The Greeley tribune., 1911-07-06
Remedies Against Ants


Gus and their habits vary so greatly
that it will be to our advantage to
discuss them in groups.
Ants in houses.-Many kinds OF
ants infest houses. Sometimes they
establish homes there, but more
frequently they are in search of
food, This they find in all sorts of
edib' les, and very often a we'll de-
fined line of travel is established
between the ant nest and some
source OF supply such as a sack of
sugar or a store OF bread crumbs.
The first rule in such cases is to
keep all food and bits OF food out
OF the reach of the insects. Tight
jars and bread boxes should be
used. Persistent trapping will re-
duce the pest and often drive them
away from the premises Moisten
sponge with sweetened water and
put it where the ants are frequently
seen. They Will collect IN the
sponge in great numbers. The
sponge may then be thrown in boil
ing water and the ants killed. Az
ter the sponge has been washed to
free it of the dead insects the trap
may again be set. Progress in this
way is not always very rapid. but in
the course of Il few days the trouble
Will be greatly lessened.
When the nests can be found in
the house or near it, number Of
remedies may be applied. If the
| insects are under boards or stones,
lthese may be lifted and boiling
water poured on the inhabitants.
| Nests in the walls and foundations
l'of houses are more troublesome.
| Often they may be reached with
gasoline by pouring it in the cracks
and crevices. Sometimes such
substance as carbolc acid or napth-
cline may be used as repellants.
| When ants are in the habit of visit
ing table they may be kept off by
setting the table legs in cups con-
| tanning water OF course, in this
case, the table must not touch the
wall.
Ants in the road and lawn.-Car-
bon bisulphid has been found to be
about the best remedy in these
cases. This is a very volatile and
explosive fluid and may be pur-
chased at the drug store. While
using this substance, fire of every
description must be absolutely ban
ished. With sharp stick make
two to four tablespoonfuls of the
fluid, depending upon the size OF
the nest A tub should be imme-
lately turned over the nest and the
edges about it tightly chinked with
moist earth to prevent the escape OF
the fumes. The insects are killed
by the gas which is made when the
fluid yolatizes. The tub should re.
. Imain in place for some hours. There
may be some danger to the grass
from the use OF this substance, but
o it will scarcely be more serious
, than that which the ants will them.
. selves infict. The same remedy is
often used under tagging, but it is
somewhat more difficult to make
thorough application under these
circumstances.
Mound building ants.-In this
western country large species o
brown ants builds nests in the ope1
fields almost anywhere. The cen
ter of the nest is conspicuous be
cause of mound which is built
sand or small pebbles which the in,
sects collect or dig out of the eartl
beneath the nest, These mound.
vary in height from two inches tt
two feet, depending upon the size
and the age of the colony. The
ground for several feet about the
nest is kept scrupulously clean
vegetation, which makes the home.
of the insects more striking. The
interiors of the nests are formed
galleries, about three-eights of al
inch in diameter. which connecl
cham bers one to three inches across
In some of these chambers the egg.
and the young are kept: in others
| food, consisting of small seeds
all kinds, is stored; still others are
used as living rooms. The chamb
ers are most numerous near the
surface of the ground, but are some
times built down for several feet
| There are from one to eight open
! ings to the nest, usually abou
three, which are kept open durin.
the greater part of the day, bu
closed at night.
| To kill the insects, enough poison
must be used to penetrate ever.
chamber. The Kansas experiment
station has found that carbon bisul
| fd is an excellent remedy. Choos
ing a time of day when the door:
are open, place dish on the top
the mound and opur into it from
two to six tablespoonfuls of the
fluid 1nvert tub over the mound
so as to include as many of the
openings as possible and stop the
openings around the edges of the
tub with dirt. Also stop up any
openings to the nest which the tut
does not cover. The tub should be
left over the nest not less than five
hours. This remedy is not very ex
pensive and will pay we'll where tht
ants are troublesome.
S. ARTHUR JOHNSON.
Colorado Agricultural College, For
Collins.