Ants ate my laptop

[JSixpack]

I use little ant traps, bought from the supermarket

They do not kill the ants immediately, but the ants take the poison

back to the colony and feed it to the others. Then they all die

A friend used it successfully

and his neighbour upstairs was also freed from his ants..........

Obviously the same colony

They don't work for long. Ants soon come back and ignore the traps; the poison granules start absorbing moisture and become, well, unappetizing. In fact, even if you put out a new trap, it seems somehow the ants learn to avoid it.

Been there, done that. The borax will work if you can find borax. Some internet sources say use baking soda instead of borax. Be nice if somebody here would give that a try. I almost did, but then after seeing rave reviews on Amazon, I got some Terro ant poison in the States, and it really is incredible. Haven't seen an ant in 6 months after using a little of it. http://www.terro.com/

Like everyone I once tried the chalk. It's very Thai, na? I think it also loses potency after a short while. I also don't like chalk stripes everywhere. The "poison the colony" method is the most effective.

Edited November 10, 2013 by JSixpack

[Baloo22]

The answer to an indoor ant infestation is Boric Acid. I just removed an infestation from my apartment. For those in Chiang Mai you can go to a chemical supply shop located on the south side of Suthep Road right about here. I walked in and spoke with one of the staff. I mentioned Boric Acid and show him กรด BORIC and the man knew exactly what I was talking about. 90baht for one kilo. (which would be enough for a several appartments/condos).

I mixed a batch of ant-killer goo/paste with 2parts Boric acid, 2 parts regular sugar, and 1part water. Went a little high on the water but that did not seem to matter. Just made it more of a syrup rather than a paste. Stirred well for about 10 minutes. Placed several small dabs down on some plastic from a store packaging box and placed it down near where the ants were active. Did not take their scouts 15min to find the stuff and before long bunches were feeding and taking it back to their nest. Went on for about 24 hours and then stopped. It's been 48hours and I do not see any ants around. Victory !!

Boric Acid is a low-level poison. Just ensure that small kids or pets are not going to pick it up and eat it. It seems that the secret is to get the poison into the nest and to the queen. Kill off her and the nest dies. Whey you spray and kill the 20-30 ants that you see, you are only getting the scouts and workers. The queen pumps out replacements for them every day. With this method you are using the scouts/gatherers to bring the boric acid into the nest and to the queen.

Ants eating the mix. Ants taking the mix home to the nest. This nest was, apparently in the wall in the hong-nam.

/

Excellent post!

I just wish I could find Borax / Boric acid on Samui!... no one seems to have!! .... (sounds the same in Thai as in English ... which helps...well it would if one could find it!!)

I saw a post the other day giving a link to someplace in Phuket selling it for over 400 baht... so 90 baht is a good price!

One could also put this solution into small plastic containers and punch holes to let ants in and out .... might be a little less messy... and the containers, could be dotted around out side too.... it would be a safer too

Assume your second image with blue label is your source?

Yes, the second image is the business card of the chemical shop in Chiang Mai. If you (or a Thai friend) can call the Chemistry Department or a Chemistry teacher in a local school, they may be able to give you a local source. And it's Boric Acid NOT Borax that you want. I believe the Thai word for acid sounds something like 'kurid', so it would be 'kurid boric'. Yes, I could have used some plastic containers and such but I was just using what I already had on hand. No kids or pets live with me so I didn't bother getting fancy.

I have read that for some ants ("grease ants") the Boric Acid / Sugar mix may not work as well. So it was suggested to mix up the Boric Acid with some peanut butter into a paste. I suppose mixing the Boric Acid with anything those particular ants like to eat will work. Just as long as they take it back into the nest.

[samuijimmy]

The answer to an indoor ant infestation is Boric Acid. I just removed an infestation from my apartment. For those in Chiang Mai you can go to a chemical supply shop located on the south side of Suthep Road right about here. I walked in and spoke with one of the staff. I mentioned Boric Acid and show him กรด BORIC and the man knew exactly what I was talking about. 90baht for one kilo. (which would be enough for a several appartments/condos).

I mixed a batch of ant-killer goo/paste with 2parts Boric acid, 2 parts regular sugar, and 1part water. Went a little high on the water but that did not seem to matter. Just made it more of a syrup rather than a paste. Stirred well for about 10 minutes. Placed several small dabs down on some plastic from a store packaging box and placed it down near where the ants were active. Did not take their scouts 15min to find the stuff and before long bunches were feeding and taking it back to their nest. Went on for about 24 hours and then stopped. It's been 48hours and I do not see any ants around. Victory !!

Boric Acid is a low-level poison. Just ensure that small kids or pets are not going to pick it up and eat it. It seems that the secret is to get the poison into the nest and to the queen. Kill off her and the nest dies. Whey you spray and kill the 20-30 ants that you see, you are only getting the scouts and workers. The queen pumps out replacements for them every day. With this method you are using the scouts/gatherers to bring the boric acid into the nest and to the queen.

