On Dec 16, 6:45*pm, Alex wrote:
On Dec 16, 4:15*pm, JIMMIE wrote:





On Dec 15, 4:26*pm, Alex wrote:

Hey Guys --

I've posted a thread or two about this over the last few months, but I
figured I'd start a new thread since my question is alittle different..

Basically our problem is over 3 months ago we found our house was
being invaded by fire ants coming up through the sand trap under one
of our bathtubs. *Our bug guy, who has already rid the yard of ants
and about any other type of insect, used Termidor which seemed to kill
them there, but now they're entering through any other opening in the
house they can find, like around the toilet, under the second bathroom
sink, and even through the pipes feeding our washer in the laundry
room. *Mind you these locations are all 10-20 feet apart.

He's sprayed the bathroom and laundry room pipes inside the wall with
Termidor, and I've sprayed around the toilet with Ortho Home Defense,
but given there's obviously a colony of ants under the house and we
have a concrete slab what recourse do we have short of drilling holes
in the concrete, which even that is a crap shoot since we have no idea
where the colony is.

The bug guy said Termidor should in time work, hopefully within 3
weeks to 3 months, which it's been alittle over a month since he
sprayed the first time, but I'm afraid that might not be enough.
There are literally zero ants in the yard, so they are sustaining
themselves on whatever's under the house, which it's only 7 months old
so there can't be much.

So are we just destined to have ants from now on? *Am I not giving
Termidor enough time to work? *I've not read one case where it didn't
work, but with a baby and toddler I really can't afford to wait too
long. *The bug guy has done a great job trying to fight back, but he
said he's even dumbfounded as to why they're being so aggressive since
it seems that we're doing a great job cutting off their food source.
Is our case just that unique?

Anyway, thanks for any advice anyone has.

It may take the Termidor several months to take care of the problem
but it also concerns me that you said SPRAYED. Normally holes are
drilled in the foundation and many gallons of the termicide pumped in.
My home is 1700 sq ft and think he used over 100 gal to treat it. If
he just went around spritzing with a spayer he *didnt apply enough.

Jimmie

Hi Jimmie,

It was sprayed under our bathtubs into the sand traps plus inside the
walls where some of the pipes enter behind a sink and toilet. *It
seems to be helping but it hasn't eliminating the problem. Question
though, you said they used 100 gallons of termidor, but how much did
that cost? That stuff is like $50 for 20 ounce bottle, and with 128 oz
per gallon that's like $30K (give or take). *Also was yours for ants
or termites? *I've heard of people having under the slab treated for
termites but not ants, though I'm afraid it might come to that if we
don't nip it soon.

Also something else we've noticed is we have a toilet seal leaking and
ants have been entering from that toilet (among other places), so I'm
wondering if that could be part of whats drawing them under the house
as well. *We have a plumber coming out to fix it tomorrow, so
hopefully that helps too.

norminn,

You mentioned caulking around pipes and sealing the sand trap, but
what could we use for the sand trap? *I'd be game for that, but I
don't know what we'd use. *One tub is a garden tub where the side
comes off so we can get to that one easily, but the other tub is
harder to get to. *Just curious if you suggested this from experience
since it's something I've thought of but I've not seen anyone mention
it yet.

Also I called our county extension office today, but everyone was away
from the office. *I left a note for someone to call me back, so maybe
tomorrow I'll get some word from them.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That price is for concentrate. It is mixed with water. All the
drilling, appllication, filling the holes cost me aound $1000. Took
care of ants termites and a lot of other insects including roaches and
crickets. Still works after 10 years. Works best if your neighbors
also have their homes treated with Termidor.If he came in with a
little sprayer and spritzed the stuff around he is ripping you off.
Doubt if he is even applying Termidor.

Jimmie