[925dancer]

So it would seem winter is well on its way out as I have just fed the cats and when picking up the dishes to wash them discovered loads of ants in one of them :uhoh

I know they are coming in the back French doors as I saw the little critters the other day. What I need is a cat friendly get rid of them product. Any suggestions?

Also explains all the scratching by the cats, I knew it wasn't fleas but thought it must be something!

[dilanium]

I recommend the natural Raid automatic dispenser (previously called robocan). The only pets it would be harmful to is fish.

You can also try putting cinnamon or borax along the door, but I find they usually find a new way in.

[925dancer]

Oh good, was going to get one of those anyway but wasn't sure if I needed something else for the ants.

I knew you'd be able to answer my question :nice1

[Jo Jo]

I second the Robocan/ Raid suggestion. I came back from holiday last week to find my house had been squatted by ants - all gone now, thanks to the Robocan. (I wish it worked on mice as well. I have been having serious words with my two cats, but they seem to think chasing mice is beneath them...:D)

[Ana&Steve]

To wipe out the whole ant colony, you can use a bit of borax mixed in corn syrup. It takes a bit of time, but it gets all of them!
To make it safe to pets, put the mix into a plastic butter or sour cream tub and puncture the sides above the mixture.

[Leo]

Here are some great natural repellents, especially if you don’t like the idea of killing any living creatures.

Ants, although they can be troublesome in your home, are remarkably interesting creatures. It is a wonder to discover that even when ants are fleeing from the risk to their own life, they will stop to pick up a fellow fallen comrade and try to carry him home :nice1

Vinegar
Put some vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray around the areas that these pesky critters show up. Vinegar leaves behind a natural ant repellant.

Chalk
School teachers get your chalk out! Yes, that’s right, for some reason if you draw a line of chalk on the ground, ants will not cross over it. Maybe they know that once you “draw the line” one side is theirs and the other is yours. (pun intended) If only it was that easy with all things in life. Maybe we can all learn something from ants.

Black Pepper
Black Pepper is a natural safe way to send these insects running back to their anthills. Sprinkle some near their entryway and rest assured that they will not visit you while that pepper stands in the way.

Cayenne Pepper
This is another pepper that ants avoid. Lay some down and remedy the problem right away.

Mint and Chewing Gum
Some types of mint and chewing gum keep these segmented bugs away. Place some down and they will find some other place to hang out.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon is also known for its ability to keep those crawling bugs away. Sprinkle some around the areas they frequent the most.


Hope you may find these tips useful! Do tell us how efficacious the above repellents are... :)


Adapted from "Six Natural Ant Repellents" by Liane Schmidt

[Mgee]

Some more natural repellents:
-Bay leaves: either dried ones inside cupboards or plant laurels outside your house. Apparently bay leaves repel most insects, including roaches.
-Coarse sea salt: sprinkle sea salt on the ants' path through which they enter the house.
-Rosemary also works for some bugs, don't know about ants, though.

[Ana&Steve]

Pine Sol repels ants as well, but no idea if there is a similar pine based cleaner in NZ.

[newarrival]

Mmh, I was very interested in the part about the roaches!
On the other hand, to be honest, all of the roaches we found inside did not come entirely on their own behalf, I guess- they tend to it inseide any papers in the letterbox, or underneath the bark of the firewood- or the cat brings them:wah!

Are there any natural remedies about keeping flies outside- similar to the vinegar thing? At the moment I am using the robo- can, but not mind to try something else.

[Leo]

I'm glad to see an increasing interest in the use of natural (eco-friendly and non-pollutive) repellents :nice1

For a good natural roach repellent, please see "Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)" in this thread http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25997

Some effective natural fly repellents include:

Comination of White wine vinegar & Essential-Oils
Ingredients: White wine vinegar, water and any combination of Citronella, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Pennyroyal, Peppermint, Sandalwood or Tea Tree oils.
Mix a few drops of each essential oil into a little liquid detergent. Then add this to the vinegar and water. Put the combined mixture into a spray bottle and shake well before use.
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Natural-Outdoor-Fly-Repellent-with-Essential-Oils

Lemon & Rosemary
Select a large lemon with a thick rind and slice it thinly. Place these slices in a bowl with a few sprigs of rosemary and cover both in boiling water. Allow to steep overnight and strain the mixture the following morning. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake before applying. A similar solution may be made by doing the same with leaves, stems and flowers from Elder bushes. (Slipping flowering elder twigs through your horse’s browband can also act as a fly repellent.)

