I want to create an ant-free zone on a table

[JustThisOnePostOnly]

I use the laptop and it's great except the electronics(?) inside attract the ants.  So I pick up the laptop off the table and put it on my lap and start to work and before too long I have ants on my thighs, on my hands, etc.

 

What I was thinking was, it's a standard table with four legs, so why not put little bowls underneath each leg, fill them with water, but thus prevent ant ingress to the table.  And I've done this before, and it works great, up until the part where you have to plug the laptop in.  So you have a table isolated from the floor by water, but you still have a power cord that runs up to the table top, and the ants just use it as an escalator and because it's conducting electricity, the ants are even more drawn to it.  It's like it's fun for them.

 

I tried the double-sided tape on the cord, and that works, but only for a few days, then it loses its stickiness.

 

I was thinking of somehow isolating the cord using water, but I'm leery of that because while the plastic sheathing the cord looks waterproof how does it react over time to constant water exposure?  And you find out the wrong way and it's sure to be expensive damage of some kind.

 

Is there anything else I can try?

 

Posted here because I couldn't find the ants forum.

[Woof999]

A small line (2cm or so) of Bayer Quantum on your desk once a week or so. Leave it there for 24 hours and then clean off. It truly is amazing stuff.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/bayer-quantum-12-i2752308429-s9995907195.html

 

EDIT: Made the URL about a mile shorter

Edited April 17, 2023 by Woof999

[StayinThailand2much]

1. Use ant chalk.

 

2. Use cockroach&ant spray.

 

3. Spray them with alcohol used in those spray bottles during Covid.

 

4. Give them an alternative (e.g. sugar) in another place.

 

5. Pour water in a ring around the table while using the laptop.

[still kicking]

5 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

1. Use ant chalk.

 

2. Use cockroach&ant spray.

 

3. Spray them with alcohol used in those spray bottles during Covid.

 

4. Give them an alternative (e.g. sugar) in another place.

 

5. Pour water in a ring around the table while using the laptop.

I guess I am at the wrong forum here I was looking for jokes but I found them anyway.

[dingdongrb]

Buy that chalk that is used to keep ants away and perhaps put it around the perimeter of your electrical outlet so the ants can't crawl on the cord.

 

Ants were always getting in the cat's food bowl so I put a circle of that chalk down and then put the bowl inside the circle......  no more ants in the cat food.

 

 

[JustThisOnePostOnly]

The ant chalk is great stuff to be sure but it doesn't solve the power cord problem.  How do I use ant chalk to do that when the outlets are on vertical surfaces to which chalk just falls off?

 

If there was like a sticky version of ant chalk, I could see that.

[dingdongrb]

1 minute ago, JustThisOnePostOnly said:

The ant chalk is great stuff to be sure but it doesn't solve the power cord problem.  How do I use ant chalk to do that when the outlets are on vertical surfaces to which chalk just falls off?

 

If there was like a sticky version of ant chalk, I could see that.

The chalk will stick to the wall I'm sure.

[tgw]

and I'm here imagining OP sitting in his room with his laptop and how many ants must be there for them to be a nuisance.

[JustThisOnePostOnly]

23 minutes ago, dingdongrb said:

The chalk will stick to the wall I'm sure.

I'm looking at the link given above and maybe you're right, that looks like a squeeze bottle so I'm imagining it comes out wet?

 

I will try it.

Thank you all.

[Hummin]

48 minutes ago, dingdongrb said:

Buy that chalk that is used to keep ants away and perhaps put it around the perimeter of your electrical outlet so the ants can't crawl on the cord.

 

Ants were always getting in the cat's food bowl so I put a circle of that chalk down and then put the bowl inside the circle......  no more ants in the cat food.

 

 

No complications for the cat or dogs using the chalk? 

[dingdongrb]

5 minutes ago, JustThisOnePostOnly said:

I'm looking at the link given above and maybe you're right, that looks like a squeeze bottle so I'm imagining it comes out wet?

 

I will try it.

Thank you all.

That link was not for chalk. Think of chalk used for writing on a chalkboard, doesn't it stay on a wall?

Here’s ant chalk.

 

[dingdongrb]

6 minutes ago, Hummin said:

No complications for the cat or dogs using the chalk? 

My cat isn't smart enough to be able to write.....

[Hummin]

2 minutes ago, dingdongrb said:

My cat isn't smart enough to be able to write.....

So normal chalk stick?

 

Edit I googled now ????

Edited April 17, 2023 by Hummin

[Hummin]

Is ant chalk safe for pets?

 

 

The ingredients in the chalk are legal insecticides, and yet the use of it is illegal. Most chalks now come imported from other countries, particularly China. When used, the chalk provided extremely dangerous for pets and children. It is a toxic product that children would often confuse for normal chalk.

https://www.antcontroltoronto.ca/blog/ant-chalk-does-it-really-work/

 

[dingdongrb]

5 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Is ant chalk safe for pets?

