How to Kill Patio Ants
Patio ants or pavement ants are a small type of ant that nests beside or underneath patios and other concrete slabs such as sidewalks and driveways. Patio ants are approximately one-eighth-inch in size, but quickly become a nuisance when they travel into your home seeking food. These small ants can also create huge damages to your patio, ruining the structural integrity of your patio when they bore and nest beneath the concrete, eventually making the concrete sink in spots and crack. With proper instructions, you can effectively wipe out a colony of these ants and protect your home, pantry and patio from damage.
Create a mixture of boric acid and sugar by combining two parts of boric to each one part of sugar. Mix up only a small amount, such one-half cup of sugar and 1 cup of boric acid. Place the mixture in a dry container to reuse as necessary.
Measure out approximately one teaspoon of the boric acid and sugar mixture and place in a disposable cup. Apply a few drops of water to the powder mixture and stir the mixture with a plastic spoon. Continue to add water until the mixture is the consistency of raw egg whites.
Cut the cardboard scrap pieces into small squares measuring approximately 1 ½-inch. Use a disposable liquid dropper to suction up most of the liquid mixture and apply one drop to each cardboard square.
Set the cardboard squares near where you have seen the ants travelling. Keep an eye on the square and you will quickly notice that the ants flock to the liquid and carry it away with them. This does not mean it is not killing them, the mixture takes a while to affect the ants, during which time the ant carries it back to the colony, effectively destroying the entire colony.
Tip
You can also sprinkle the dry mixture into concrete cracks and holes between the home and the patio; the boric acid attaches to the sugar particles.
Warning
Do not place the boric acid and sugar mixture in an area that a small child or a family pet can access the substance as it will poison and can make the pet or person very sick.
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Writer Bio
Stephanie Daniels is a freelance writer residing in Louisa, Kentucky. Daniels focuses on parenting, children, gardening and home-decor articles. She was the manager of Home Decor for Home Depot for 4 years. Daniels has written for many online publications and enjoys ghostwriting.