Garlic :eek:
Mix one part crushed garlic to five parts water. Shake the mixture and leave overnight. Strain and pour the liquid contents into a spray bottle. --> Also effective in fending off Vampires & Draculas too! :laugh


Bonus tips for Horse Owners:
1. Adding garlic to horse feed causes the horse's skin to secrete garlic-scented oils that effectively deters flies.

2. Adding a little vinegar or cider vinegar to a horses water raises the pH of the horse’s blood sufficiently to discourage flies from biting.


Hope these remedies help!



Disclaimer: I haven't any horses so I am unable to vouch for the above remedies. However, I am assured that the above information originates from a trustworthy source. :)

[JandM]

And when these mixtures are in your spray bottles, is the idea to spray them at the flies, or on surfaces near the doors and windows, or on yourself - what?

[Leo]

Thanks J&M, for your query. All three application methods you've suggested seem feasible, let's consider the efficacy of each them:

1. Spraying Directly at the Critters
...That'll teach'em! :D If you hit the offending critter(s) squarely, this will most likely shoo'em away or at least make the target(s) highly unpopular with its croonies!

2. Spraying on Critter-prone Surfaces (e.g. near the doors and windows)
The most common method of application :nice1 The effects of the Essential Oil Combination may be amplified by using an aromatherapy burner/candles. Simply add a few drops of the repellent mixture to an aromatherapy burner (or use different ones at different corners of the room) or into the melted wax area of a burning candle. Viola! The scent will permeate the room as the candle burns.

I was also thinking of the possibility of adding the Essential Oil Combination into a scented potpurri pouch of sorts and hanging the pouch(es) beside the door/window...

3. Spraying on Oneself
Not recommended if one has sensitive skin/allergies :no Furthermore, spraying a concentrated garlic solution (Eau de Garlic???) on oneself would definitely raise a stinker and won't exactly make one the life of the party, or would it? :laugh

[JandM]

or would it? :laugh

:laugh Depends on the kind of party, I guess!

[925dancer]

I may come back to the natural repellents, thanks for those! But for now I am armed and dangerous with a robocan (and a Hello Kitty clock in a shop near The Warehouse that called my name as I walked past).

[dilanium]

I've found that since I've gotten the robocan I haven't had any problems with ants (and they were EVERYWHERE in my kitchen) and less of a problem with flies. I still find that when all my windows are open the flies are happy to come in and out as they please, but the pyrethrins from the robocan are diffusing more then.

[newarrival]

Thank you,Leo, I am definitely trying the natural things! Especially since we have a Rosemary bush in the garden which needs to be cut back all the time!

I used the Robocan last summer after we were invaded by flies and it definitely helps, I had another thing call no flies which is made in NZ and sort of natural, you spray it onto the surfaces like windowsills etc. It seems to help a bit...., but the homemade stuff is certainly worth a try, I guess!:nice1

[mussomutts]

Diatomaceous Earth is another option far safer for the kitties than raid!! It's crushed up fossilised corals (I may be wrong, but I think I'm on the right track there!!) It is small enough to damage insects but doesn't cause harm to animals or humans... it's great in the garden, on pets and their beds for fleas and for ants along with a million other uses!! Not swure where you'd get it in NZ.. but it's worth a try!!

[Familyofmonkeys]

Diatomaceous Earth is another option far safer for the kitties than raid!! It's crushed up fossilised corals (I may be wrong, but I think I'm on the right track there!!) It is small enough to damage insects but doesn't cause harm to animals or humans... it's great in the garden, on pets and their beds for fleas and for ants along with a million other uses!! Not swure where you'd get it in NZ.. but it's worth a try!!

You can get it in NZ here......

http://www.earthwiseshop.co.nz/shop/Organic+Plant+Care/Diatomaceous+Earth+500g.html