Have ants found their way into your home? Looking to defeat them without toxic chemicals? Try this simple DIY Ant Trap! (Don’t miss the bonus Pesticide Powder recipe!)
DIY Ant Trap and Pesticide Powder
I no longer consider store-bought ant traps. We learned the hard way several years ago that those innocent-looking traps emit harmful vapors. This was back when we were extremely sensitive to chemicals. Several of the kids had reactions within hours after putting them on the floor.
My homemade ant trap is now doing the trick. It only takes a pinch of borax and a bit more sugar to bring an end to the invasion.
I use organic cane sugar and Borax. Any refined or unrefined sweetener will do.
DIY Ant Trap
1 tbsp. hot water
1 tbsp. honey or sugar
1/2 tsp. Borax
Place the ingredients in a small glass jar and shake to mix. Soak a cotton ball in the mixture, slightly squeeze out the excess liquid, and put the cotton ball on a small lid. Place the ant trap where you see the most ants. After the ants have disappeared, discard the trap. (Wash reuse lid if desired.) After eliminating the problem, I add some DIY Pesticide Powder to avert future activity.
DIY All-Purpose Pesticide Powder
1/2 c. bay leaves
1/2 c. peppermint leaves
1 1/2 tsp. each citrus peel, garlic powder, *diatomaceous earth, cayenne pepper, pyrethrum, salt
Grind the ingredients into a powder using a blender or mortar and pestle. Dust along affected areas.
Looking to fight your pest battles naturally? Check out momsAWARE‘s Bug-Busting Bonanza and downloadable recipe list, the Pest-Punching Printout.
*Diatomaceous earth(DE) is an excellent pest deterrent. Learn more about DE here.
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Is there some thing I can use to get wasp and bees to come to one space? My plants have a lot of bees flying around. I want to kill them without getting bitten again. I am not able to find the net.
Patricia,
I’m not sure – There is a pinterest board dedicated to this topic that may help.
http://www.pinterest.com/explore/keep-bees-away/
Why are you killing bees?, don’t you pay attention to the news? The bees are being killed off by the thousands every day by toxic pesticides? Why do you want to add to it?
The issue is deterring the bees – not killing them, as I understand it. I agree, bees are important pollinators!
I used the ant formula a few years ago and the problem has almost been eliminated. There are a few persistent critters in every infestation. Thank you
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Norma and letting others know.
Fleas on the dogs & cats. What can I use to rid the fur babies from fleas?
Here are some suggestions, Julie,
Borax, diatomaceous earth, lavender, lemongrass, peppermint , citrus peel extract. There is a company called Fleabusters that offers natural alternatives.
http://www.fleabuster.com/
Hope that helps!
Andrea, This is so timely. My husband and I spent last night making a syrup recipe which consisted of sugar, water, and borax. The tiny ants we have haven’t started flocking to it yet, much to my chagrin. I may try this recipe when I a off work today! Thank you!!
I’d love to hear back, Melanie. They should be drawn to it. I hope so!
You can do this a little bit easier by just mixing borax and sugar (about 3:1) in a paper bag, put it in some out of the way place and let the ants find it. When all the ants are gone simply discard or save for later. I read that it kills cockroaches also.
I love the natural solution, thanks.
I’ve not heard of the paper bag method…thanks Lori.
I need a homemade insect repellant for mosquitos.?
For use on humans
Roberta,
We don’t have mosquitoes in AZ, so I haven’t dealt with this. Suggested herbs include:
Mosquitoes: Herbs that repel mosquitoes include cedarwood, lemongrass, peppermint, and garlic. The organization Beyond Pesticides offers a helpful article titled Backyard Mosquito Management. That may offer some good ideas for you.
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/mosquito/documents/backyard_mosquito_management.pdf
Thanks for the infro, I can’t wait to try it. I’m sure the ants will love it…
Yes they will – until they don’t of course. 🙂
Any ideas for getting rid of weevils? I have tried bay leaves with limited success.
Rose,
I might try a borax spray. Here’s an article that may help further. This organization offers many chemical-free options.
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/infoservices/pesticidefactsheets/leasttoxic/boricacid_borates_borax.php