Just tore up and rid up the mstrbdrm carpet n pad and woah! Line of ants near the wall/floor just going from one side of the wall to the other side. How can I rid of them? Seal up the wall or something? They're not traveling through the room, just along the side. Seems they are coming in from outside and going out another side. Now that there's bare concrete...they disappeared. I'm afraid after installing new flooring...they'll come back. Any solutions? Reasons why they're there? Crack in the wall? Crack in the concrete?

 

You can't get rid of ants, they're everywhere. What you can do is make it harder for them to get in (which means figuring out where they're getting in and sealing these entrances) and killing the ones that do make it (home centers sell all kinds of stuff for this). Limiting attractants like food sitting out will also help.

 

Like every other living creature they all share three things in common. They need somewhere to live, need something to eat and need something to drink.
Your home is fullfilling at least one of these needs for the ants.
Ants are more difficult than some insects to get rid of, but not impossible.
This advice goes against my natural insticts as it it DIY and as a pest controller thats not good, but here goes.
Before laying another floor covering, go purchase some boracic acid (Borax) from the super market and sprinkle it liberally over the entire concrete floor, not just the single line trail that the ants used. Theoretically, the Borax will remain effective for many,many years.
It will not stop them entering the building, but will discourage them using this room as a path way.
Next try and identify where they are entering and use ant granules around this area.
If that doesnt stop them entering the building, my advice is ...engage a professional pest control firm. Do not persist with other home grown cures, as they will all merely hinder what ever the pest control firm needs to do. Added difficulty means added costs, and possibly the need from you, of reduced expectation.

 

Thanks guys...I think I will seal what I can and use the Borax and ant granules.

James D: Where do I find the Borax in the supermarket? (Just trying to avoid walking down every isle). Also, me and my son have bad allergies (nose and skin wise) and I was wondering if the Borax would cause anything, be bad in the air or anything like that. Can it or would it be in any of the big box stores?

 

we had ants in our kitchen. the teeny little ones. we finally got rid of them by using the poisonous ant food granules all around the perimeter of our house. the only way to get rid of ants is to give them poisonous food that they then take back to the nest & share with the whole colony (and Queen). only killing the ones you see only kills the ones you see, meanwhile, back at the nest, they're just happy as can be making new babies. so you have to do the granules.

also, take a look at what's going on outside your bedroom. do you have lots of shrubbery up against the house? certain shrubs have tons of ants. especially peonies. but maybe there's some trimming you could do help things there. and yes, seal up all cracks.

 

DIY
Location of Borax is not something I can help with, as its been a while since I last strolled down the isle of a supermarket in USA. (I live in Australia)
I'm thinking it will probably be with cleansers and detergents etc or not too far away.
Hardware stores should also stock it

 

Hardware stores and home centers usually have boric acid available.

 

I would start looking for borax by the laundry detergent and move on to the area where they have other cleaners like mr. clean and such if not with laundry. There are products specifically made for ants and it would be my preference to start with something in that category.

 

Boric acid is what you want not Borax.Go to a hardware store or home improvement store not the grocery store.Also there is a product line called Terro which is extremely effective on the small black ants that commonly enter homes.The particular version you want either comes in a small bottle of liquid or in pre-loaded plastic trays.It has a long track record of effectiveness and popularity.Use as directed and it'll greatly improve the situation.