the mosquito repellent? I wonder if it works as good as the ant stuff?

[HaRuMaN]

I usually get these:

http://www.terro.com/products.php?product=liquid_ant_bait

Simple, no mess, ants eat it and carry it back to their nest.