 

 

The ingredients in the chalk are legal insecticides, and yet the use of it is illegal. Most chalks now come imported from other countries, particularly China. When used, the chalk provided extremely dangerous for pets and children. It is a toxic product that children would often confuse for normal chalk.

https://www.antcontroltoronto.ca/blog/ant-chalk-does-it-really-work/

 

If illegal then why does nearly every store in Thailand sell it, including large chains?

 

Just like many things, eat it and it'll make you sick. Eat enough and it just might kill you. 

 

My cat don't eat it and as far as children, my daughter is almost an adult and she has no desire to eat it.

 

If you have young children then it's like anything else that can be a danger to them, that's where good parenting comes in to play as well as a continuous watchful eye. Do you let you child play with wall sockets? Are wall sockets and electricity illegal? Hmmmmmm....

[Hummin]

2 minutes ago, dingdongrb said:

If illegal then why does nearly every store in Thailand sell it, including large chains?

 

Just like many things, eat it and it'll make you sick. Eat enough and it just might kill you. 

 

My cat don't eat it and as far as children, my daughter is almost an adult and she has no desire to eat it.

 

If you have young children then it's like anything else that can be a danger to them, that's where good parenting comes in to play as well as a continuous watchful eye. Do you let you child play with wall sockets? Are wall sockets and electricity illegal? Hmmmmmm....

You have to see where the information comes from. I doubt this is illegal in Thailand, and I just wanted to understand what it was, and the safety concerning using it for my dogs and cat.

[Gaccha]

Every time the topic of ants turns up, one person quietly gives the perfect answer (apply Bayer Quantum), but it always gets drowned out by pointless discussions of all the useless devices, like chalk, available at the convenience store.

 

To the OP: buy the Quantum from Lazada, apply a tiny patch to your desk, be free of any ants for around 2 months, possibly 3. Your neighbours will probably also find themselves free of ants.

[dingdongrb]

5 minutes ago, Gaccha said:

Every time the topic of ants turns up, one person quietly gives the perfect answer (apply Bayer Quantum), but it always gets drowned out by pointless discussions of all the useless devices, like chalk, available at the convenience store.

 

To the OP: buy the Quantum from Lazada, apply a tiny patch to your desk, be free of any ants for around 2 months, possibly 3. Your neighbours will probably also find themselves free of ants.

I didn't say chalk was the best, it just works for my need. I can get the chalk for 20 THB and do so within 5 minutes from the house. Easier than waiting a few days for a Lazada shipment and far cheaper than 230 THB.

 

Tell me, is the Bayer Quantum ok for young kids to eat?  ????

[oldestswinger]

Use a power bank.

[gargamon]

Maybe you're asking the wrong question. The right one might be “what is it about my laptop that attracts ants?“. I have never had ants attack my laptop after spending most of the last 20 years in SE Asia. Only similar situation I had was on a UPS being used on a NAS. 

[bluejets]

This or similar...... 

 

[Ganoga]

The best way to get rid of ants that I found is boric acid. (this is a powder, and what is in Borax detergents for washing laundry)It's also used as a fire retardant in some mattresses.   It is non-toxic to pets or kids in the amounts used, and kills ants in their nests, not just the ants out scavenging. The ant traps that you can buy some places with a liquid in them, are using boric acid solution.

 Chemipan Corp in Bangkok sells it online....Line ID is @chemipan   Email is [email protected]

I ordered a kilo online 6 years ago (the company information is also 6 years old) and it was delivered via post all for about 350 baht. There is still have more than half of the kilo left and a I gave a ton of it away. You must mix it as close to exactly at a ratio of 1 to 10, boric acid to jam or honey.  (1/4 cup jam is 12 teaspoons, so mix it with 1.2 teaspoons of boric acid) Too much will kill the ant before it gets back to the nest and too little will not kill all the ants. 

It must be crushed or ground fine as the chunks will not dissolve not matter how tiny they are, which makes the solution weakened. Then put the mixture in water bottle caps where you see ants, and shortly they will find it and send a signal for the rest of the ants to come collect it, taking it back to the nest. In a few hours to a day the ants are gone. I won't use this outside, as ants are useful in nature, but inside my house ants are fair game .

The chalk, powder and spray only affect the ants you see, unless you can locate the nest. They are all toxic to humans also.  You can google the story about the elderly couple and the two young 20-something-year-old women who all died in their sleep at the same hotel in Chiang Mai, within a short time frame, from "heart attack", but which was finally attributed to insecticides.

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

6 hours ago, dingdongrb said:

My cat isn't smart enough to be able to write.....

My cat's a blacksmith. Last night I gave it a kick in the balls and it made a bolt for the door.