Ants eating the mix. Ants taking the mix home to the nest. This nest was, apparently in the wall in the hong-nam.

/

Excellent post!

I just wish I could find Borax / Boric acid on Samui!... no one seems to have!! .... (sounds the same in Thai as in English ... which helps...well it would if one could find it!!)

I saw a post the other day giving a link to someplace in Phuket selling it for over 400 baht... so 90 baht is a good price!

One could also put this solution into small plastic containers and punch holes to let ants in and out .... might be a little less messy... and the containers, could be dotted around out side too.... it would be a safer too

Assume your second image with blue label is your source?

Yes, the second image is the business card of the chemical shop in Chiang Mai. If you (or a Thai friend) can call the Chemistry Department or a Chemistry teacher in a local school, they may be able to give you a local source. And it's Boric Acid NOT Borax that you want. I believe the Thai word for acid sounds something like 'kurid', so it would be 'kurid boric'. Yes, I could have used some plastic containers and such but I was just using what I already had on hand. No kids or pets live with me so I didn't bother getting fancy.

I have read that for some ants ("grease ants") the Boric Acid / Sugar mix may not work as well. So it was suggested to mix up the Boric Acid with some peanut butter into a paste. I suppose mixing the Boric Acid with anything those particular ants like to eat will work. Just as long as they take it back into the nest.

Thanks for replying! I tried one of my local pharmacies, after posting this, with the picture of the bag you posted, she said she could get with her next order from BKK.. she thought the price 95 baht was too cheap... ...and she usually has prices lower than other pharmacies around Samui... any way asked her to order some... I'll happy to get some... spent 5 years looking here! .... the joys of island living ! .... I always forget to look when on the mainland!

[Ticketmaster]

The answer to an indoor ant infestation is Boric Acid. I just removed an infestation from my apartment. For those in Chiang Mai you can go to a chemical supply shop located on the south side of Suthep Road right about here. I walked in and spoke with one of the staff. I mentioned Boric Acid and show him กรด BORIC and the man knew exactly what I was talking about. 90baht for one kilo. (which would be enough for a several appartments/condos).

I mixed a batch of ant-killer goo/paste with 2parts Boric acid, 2 parts regular sugar, and 1part water. Went a little high on the water but that did not seem to matter. Just made it more of a syrup rather than a paste. Stirred well for about 10 minutes. Placed several small dabs down on some plastic from a store packaging box and placed it down near where the ants were active. Did not take their scouts 15min to find the stuff and before long bunches were feeding and taking it back to their nest. Went on for about 24 hours and then stopped. It's been 48hours and I do not see any ants around. Victory !!

Boric Acid is a low-level poison. Just ensure that small kids or pets are not going to pick it up and eat it. It seems that the secret is to get the poison into the nest and to the queen. Kill off her and the nest dies. Whey you spray and kill the 20-30 ants that you see, you are only getting the scouts and workers. The queen pumps out replacements for them every day. With this method you are using the scouts/gatherers to bring the boric acid into the nest and to the queen.

Ants eating the mix. Ants taking the mix home to the nest. This nest was, apparently in the wall in the hong-nam.

/

Excellent post!

I just wish I could find Borax / Boric acid on Samui!... no one seems to have!! .... (sounds the same in Thai as in English ... which helps...well it would if one could find it!!)

I saw a post the other day giving a link to someplace in Phuket selling it for over 400 baht... so 90 baht is a good price!

One could also put this solution into small plastic containers and punch holes to let ants in and out .... might be a little less messy... and the containers, could be dotted around out side too.... it would be a safer too

Assume your second image with blue label is your source?

Go to your local high school with somebody that can speak Thai and ask the chemistry teacher where they buy their chemicals. That shop will have borax and boric acid, as well as many other chemicals you might want (sodium nitrate for sausages, etc.)

[Ticketmaster]

The answer to an indoor ant infestation is Boric Acid. I just removed an infestation from my apartment. For those in Chiang Mai you can go to a chemical supply shop located on the south side of Suthep Road right about here. I walked in and spoke with one of the staff. I mentioned Boric Acid and show him กรด BORIC and the man knew exactly what I was talking about. 90baht for one kilo. (which would be enough for a several appartments/condos).

I mixed a batch of ant-killer goo/paste with 2parts Boric acid, 2 parts regular sugar, and 1part water. Went a little high on the water but that did not seem to matter. Just made it more of a syrup rather than a paste. Stirred well for about 10 minutes. Placed several small dabs down on some plastic from a store packaging box and placed it down near where the ants were active. Did not take their scouts 15min to find the stuff and before long bunches were feeding and taking it back to their nest. Went on for about 24 hours and then stopped. It's been 48hours and I do not see any ants around. Victory !!

Boric Acid is a low-level poison. Just ensure that small kids or pets are not going to pick it up and eat it. It seems that the secret is to get the poison into the nest and to the queen. Kill off her and the nest dies. Whey you spray and kill the 20-30 ants that you see, you are only getting the scouts and workers. The queen pumps out replacements for them every day. With this method you are using the scouts/gatherers to bring the boric acid into the nest and to the queen.

