Household Pests and Their Treatment. 65 



life-history is much like that of the related insect, and it is cer- 

 tain that once its laying queen is destroyed and the nest broken 

 up, the colony will soon scatter and perish. It may well be 

 worth while, therefore, to take the pains necessary to locate the 

 nest, even at the expense of taking up flooring or breaking into 

 walls. In some cases it is not actually necessary to do this. 

 The nests may be reached by steam, by oils, or by fumes of 

 some sort, so as to destroy all of the occupants. Until this is 

 done, however, other treatment must be considered only pallia- 

 tive and of temporary value. 



Insect powder should be strewn about shelves and floors at 

 frequent intervals when the ants are about. If persisted in this 

 alone can be made to suppress them. But the brown color of 

 this powder stains fabrics and may be considered on this account 

 objectionable, tho the stain is not permanent. Coal-oil, when- 

 ever its use is practicable, is the most effective insecticide 

 known. If it can be sprinkled across the routes taken by the 

 ants it is a barrier across which they dare not pass. A touch of 

 the oil to their bodies is fatal, sooner or later. Benzine is a 

 more volatile oil sometimes used in preference because it soon 

 evaporates, leaving no trace behind. This quality has disad- 

 vantages as well as advantages, since it does not long remain 

 effective and destroys only the ants it comes in contact with im- 

 mediately after it is used. Coal-oil, on the contrary, remains 

 effective longer, tho gradually disappearing, leaving, how- 

 ever, traces that in some situations may be objectionable. A 

 bath sponge that has been made to absorb a sirupy preparation 

 makes a good trap when exposed in a saucer. It may, from 

 time to time, as it becomes covered with ants, be dropped into 

 hot water. A tin tray covered with grease is an attractive bait 

 for yellow ants, and can be burned off over a gas jet, or coal 

 fire, to destroy them. 



Ant tapes, so-called, consisting of strips of cotton cloth or 

 of cotton tape treated with substances offensive to ants have 

 been found very useful as a means of keeping ants from ascend- 

 ing the legs of tables, sideboards and the like. Turpentine, 

 ^nal-oil and oil of citronella are effective on these tapes and can 



