The Colorado statesman., 1922-09-09
ANTS IN HOUSEHOLD
CAN BE ERADICATED
Poisoned Sirup Is Recommended
as Being Efficient.
Greatest Precautions Should Be Exer-
cised in Preparing Bait and In
Safeguarding II Afterwards
From Humans.

prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture
An efficient remedy for household
ants, according to the bureau of en-
tomology of the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture, is sirup poisoned
with arsenate of soda, if it can be used
safely. The greatest precautions
should be taken in preparing this
sirup and in safeguarding it after
wards from human beings or domestic
animals. Ants will carry the mixture
to their nests, so that not only they
but the stay-at-homes are reached by
the poison.
The formula for the preparation of
the poisoned sirup is as follows: One
pound of sugar dissolved in quart of
water, to which should be added 125
grains of arsenate of soda. The mix
ture should be boiled and strained and.
on cooling, used on sponges. The ad-
dition of small amount of honey is
said to add to the attractiveness. This
method of control has been tested by
the bureau Of entomology for three
years and has given very satisfactory
results. Persons professionally en-
gagged in insect determination also re-
port success with it.
There are several common species of
ants that get into houses If they find
attractive food, as well as the distinct
house-inhabiting ants, such as the lit
re red, or Pharaoh's ant. Some of
these are naturally lawn ants and have
colony or nest out-of-doorS near the
house.
The first step, therefore, in the con-
troll of ants in the house, is the re-
moval of all attractive substances
wherever practical. Ants like sweet,
starchy food materials, especially
cake, bread, sugar, preserves, sirups,
and even meat. BY cleaning up
promptly all food crumbs scattered by
children, keeping all shelves and cor
ners clean, and storing food supplies
in ant-proof glass or tin containers, or
in tightly closed ice-boxes, the ant
nuisance may be largely limited.
Daily supplies only of foods likely to
attract ants should be purchased.
EntOmologists of the department
have found that most of the repellents
and naphthalene flakes or powdered
mothballs, are of little benefit. If the
nest of the ants can be located by fol-
lowing the workers back to their
point of disappearance, u number of
the ants in the nest may sometimes be
reached by injecting little disulphid
or carbon, kerosene or gasoline into
the opening by means of an oil can or
small syringe. These substances are
intlammable and should never be used
near fire. If food and other conditions
continue to attract ants and favor
their continued breeding in the house,
such control measures are of only tenn
porary avail.
The collection of ants by the use of
attractive bats is frequently recon-
mended, but unless the bait is poi
soned, as previously described. 1t is
of doubtful benefit. Small sponges
moistened with sweetened water will
attract many ants. The sponges can
be collected several times a day and
| the ants swarming on them destroyed
by immersion in hot water. The use
of sponges moistened with borax and
sugar dissolved in boiling water to
poison the ants is also sometimes rec
commended, but has not been found eff
| fective. The distribution of sweet
bats which do not actually kill the
ants often results in increasing their
numbers.