Ants!

[WordBird]

Ok, the little blighters are doing my head in.

Feel like it's been a never-ending battle today - can't take my eyes off the cats'/dog's food for a second once it's down or they're in there, and have just found a load of really tiny ones in a box of sugar cubes I bought last night - and thinking they might get in, I put it in a plastic bag, clipped it, put it in another plastic bag and clipped that too!

I appreciate we might have more than most because we're rural but does anyone have any especially good tips for preventing/dealing with them?

Would also love to know where I can get some really good, airtight plastic storage tubs. They've managed to get into all the ones I've bought except for ones I got from Azda, but they're only small and I could do with some larger ones for the pet food etc.

Right. Off for a shower now. Feel like I'm crawling with them!
(No ants-in-yer-pants jokes please.  )

[KKOB]

We scattered copper coins around the house and it seemed to work. It might be worth putting copper coins in the pet food.

Also, put foodstuff, including sugar, bread etc., in the fridge or freezer.

[WordBird]

Ooh, interesting. Haven't heard that one before. Will see if I've got any coppers left in my UK purse.

We wondered about putting the sugar cubes in the fridge but thought moisture might be a problem.
Will give it a go if you recommend, ta.   

[Scunner]

We scattered copper coins around the house

Or the housekeeping, as Alan called it.

[KKOB]

[angela]

That's  really annoying,  it would (and no doubt will) do my head in,  I'd have nightmares about them. What a nuisance.

[puma]

i brought ant powder and scatter it round the dogs / cat food bowl

[nichola]

You can buy ant powder and liquid to stop them coming into the house. Just find the source or where they are coming into the house. I prefer the liquid and you can buy this in any supermarket. It might take a few days to get rid.

In the meantime for the animal bowls use plates or trays with water on it and put the bowls on top. It creates a moat and the ants can't get into the bowl itself. In this heat you need to keep the water topped up. It's safer for the animals.

[WordBird]

Thanks Nichola. I read about the moat idea last night and thought I would try that today.

I tried a couple of other suggestions that I found online, like the lemon spray, mint, salt, velcro etc as I was worried commercial products might be harmful to the pets, but hopefully I can keep them away from the access point.

I'll look for the liquid when I'm in town - presumably I just pop it down where they are coming in?
*gets translation app ready for reading the bottle*

[KKOB]

Just bear in mind that any method that stops them coming in, also stops them from leaving. If they're already in the house, it's too late.