All is quiet along the Ant War front. The predicted rains didn't come this weekend, and as such, the ants did not invade. Over the course of the entire weekend, I spotted one ant. One! And I used a mechanical strategy for eliminating this solitary scout, my thumb.
The war plan now includes yet another stealth weapon in my fight to eliminate the threat of future ant invasions. I am now sprinkling a bit of diatomaceous earth (DE) on the dogs' food AND the cat's food.
As I've learned in this process of non-chemical pest control, there are two types of diatomaceous earth. The kind to use in Ant Wars is "food grade" DE. Food grade DE is a natural supplement used to help rid animals of intestinal parasites. DE is the fossilized remains of tiny little plants that grow in sea water. The fossils are covered in tiny jagged edges that can cut parasitic worms from the inside, resulting in their death. Sprinkling the DE on their food also discourages the ants from a readily available food source. So this one material has multiple benefits for the animals, protecting their food from ant invasions and keeping their intestines free of parasites.
I left the perimeter defenses in place from Friday, and this morning the rains came. The weather forecast is calling for rain all week, making my exterior defenses ineffective. With the Spinosad and exterior baits neutralized, we are forced to rely on the DE/boric acid mixture in the window sills as a mechanical defense, a few strategically placed boric acid/honey baits in the kitchen and we'll be using the orange oil spray as a surface cleaner and contact ant control.
May God be with us.
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