Ants and Mice

[Pathca]

Plus 2

[Sparkle]

We don't have an ant problem but thought someone(s) may be interested to know this fact: some birds, like Jays, spread their wings on an ant’s nest to get ants in their feathers. It is thought that this is because the ants squirt formic acid that gets rid of bird parasites.

[MAD87]

@LIF
+3

[Hotrodder]

I had no idea you lot were Buddhists.

[manonthemoon2]

Never knew that Sparkle, but it begs the question do they squirt this on my floor?

[Sparkle]

@manonthemoon2 hopefully not

[exile]

Unfortunately for you, ants use their formic acid to mark trails. So when one finds something tasty in your cupboard it will lay a trail back to the nest so that others may follow.

https://academic.oup.com/jme/article/44 ... ogin=false

This leads me to think that one way to avoid the influx of ants would be to clean your surfaces with an alkaline solution which would neutralise the acid. The most obvious solutions:

Washing soda dissolved in water
Bicarbonate of soda - either dissolved or sprinkled.
Ammonia (very strong smell) solution - my bottle from the supermarket simply says ammoniaque.

Might be worth a try.

[Yonner]

I read some time ago that the way the talc works - which we've used too - is that it alters the scent of those returning to the nest and the "guardians," not recognising them as residents through scent, kill them as they come in. So they still end up dead. HAs anyone else read that?

Google talks about breaking scent trails, and blocking their breathing holes.

[Hotrodder]

Would that work with internet trolls?

[Sparkle]

This morning I saw this and thought it may be of interest?

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/pr ... -sanitiser