preferably without the use of chemicals since we have a toddler roaming about. they are becoming a big nuisance. thx.

For work surfaces diluted "Dettol" works really well.

Here you go - not tried it but its meant to be a natural remedy!

http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2010/05/frugal-natural-pest-controls-fruit-flies-ants-be-gone.html

1. Cover in milk chocolate and chew.

2. Get a Ant Eater as a pet.

I used to have lot's of ants, I isolated them by cutting off their motorways with "ant chalk" that I bought from Carrefour. They didn't like that and went somewhere else (for a while). I ran out of chalk 6 months ago and haven't bought new so they are coming back now, time to buy more.

You can't get rid of them forever in the tropics, you can't get rid of them totally regardless of if you use chemicals or not, there is no need to take to spraying stuff: Ant chalk, buy at least 5 of them the first time, they are cheap and you will lay meters after meters of ant barriers the first time. It works

Good Luck

Keep the place as clean as possible -- no dirty dishes or pans, etc. ... and they love milk and milk powder... In my place several different varieties of ants come and go ...

However -- as the ants have inhabited the exact same spot as you reside for maybe about 50 million years -- they will not go away easily.

I used to have lot's of ants, I isolated them by cutting off their motorways with "ant chalk" that I bought from Carrefour. They didn't like that and went somewhere else (for a while). I ran out of chalk 6 months ago and haven't bought new so they are coming back now, time to buy more.

You can't get rid of them forever in the tropics, you can't get rid of them totally regardless of if you use chemicals or not, there is no need to take to spraying stuff: Ant chalk, buy at least 5 of them the first time, they are cheap and you will lay meters after meters of ant barriers the first time. It works

Good Luck

Ant chalk is very effective. I also spray Windex on ants that make it to the kitchen counter! It's kind of satisfying to stop them in their tracks!

I used to have lot's of ants, I isolated them by cutting off their motorways with "ant chalk" that I bought from Carrefour. They didn't like that and went somewhere else (for a while). I ran out of chalk 6 months ago and haven't bought new so they are coming back now, time to buy more.

You can't get rid of them forever in the tropics, you can't get rid of them totally regardless of if you use chemicals or not, there is no need to take to spraying stuff: Ant chalk, buy at least 5 of them the first time, they are cheap and you will lay meters after meters of ant barriers the first time. It works

Good Luck

Ant chalk is very effective. I also spray Windex on ants that make it to the kitchen counter! It's kind of satisfying to stop them in their tracks!

Agree - Ants are a way of life in the tropics, no use to get upset about them, doesn't mean that we can't make life a bit difficult for them, flatten them, things like that

I can divert the ants that like my house, unfortunately, it's more difficult with the ones that decide to use my motorcycle as a life boat when it is flooding... I hate that