[Domesteading 00236] Re: query ants

[J & D Goldman]

A few other things to try for ants:
-The boric acid trick works good for me too, although some stores sell
this in a little dropper bottle ready to use.  I put drops on a piece
of duct tape or just soak a q-tip with it and leave it for them.  I've
also sprinkled boric acid powder in walls of old houses during
remodeling to discourage invasions.  I believe some of the structural
foams have this or materials like it mixed into the resin to stop
insects.
- Many will eat common bakers yeast if you mix it with some sugar or a
little molasses.  The ants that eat it will explode.
- Steamed bone meal is an excellent ant repellent, and is nontoxic.
I've put rings of it around ant colonies, and often they will abandon
that opening rather than cross it.
- I also have an electric ant electrocutor that some guy was selling
decades ago. It works on very aggresive species like giant red ants
but may have little or no affect on others.

-----Original Message-----
From: Sal Cerda <sal.cerda at rocketmail.com>
To: A forum for the discussion of aspects of independent,off-the-grid
living <domesteading at sculptors.com>
Date: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 1:58 PM
Subject: [Domesteading 00234] Re: query


>BobV,
>The 'antser' to excess humidity is an HRV.  Speaking of ants (notice
how I worked that in?) I am having the same issue with the little
buggers.
>I took to feeding them some sugar mixed with boric acid and water.
Yum.  They suck it it and take it home to mamma.  In few days they
quit coming back.  Then it's quiet for a while until the next colony
finds me.
>At my new dome, they have found that it's fun to chew up the sill
seal that is between the struts. Then they spit it on the floor in a
pile of pink powder.  I think they are building a nice cozy dry
nesting site out of the rains.  Yesterday I took them some boric
treat.  We'll see how that works.
>
>BTW, spraying the ants you see does not stop the problem.  The colony
is somewhere else and the queen ant is busy laying eggs.  They keep a
coming.
>No use poisoning your environment with high-dollar bug spray.  Feed
them some cheap boric acic mixed with sugar and borax.   Helps stop
wood rot too.
>
>Sal
>
>Robert Vance <naptimeatv at msn.com> wrote: "Cracking the upstairs
windows" is to vent the "humidity ...in the closed system of the dome
(????)". How did this humidity get there and does it need venting? My
main problem now is "Acrobatic ants" (...I've had a recurrence of them
and am wondering how I can get rid of them - the local pest control
company I used apparently thinks "dead" as in "killing ants", means
that they "come alive again periodically!").
>
>Our dome can be seen at http://homepage.gallaudet.edu/janet.vance
it's a two story, three bedroom, two bath dome.
>BobV!
>  ----- Original Message -----
>
>  Oregon domes is a good kit...but they don't build houses...just
>  manufactured components. Our kit is also panelized but not nearly
as
>  expensive and we use heavier components all the way to the plywood.
>   They(Oregon) actually have used US to solve some of their more
vexing roof
>  problems over the years though they kept me a big secret(like the
rest of
>  the kitcos who used us) till I learned to use a dad blamed
computer.
>   We vent our domes thru the sidewalls of the cupolas in various
ways. It
>  changes from dome kit to dome kit and climate plays a factor.
>   I don't understand when you say a "slight crack in your cupola
windows".
>  Doesn't compute.
>    There are a lot of prophets and naysayers in the industry who may
have had
>  a success story or two to base their reputation on. We have quite
an
>  extensive list of builds and repairs for our prospects to talk to.
>   Not a single callback in 36 years of building them. I know...I
know, I'm
>  going to break my arm patting myself on the back but Will Rogers
said" If
>  you been there , it ain't braggin"
>   Send me some pictures of your cupola and let's get a look at what
we're
>  dealing with.
>
>
>   John E. Johnson
>  newagedomeconstruction.com
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: domesteading-bounces at sculptors.com
>  [mailto:domesteading-bounces at sculptors.com] On Behalf Of Robert
Vance
>  Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 4:53 PM
>  To: A forum for the discussion of aspects of
independent,off-the-grid living
>  Cc: Tom Bland; T. Chappel Aldridge; Thaddeus Vance; Duane Eldridge
>  Subject: [Domesteading 00228] Re: query
>
>  John, Now my interest is up - our dome is in southern Delaware and
I had
>  been debating about putting a slight crack in my cupola windows. Do
I have
>  an "actual" concern for this? I ask this because I had many "Sayers
of doom"
>  and vice-versa, professional and non-professionals give me
conflicting
>  advice concerning the "humidity content" of "a dome structure" and
how it
>  will cause "x y z to occur" ...most of which were "unpleasant".
>  Incidentally, I opted to ignore all and follow the directions of
the company
>  I purchased the dome (Oregon domes) ...so far, the earth hasn't
caved in and
>  other than a roof leak (repaired easily), everything "seems" to be
>  copasetic.
>  BobV!
>
>
>
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