Pharoah Ant problem
colinv...@gmail.com
I have a problem with ants in my house (Toronto, ON, Canada). I've
been told they are pharoah ants -- small, 1/4" long, brownish body with
a blacker abdomen, and have had the house sprayed a few times by a
local pest control company. Needless to say, they aren't gone yet!
Currently, the ants are concentrated mostly in the kitchen area,
altough I have seen them in all rooms of the house (I hear they travel
along water pipes or electrical wires). The last spray was around the
perimeter of the kitchen floor, although they seem to be travelling up
one wall, across the ceiling and around the tops of cabinets to ...
wherever they're going. The pest control person suggested leaving a
small try of honey or sugar on the floor to lure them down (and force
them to walk through the area that was sprayed). Well, that isn't
working; they don't seem lured at all.
I've also recently noticed lots of ants, and maybe a hill or two, in
areas of our front garden. They seem concentrated in one corner, which
is planted with several varieties of sedum (s. acre mostly), vinca, one
hollyhock, and a hosta, all at the base of an old Norway maple. They
seem to be the same variety of ant, although I've also seen some of the
larger black ants that seem fairly common in Toronto (don't know the
species, sorry). In any event, the sedums look brown and wilted ...
almost "burned"
The kitchen is at the back of the house but, as I said, it's our front
garden that seems to have issues. So, I'm not sure if things are
related.
We have two toddlers in the house, so I'm loathe to have them spray
again. Not to mention that I don't want to pay for it!
Any suggestions on how to a) get rid of the ants from inside the house
and b) save our sedums would be very much appreciated!
- Colin
