We have a food waste/yard clippings bin that is part of our weekly pickup. Today I went to throw something in it and the ants had taken over. I'm pretty sure the whole colony was having a feast.
I tried baking soda a few days ago when I saw a couple, but they penetrated my barrier. This time I poured vinegar inside the can and outside on the ground. I'm hoping they will have evacuated by this evening. If nothing else, the smell will keep the neighbors away from our house :D
Does anyone have tips for keeping ants out of these bins? I prefer natural methods as my dog gets into things. I do have some Safer brand natural bug killer, but I didn't it would get deep down in the bottom (these bins are very deep)
I know the food waste attracts them. Is this one of the things you have to live with?
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Keeping ants out of recycle and green waste bins?
Started by FamilyTreeClimber, Jun 20 2012 12:50 PM
12 replies to this topic
#2
Posted 20 June 2012 - 04:41 PM
Sorry. I went with the compost tumbler a few years back because trying to maintain a pile was proving to be
too difficult for me.
Whatever you use should be food grade to kill them otherwise you taint the whole thing. Hot sauce or
black pepper maybe? Vinegar would throw the ph balance off.
too difficult for me.
Whatever you use should be food grade to kill them otherwise you taint the whole thing. Hot sauce or
black pepper maybe? Vinegar would throw the ph balance off.
#3
Posted 20 June 2012 - 10:35 PM
Just to be clear, this is our food waste bin which will be picked up by the garbage company. We're allowed to put green waste, food scrap, newspaper, and paper food containers in this bin. So, I don't think the vinegar will harm anything since it's going to be thrown in with everyone else's compostables.
I never thought of black pepper. I know ants don't like cinnamon. I'm not sure I have enough to cover the bottom. Maybe I should throw pepper and cinnamon sticks in it :)
I wouldn't mind the ants so much if there were only one or two. But, it's always a thousand at a time.
I never thought of black pepper. I know ants don't like cinnamon. I'm not sure I have enough to cover the bottom. Maybe I should throw pepper and cinnamon sticks in it :)
I wouldn't mind the ants so much if there were only one or two. But, it's always a thousand at a time.
#5
Posted 21 June 2012 - 01:31 PM
I saw them carrying off little pieces of food, so they must have made the queen very happy :D
I guess I should be happy they are outside in the bin and not in the house. Last year, we were plagued by them inside. Bathroom, kitchen, bedrooms, living room, they were popping out everywhere. In September, we had a wasp invasion in the false ceiling in our kitchen. What we learned was there were 9 wasp nests on the roof. The ants were being drawn to our house by the larvae from the nests. Once we got rid of the wasps, the ants vanished.
I guess I should be happy they are outside in the bin and not in the house. Last year, we were plagued by them inside. Bathroom, kitchen, bedrooms, living room, they were popping out everywhere. In September, we had a wasp invasion in the false ceiling in our kitchen. What we learned was there were 9 wasp nests on the roof. The ants were being drawn to our house by the larvae from the nests. Once we got rid of the wasps, the ants vanished.
#6
Posted 22 June 2012 - 02:56 AM
Estimates of ant numbers in the world range from 8,000 - 9500 species of those little critters, totalling (probably more)
one quad-trillion. (Numbers vary wildly depending on what site you look at.)
Ouch.
http://hypertextbook...gvorapong.shtml
According to wiki- ants evolved from wasps; maybe that's why there was a family connection in your ceiling area.
Visiting cousins?
The article mentioned Borax as a natural pesticide.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant
one quad-trillion. (Numbers vary wildly depending on what site you look at.)
Ouch.
http://hypertextbook...gvorapong.shtml
According to wiki- ants evolved from wasps; maybe that's why there was a family connection in your ceiling area.
Visiting cousins?
The article mentioned Borax as a natural pesticide.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant
#7
Posted 23 June 2012 - 06:05 AM
When there are ants trying to live inside the electrical socket in the living room, I had bought a chalk which is labeled safe for humans and pets and draw a line on the wall so that ants would not be able to get into the socket. And it works although not that sure if its really safe as labeled.
About your food waste bin, it is really hard to get rid of them as they will do their best to get in there in order to feed. Hope the vinegar or cinnamon will work.
About your food waste bin, it is really hard to get rid of them as they will do their best to get in there in order to feed. Hope the vinegar or cinnamon will work.
#8
Posted 23 June 2012 - 09:17 AM
An old fashioned method is to use soapy water. It takes about two tablespoonds of dish liquid per pint of water mixed together makes a spray that will kill ants. You can also use this mix to erase the food trail scent that they are following to get to your bin. The only other thing I can think of would be if there is someway to make a moat of water around your bin. Most types of ants will not cross water so if you can set your bin in something fill ed with water or build a moat around it somehow, they won't be able to get to the food. I would be tempted to fill the moat with a soapy water mix!
