[Kitty]

I've got an ant problem outside and I'm wondering if it's safe to put out ant killer with all the cats that roam around outside. I looked at the ingredients and none of them are safe for pets. Would an outside cat avoid it? How on earth can I get rid of all these ants without it? They're in the ground right outside my kitchen window and I've noticed a few of them around the sink inside!
.
They're tiny black ants......no bigger than a pinhead but I still cringe to see them inside the house.

[mrsD]

I use ant traps....up North and at home. The double strength ones. We have huge carpenter ants upNorth...they eat the woods, etc.

You put them hidden behind something or with an inverted cover of some plastic thing with holes cut in it (from a container) and
ants carry the bait back to the nest and they all eat it and die.

We've also used the products that you spray around the foundation of the house. The cats are not likely to get into that.

Look around for wood or other things piled along the foundation or plants touching the house. Those have to be moved away.

[Jomar]

That's what we used to do too, luckily finally got rid of the pests.

Those little bait poison things can go under the sink and between cabinets and the ants will take the stuff back to the nest and kill more of them.

[Diamond Lil]

I put the ant killer liquid in an upside down milk jug lid and place the lid inside the clear plastic container that is used for grape tomatoes from the supermarket. Be sure to close the lid securely and place the container where there are ant trails. I have heard that ants will not cross a chalk line.

[Lara]

Ants are a big problem here, usually before torrential rain. They go to higher ground.

I used to have an ant powder and would sprinkle that down their nests if I could find them, but it didn't seem to work. A pest control person later told me it needed to be wet.

If you can find a nest by following a trail it helps then you can get to the source. Sometimes the nest can be nextdoor or many houses away is the problem.

Under your sink, try vinegar or whole cloves, lavender, or eucalyptus oil.

good luck.

[Chemar]

Ants also seem to hate cinnamon

[mrsD]

Well, Lara, Have you seen any of these massive spider webs?


.



.

[Lara]

Ahhhhh, Yes, indeedy.

I was afraid to post them here LOL
I didn't want to freak anyone out.

There's a National Geographic article which is good. Explains how it happened in Pakistan after floods there too. Apparently good for getting rid of mosquitoes.

.

[mrsD]

Where we are upNorth.... if a huge long lasting fog comes in and hits us (which it typically does not)...

The whole island where we are becomes covered with visible spider webs. All the trees are filled with ballooning webs and others. You would never know to look around during a dry day, but when that fog comes... well...it is amazing to say the least.
It is not so dramatic as the Pakistan ones..or yours, in Australia.
But I was certainly surprised when I saw it for the first time myself. Like a million Xmas trees!

Anyone with a spider phobia would not like it where we go, that is for sure! But most of the spiders are small. The rock ones that run around on the shore are large, and they come in the house sometimes. The orb weavers stay above, but we broom out the outhouse and all doorways since they tend to drop off onto your head and shoulders. Once I was peeling some carrots in the kitchen and this huge orb weaver walked down my arm! eeeeeeuuuuuu
.
ick ick. Lots of squealing from me on that one. Most of the orb weavers only come out at night...so trying to stay inside after dark is prudent.
But I have learned over the years, to deal with them. Even though I had a serious bite on my left ankle sitting on the dock with bare feet one summer watching shooting stars. That one was toxic and I ended up at the local doctor's.
.

[Lara]

I've never seen anything like that here... not the ballooning silk. That's incredible and apparently it's so strong. Mother Nature is pretty darn amazing.

Spiders are much maligned and understandably so I guess. They're so tenacious. Knock a web down and the next thing I look outside and the spider is busy building it again.

I have a very large hedge running parallel to my house and the golden orb spiders like to build their webs between the hedge and my house and usually at head height. It's a clever strategy really as they catch all the insects flying down the flight path.

Problem is that they're difficult to see and at this time of year I tend to carry a broom held high and at arm's length in front of me so I don't walk into one of the spiders face to face.
.
Have done it before and I screamed and carried on.

Have been bitten twice in the past 12 months here. One on ankle this time last year which had me hobbling around for a week or two and another was on my wrist. I knew the ankle bite was a spider for sure and I'd been swilling around in the rising water trying to stop it from coming into my house. I didn't realize the second one was a spider bite at first but same symptoms as the ankle. Mainly the Cellulitis and heat. Fortunately they healed.

Of course, it all depends on what type of spider bite it is. Some spiders arre better to be bitten by than others.
.


excuse grammar... just waking up and need a coffee. lol