[Dap]

Ants on the table is a common problem through out the Kingdom and conveniently enough a unique solution has long been provided and is available in most "utilities" shops ie.  plastics/tools/etc everywhere. Your solution is inexpensive and easily obtained. I hope this helps.

[Dap]

Table leg in center and water in outer ring.

[geisha]

47 minutes ago, Ganoga said:

The best way to get rid of ants that I found is boric acid. (this is a powder, and what is in Borax detergents for washing laundry)It's also used as a fire retardant in some mattresses.   It is non-toxic to pets or kids in the amounts used, and kills ants in their nests, not just the ants out scavenging. The ant traps that you can buy some places with a liquid in them, are using boric acid solution.

 Chemipan Corp in Bangkok sells it online....Line ID is @chemipan   Email is [email protected]

I ordered a kilo online 6 years ago (the company information is also 6 years old) and it was delivered via post all for about 350 baht. There is still have more than half of the kilo left and a I gave a ton of it away. You must mix it as close to exactly at a ratio of 1 to 10, boric acid to jam or honey.  (1/4 cup jam is 12 teaspoons, so mix it with 1.2 teaspoons of boric acid) Too much will kill the ant before it gets back to the nest and too little will not kill all the ants. 

It must be crushed or ground fine as the chunks will not dissolve not matter how tiny they are, which makes the solution weakened. Then put the mixture in water bottle caps where you see ants, and shortly they will find it and send a signal for the rest of the ants to come collect it, taking it back to the nest. In a few hours to a day the ants are gone. I won't use this outside, as ants are useful in nature, but inside my house ants are fair game .

The chalk, powder and spray only affect the ants you see, unless you can locate the nest. They are all toxic to humans also.  You can google the story about the elderly couple and the two young 20-something-year-old women who all died in their sleep at the same hotel in Chiang Mai, within a short time frame, from "heart attack", but which was finally attributed to insecticides.

 

About the deaths which happened in a hotel in Chiang Mai and on Samui I think, one of the islands. That was the fault of the stupid proprietors of those hotels who used dangerous sprays on their mattresses to prevent bed bugs !!! Nothing to do with anti ant / insect products put on the floor.I stayed once in a hotel in Chiang Mai that room and bed stank of disinfectant. I immediately left. 

[geisha]

My question to the OP. How on earth can you live somewhere infested with ants or any other insects ?? Did you not treat your home immediately to get rid of them ? I would not last one day there. First day in any new home, I clean, look and treat everything floors, drains, etc for a few days. Never had a problem in 38 yrs, even living in a Thai house near a forest on Phuket . There, we put cups of oil or water ( can’t remember) under each bed leg because of the forest and no glass windows.  

[Tropposurfer]

8 hours ago, still kicking said:

I guess I am at the wrong forum here I was looking for jokes but I found them anyway.

Silly Billy ! You post on A.N. and think you won't get lame, oh-so obvious entendre's, really bad dad jokes, and elephant sized obvious puns lol ????

Edited April 18, 2023 by Tropposurfer

[phetphet]

1 hour ago, Ganoga said:

The best way to get rid of ants that I found is boric acid. (this is a powder, and what is in Borax detergents for washing laundry)It's also used as a fire retardant in some mattresses.   It is non-toxic to pets or kids in the amounts used, and kills ants in their nests, not just the ants out scavenging. The ant traps that you can buy some places with a liquid in them, are using boric acid solution.

 Chemipan Corp in Bangkok sells it online....Line ID is @chemipan   Email is [email protected]

I ordered a kilo online 6 years ago (the company information is also 6 years old) and it was delivered via post all for about 350 baht. There is still have more than half of the kilo left and a I gave a ton of it away. You must mix it as close to exactly at a ratio of 1 to 10, boric acid to jam or honey.  (1/4 cup jam is 12 teaspoons, so mix it with 1.2 teaspoons of boric acid) Too much will kill the ant before it gets back to the nest and too little will not kill all the ants. 

It must be crushed or ground fine as the chunks will not dissolve not matter how tiny they are, which makes the solution weakened. Then put the mixture in water bottle caps where you see ants, and shortly they will find it and send a signal for the rest of the ants to come collect it, taking it back to the nest. In a few hours to a day the ants are gone. I won't use this outside, as ants are useful in nature, but inside my house ants are fair game .

The chalk, powder and spray only affect the ants you see, unless you can locate the nest. They are all toxic to humans also.  You can google the story about the elderly couple and the two young 20-something-year-old women who all died in their sleep at the same hotel in Chiang Mai, within a short time frame, from "heart attack", but which was finally attributed to insecticides.

 

"This is the way."

 

I mix mine with crushed sugar granules and honey, mix it with boiling water to make a syrup, then once cool pour it into bottle caps to leave along the walls where the ants pass.

[HappyExpat57]

X2 on the Bayer Quantum. The ants take this stuff back to the nest and it kills ALL the little bastards.