Ant bait
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Boric acid with corn syrup, or borax with powdered sugar, set out where ants travel. Keep away from kids and pets.
What You’ll Need
Boric acid and corn syrup bait
- 1 teaspoon boric acid
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- Small bowl wax paper
Borax, sugar, and shortening bait
- 1 tablespoon borax
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- Shortening or lard enough to make it crumbly (about a teaspoon)
- Wax paper small bowl or cup
Equipment
- mixing bowl
Directions
- Boric acid bait: Stir the boric acid and corn syrup together until well blended. Place a few drops on a small piece of wax paper and set it where you have seen ants. Do not kill the ants you see, since they carry the bait back to the colony. Put out fresh drops daily until the ants are gone.
- Borax bait: Mix the borax with powdered sugar, then work in shortening or lard until the mixture is crumbly. Set crumbs on wax paper near ant trails, where ants are moving in a straight line. Replace them daily.
Notes
Leftover bait keeps in a small sealed container at room temperature up to 2 weeks. Food-grade diatomaceous earth sprinkled where ants travel (not the pool-filter type) also works until it gets wet.
Safety: KEEP AWAY FROM PETS AND KIDS. Boric acid and borax are poisonous if swallowed, and the sweet bait tempts children and dogs. Put bait inside a lidded container with small holes, or where pets and kids can’t reach. Wear gloves when mixing, label leftovers clearly as poison, and store them away from food. Wash hands and utensils after. Even diatomaceous earth should not be breathed in; apply without creating dust.