5 LEAFLET 147, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



liquid that can be purchased at drug or other stores. Upon exposure 

 to air it evaporates, forming a gas that is heavier than air, so it will sink 

 into soil and cracks. This gas is explosive and inflammable in the pres- 

 ence oj fire in any jorm, so keep matches, lighted cigars, cigarettes, etc., 

 away while using it.) Sometimes pouring boning water into such 

 cracks will kill the colony, but not if it is deep-seated. If the nest is in 

 the soil of the lawn or garden, as indicated by the characteristic ant hills, 

 make holes about a foot apart over the infested hill area with a broom 

 handle, or similar object, to a depth of 2 to 4 inches and pour into each 

 hole from 2 to 3 tablespoonfuls of Carbon disulphide. Then close the 

 holes at the surface by pushing the soil together. With large ant hills 

 it may be necessary to make deeper holes and pour in more carbon 

 disulphide. Place the liquid below the roots of the grass ; otherwise the 

 grass may be killed. 



When nests are in the woodwork, find the small openings made by the 

 ants, or, if the nest is close to the surface, make an opening into the ant 

 galleries. Inject through these openings, by means of a pipette or 

 small syringe, a teaspoonful or tablespoonful of carbon disulphide or 

 orthodichlorobenzene, and then close the opening with a plug of plastic 

 wood, putty, or similar material. As the ant burrows or galleries may 

 be widely separated, it is desirable to make injections through all the 

 openings to the exterior that can be located. 



If it is suspected that the ant nest is near a certain point in the wall 

 or floor, it may pay to inject a small amount of carbon disulphide or 

 orthodichlorobenzene at that, point, but this kind of treatment for 

 nests in a building is likely to fail unless the exact location of the nest 

 is determined. Ants often crawl considerable distances in wall and 

 floor spaces from their nests to the point where they emerge into the 

 room, and the colony is then too well protected to be killed by fumi- 

 gation. 



What to Do When the Colony Cannot Be Located 



When colonies cannot be located without tearing out partitions, or 

 going to other expense not warranted, the use of poisoned sirups, or 

 baits, powders, sprays, or chemical barriers, is advocated. No one 

 bait or sirup can be depended on to destroy all kinds of ants under 

 varying conditions. Some ants will eat one poison and refuse another ; 

 some eat only sweets, while others eat only meats and grease. 



Powders. — Sodium fluoride powder dusted about window sills, 

 drainboards, foundations, and other places where ants crawl will often 

 drive them away, but not always. If effective, it makes an easily 

 applied and cheap control. Sodium fluoride is a poison, so do not get 

 it into j'ood, and keep it away jrom children and pets. 



Chemical barriers. — Ants can be kept off tables, refrigerators, or 

 other movable furniture of no particular value by placing the legs of 

 the furniture in shallow dishes or small jars into which has been poured 

 a small quantity of kerosene. Keep the surface of the kerosene free 

 from dense accumulations of dead ants; otherwise live ants may use 

 the bodies of those killed as a bridge to reach the legs of the furniture. 



Ant tapes fastened about the legs of furniture will keep ants off 

 and are cleaner than the kerosene containers. Prepare these tapes by 

 boning, for a short time, strips of bias cloth tape in a saturated solu- 

 tion of bichloride of mercury (corrosive sublimate). After boiling the 

 strips, hang them up to dry, and later, as needed, wrap them about 



