Those Damn Ants....Whats the Secret To A Good Nights Rest ? ?

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BarAndGrillGuy

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I've been here in the DR for extended stays and have always stayed on upper floors with weekly maid service. As we all know, Ants are everywhere and usually congregate in the kitchen/kitchen sink areas if/when they do. I keep my place spotless but don't mop the floors daily.

I don't care when I see them as they are a fact of life here. However......does anyone have any home grown secrets to ensuring those little buggers don't crawl into bed with you at night ?. Personally I spray the four bedposts and bed frame with a little bug killer and hope that forms a consistant "perimeter" that will keep them away. My sheets are laundered twice a week.

I;ve woken up in the am with a few bites only over the course of the last few weeks. However a 100% or close to it, safeguard would be welcomed.

Cheers....

:rambo::rambo::rambo:
 
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zoomzx11

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the ants have a nest outside thats home base. They only come looking for food and once they find any they come back. In order to stop them you have to find the nest and get rid of it. Takes some detective work and a smart exterminator. Killing them in the kitchen will not stop them as you are only killing the advance party and the scouts. Follow the trails backwards to find out where the nest is located. Trees, voids in concrete etc. are frequent spots.
 
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zoomzx11

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Arsenic powder is effective once you find the nest. Not the little bottles of ant killer paste.
 
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Birdman

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We put aspartame (splendor) with a little honey by the side to attract them. They take the crystals back to the nest and no more ants for a while.
 
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jefe de la finca

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Available over the counter from the veterinario 'Carbamato Carbaril' insecticide powder. Sprinkle it on their pathways and the ants take it back to the nest on their feet. Takes out the whole colony, not just those out and about in the house.
 
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mountainannie

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There is a chalk that is sold.. or maybe more or a crayon? Ask for it at the hardware or colmado "contra hormigos". When I was visiting a Peace Corps worker in Pedernales, who lived without a fridge, she used to hang her cheese in a plastic bag on the wall and draw a circle around it to prevent the ants from getting in.

But are you sure those are ant bites and not mosquitos?

If the ants are in bed with you I would think that you would have a lot more bites.

I took up my own "housekeeping" in Las Terrenas and was sitting at the table and started to suddenly burn all over. I looked down on the floor and saw a swarm of ants about as big as a baseball.. they were fire ants.. WOW.. The BEST thing for them is Clorox.

But you should be able to follow the trail and get the nest,

Scary that aspartame kills them.. Pouring Clorox on the nest will do it to.

More Cloro..
 
aname4me

aname4me

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Move the bed away from the walls. It, or the sheets, can not touch any wall.
Then you only have to worry about the legs.
 
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aname4me

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In Canada I use a mixture of Icing Sugar and Baking Soda (Google it).

I tried it in Cuba. It worked for part of a day, then the humidity made the Baking Soda react, thus losing it's benefit.
 
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PeterInBrat

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aname4me said:
Move the bed away from the walls. It, or the sheets, can not touch any wall.
Then you only have to worry about the legs.
Click to expand...

Put some Vaseline around each leg of your bed frame. They can't cross it. Shower before bed and keep any street clothes off of it.

I suspect one reason Dominican are such vigorous house cleaners is to prevent ants.
 
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Criss Colon

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I use "Ant Baits".
They are sold in supermarkets.
Little traps with poison bail inside.
They take it back to feed the "Queen" when she dies they leave.
I leave several in the kitchen, even though we now have no ants, but their "Scouts" are always on patrol.
When I get an ant bite, it turns red,elevates and itches for about 3 or four days.
A mosquito bite doesn't bother me for more than a few minutes, except for "ONE"!
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PeterInBrat

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Made the mistake once of cooking some burgers at night and not taking off my t-shirt before getting into bed. Woke up and had to jump in the shower because I was covered with them. Any trace of food on you will attract them.
 
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flyinroom

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Aug 26, 2012
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Once I was watching t.v while sipping a small glass of Bailey's Irish. I drifted off for a bit as I am wont to do. When I awoke I reached for my glass of Bailey's took a sip and freaked.
I had a mouth full of ants in the luscious cream.
Bummer....
lol..
Don't leave anything remotely sweet hanging around.....The ants will find it.
Guaranteed.
It kind of turned me off the Baileys for a while.
Slurp...
 
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PeterInBrat

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The sugar seeking ants don't seem to bite and are REALLY tiny. Look like ground pepper from a couple feet away.

I've seen the ants move cat food across a floor. You pick up a piece to see what's going on and some 40-50 ants were working to move it. They have a billion years of evolution or so ahead of us.
 
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Jaime809

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PeterInBrat said:
You pick up a piece to see what's going on and some 40-50 ants were working to move it. They have a billion years of evolution or so ahead of us.
Click to expand...

That can't be possible... to listen to some folks, the Earth is only 6-7k years old. :glasses:
 
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MerengueDutchie

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If you are able to find the nest, pour a litre bottle of lamp oil down the main entrance. wait 30 sec and ignite - you will hear a small blast, the nest will burn out and most of the time you will catch the queen, burned or cooked. You will have no more problems with ants for a while.
 
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Criss Colon

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When I lived in Venezuela as a boy, we had HUGE "Fire ants to worry about.
I found a large "Ant Hill" in our yard one day, I too thought, pour some gasoline down there, then light it!!!!
I got the gas for the lawn mower and poured about a gallon down the big entrance.
I waited a minute, then threw a wooden match at the opening.
I heard the roar as the gas caught fire, then a small explosion deep in the ground.
Perfect, then my pants caught on fire!
I dove into the swimming pooL.
Now I use "bug spray", we don't have a pool here.
"Cisterna" might work!
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