#9
Posted 14 July 2012 - 08:36 AM
dissn_it, on 23 June 2012 - 09:17 AM, said:
An old fashioned method is to use soapy water. It takes about two tablespoonds of dish liquid per pint of water mixed together makes a spray that will kill ants. You can also use this mix to erase the food trail scent that they are following to get to your bin. The only other thing I can think of would be if there is someway to make a moat of water around your bin. Most types of ants will not cross water so if you can set your bin in something fill ed with water or build a moat around it somehow, they won't be able to get to the food. I would be tempted to fill the moat with a soapy water mix!
Soapy water does work on ants, even castile soap is great if you have that too. Make a spray and spray the outside of the bin around the ground, this should keep them from wanting to get into it. It may prevent them from smelling it too. When you spray the bin, if you can move the bin to a different location, this should help too by confusing them. Just make sure to spray the bin before moving it.
#10
Posted 14 July 2012 - 07:10 PM
I may try the soapy water if they come back. It looks like the vinegar has done the trick. I poured some on the ground around the can which made a barrier that they wouldn't pass.
The ants seem pretty persistent right now. They showed up in my Mom's bedroom two nights ago. We have some peppermint spray by Safer Brand that is safe for the environment and pets. I'm not sure how it works, but considering how strong the odor is I think it must over power them.
Now all I have to worry about is the mouse that was seen running across our yard the other day, the wasps that decided to build a home right over where I keep the pooper scooper, and the different mushrooms that have decided they would like to pop out in the lawn this week, too. You solve one problem and a host of others replace it.
The ants seem pretty persistent right now. They showed up in my Mom's bedroom two nights ago. We have some peppermint spray by Safer Brand that is safe for the environment and pets. I'm not sure how it works, but considering how strong the odor is I think it must over power them.
Now all I have to worry about is the mouse that was seen running across our yard the other day, the wasps that decided to build a home right over where I keep the pooper scooper, and the different mushrooms that have decided they would like to pop out in the lawn this week, too. You solve one problem and a host of others replace it.
#11
Posted 15 July 2012 - 08:09 AM
FamilyTreeClimber, on 14 July 2012 - 07:10 PM, said:
I may try the soapy water if they come back. It looks like the vinegar has done the trick. I poured some on the ground around the can which made a barrier that they wouldn't pass.
The ants seem pretty persistent right now. They showed up in my Mom's bedroom two nights ago. We have some peppermint spray by Safer Brand that is safe for the environment and pets. I'm not sure how it works, but considering how strong the odor is I think it must over power them.
Now all I have to worry about is the mouse that was seen running across our yard the other day, the wasps that decided to build a home right over where I keep the pooper scooper, and the different mushrooms that have decided they would like to pop out in the lawn this week, too. You solve one problem and a host of others replace it.
The ants seem pretty persistent right now. They showed up in my Mom's bedroom two nights ago. We have some peppermint spray by Safer Brand that is safe for the environment and pets. I'm not sure how it works, but considering how strong the odor is I think it must over power them.
Now all I have to worry about is the mouse that was seen running across our yard the other day, the wasps that decided to build a home right over where I keep the pooper scooper, and the different mushrooms that have decided they would like to pop out in the lawn this week, too. You solve one problem and a host of others replace it.
A lot of times if you remove the trail of the food scent and you move the item (as long as the food scent is overpowered) then they won't find their way back. They remember where something was and if it is not where it was and they can't smell it, they are going to find something else. At least that has been our experience. My Dad had a problem with them getting into the cat food. He moved the cat food to a different location and they did not find it.
#12
Posted 15 July 2012 - 07:18 PM
DConklin, that is good to know. I have noticed that when I remove the cans for garbage day, it seems to be enough to take them off the trail.
I guess that's why vinegar, cinnamon, and peppermint spray are useful. All three of them are strong smells especially to a small creature like an ant. I've seen ants avoid cinnamon as if it were poison. They must block their ability to follow the trail to the food source.
The vinegar did the job. Though, now I have a sticky blob around the can that I need to deal with.
I guess that's why vinegar, cinnamon, and peppermint spray are useful. All three of them are strong smells especially to a small creature like an ant. I've seen ants avoid cinnamon as if it were poison. They must block their ability to follow the trail to the food source.
The vinegar did the job. Though, now I have a sticky blob around the can that I need to deal with.
#13
Posted 17 July 2012 - 01:59 PM
I just read a tip about cornmeal and water. Apparently, you pour the cornmeal down, they eat that and then they will sip on the water. I think the cornmeal makes them expand and essentially blow up, so they die. I don't know if you don't want to kill them, but it might be a little less sticky and you can keep an eye on the little dish or puddle of water as to not attract anything else to that area.
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