FIGURE 9.—Small black house ant. Enlarged about 7 diameters
ANTS That Invade Houses Are Easily Killed by Poison
There are a number of species of ants that invade our houses, getting into food supplies and annoying us by their presence. (Fig. 9.) Some of them build their nests in the walls or under the floors, while others may live outdoors under stones in the yard or in in the lawn. Some upon sweets, while prefer grease and meats. When the nests can be found the simplest method of destroying them is to inject a few teaspoonfuls of carbon disulphide or ethylene dichloride into the opening from which the ants are seen to emerge, The fumes given off by the liquid will quickly kill the occupants of the nest.
Dusting with sodium fluoride wherever the ants are troublesome in the house is a simple remedy, and often so effective that other methods prevention need not be resorted to.
When other methods fail, the use of poison baits will usually solve the problem.
One of the best is prepared as follows:
Boil together for 30 minutes—
1¼ pounds Granulated sugar
1¼ pints Water
1 gram Tartaric acid (crystallized)
1 gram benzoate of soda
Dissolve one-eighth ounce of sodium arsenite (c. p.) in 1 fluid ounce
of hot water. Cool both solutions and then mix them well. Add
two-thirds pound of strained honey and stir the mixture well.
[The sodium arsenite is not recommended in light of what we know about arsenic's toxicity to humans and its persistence in the environment. Today (2022) there are more effective and less toxic (to non-target species) substitutes -ASC]
The bait should be placed around the house where the ants are troublesome, by the use of small pieces of sponge soaked in the poison. The sponges may be placed on saucers or concealed in small, perforated cans.
Another excellent bait is prepared by mixing 1 pint of water, 1
pound of sugar, 27 grams of thallium sulphate, and 3 ounces of honey.
The whole should be brought to a boil, mixed thoroughly, and allowed
to cool. Thallium sulphate is a dangerous poison and should be
handled with great care.
[Similar note as above... just say "no" to thallium. -ASC]
Less complicated baits can be made by dissolving 4 ounces of sugar in a quart of water and adding one-half ounce of tartar emetic, or by working small quantities of tartar emetic in grease or pieces of bacon rind.