Ants eating the mix. Ants taking the mix home to the nest. This nest was, apparently in the wall in the hong-nam.

/

Excellent post!

I just wish I could find Borax / Boric acid on Samui!... no one seems to have!! .... (sounds the same in Thai as in English ... which helps...well it would if one could find it!!)

I saw a post the other day giving a link to someplace in Phuket selling it for over 400 baht... so 90 baht is a good price!

One could also put this solution into small plastic containers and punch holes to let ants in and out .... might be a little less messy... and the containers, could be dotted around out side too.... it would be a safer too

Assume your second image with blue label is your source?

Yes, the second image is the business card of the chemical shop in Chiang Mai. If you (or a Thai friend) can call the Chemistry Department or a Chemistry teacher in a local school, they may be able to give you a local source. And it's Boric Acid NOT Borax that you want. I believe the Thai word for acid sounds something like 'kurid', so it would be 'kurid boric'. Yes, I could have used some plastic containers and such but I was just using what I already had on hand. No kids or pets live with me so I didn't bother getting fancy.

I have read that for some ants ("grease ants") the Boric Acid / Sugar mix may not work as well. So it was suggested to mix up the Boric Acid with some peanut butter into a paste. I suppose mixing the Boric Acid with anything those particular ants like to eat will work. Just as long as they take it back into the nest.

OR borax! Borax and boric acid are not the same thing, but both are boron compounds. Borax is a salt of boric acid. Borax is mined and refined into boric acid. Only boric acid is labeled for use as a pesticide. In baits with over 5% boric acid, it can act as a repellent, so more is not better. Boric acid is more toxic to children and pets than borax.

Both apparently kill ants quite effectively. I have not tried boric acid, but I have used borax, some mixed with honey and water and some mixed with bacon grease, and it completely wiped out the ants.

[samuijimmy]

Go to your local high school with somebody that can speak Thai and ask the chemistry teacher where they buy their chemicals. That shop will have borax and boric acid, as well as many other chemicals you might want (sodium nitrate for sausages, etc.)

Yes, sorry "missed" that part...about the school... I will ask one of the local kids....if they have a chemistry lab at school I don't think the local one does, ... I suspect those types of supplies might come from the mainland?

I know others on Samui who want to get their hands on this stuff too.

One other guy who has a "general store" told me the stuff is now controlled and why so difficult to get. He said the locals use to use it in cooking meat to make it crispy ! (part of KFC's secret recipe perhaps ? )

Just reading through some of the posts again, I see Astral finds the traps here, in super markets, that we used to use in north America ... but never seen those here either... Tesco etc.... I Iooked the other day!

This is from Wikipedia : Boric acid may be prepared by reacting borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate) with a mineral acid, such as hydrochloric acid: .... Now I know, it's not just Borax,

Thanks again for the help on this~!

[Baloo22]

Excellent post!

I just wish I could find Borax / Boric acid on Samui!... no one seems to have!! .... (sounds the same in Thai as in English ... which helps...well it would if one could find it!!)

I saw a post the other day giving a link to someplace in Phuket selling it for over 400 baht... so 90 baht is a good price!

One could also put this solution into small plastic containers and punch holes to let ants in and out .... might be a little less messy... and the containers, could be dotted around out side too.... it would be a safer too

Assume your second image with blue label is your source?

Yes, the second image is the business card of the chemical shop in Chiang Mai. If you (or a Thai friend) can call the Chemistry Department or a Chemistry teacher in a local school, they may be able to give you a local source. And it's Boric Acid NOT Borax that you want. I believe the Thai word for acid sounds something like 'kurid', so it would be 'kurid boric'. Yes, I could have used some plastic containers and such but I was just using what I already had on hand. No kids or pets live with me so I didn't bother getting fancy.

I have read that for some ants ("grease ants") the Boric Acid / Sugar mix may not work as well. So it was suggested to mix up the Boric Acid with some peanut butter into a paste. I suppose mixing the Boric Acid with anything those particular ants like to eat will work. Just as long as they take it back into the nest.

Thanks for replying! I tried one of my local pharmacies, after posting this, with the picture of the bag you posted, she said she could get with her next order from BKK.. she thought the price 95 baht was too cheap... ...and she usually has prices lower than other pharmacies around Samui... any way asked her to order some... I'll happy to get some... spent 5 years looking here! .... the joys of island living ! .... I always forget to look when on the mainland!

The Boric Acid that your pharmacy person is talking about may be of "pharmaceutical grade" (or something similar). I'm pretty sure that what I got from the chemical supply shop was "industrial" grade. Of course, for the small amount that you would need, the price difference is probably not going to make that much practical difference. Especially if you would have to travel any distance to get the "industrial" grade.

I only used a small amount of the one kilo that I purchased. One kilo was the smallest package that they had. It will likely last me for the next four years! And, yes I have it properly labeled so no one starts adding it to their coffee or tea.

Good Luck with the Ant War on Koh Samui !!

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