Ant farm in my banana pot, worry or not? - Page 2

The Hollyberry Lady · 01-24-2011, 12:26 PM

Borax is not something I'll ever be working with and it is certainly not meant for ingesting, as it can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, or even death, if enough were swallowed...for instance by a child. It's also suspected of damaging fertility in the unborn child!

It's not meant to be around pets and children, and any responsible adult would make sure that it wasn't. Just because Borax is natural, doesn't mean that it's automatically safer for you, or the environment, than man-made chemicals.

Too much Borax can kill your plants, and although it kills lots of insects, it is also toxic to people and pets. Signs of toxic exposure include red & peeling skin, seizures, and kidney failure. Less than 5 grams of the stuff can kill a child!

It should never be used around food.

If you have asthma, you should avoid Borax because it causes respiratory irritation. It should most especiallly be kept away from babies & toddlers.

Quote:

Borax is a developemental toxin, carcinagen, neurotoxin, endocrine disruptor and linked to other parts of the body/organs (including affects on the brain) as a toxin as well as causing respitory and skin irritation.

Some people think that Bleach is safer to use than Borax is, for both the envoronment & human health, so this is saying something. However I wouldn't use bleach either, so this is saying something as well.

Nonsense, that Borate isn't hazardous.

I couldn't disagree with you more, Richard.

: )

sunfish · 01-24-2011, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notrecruiting

I've read that a nice "home made" ant bait that supposedly works well is a mix of borax and sugar (equal parts I think) melted with boiling water to make a thick syrup. I believe it's pretty much the same as the brand name tero (which works wonders on the little ghost ants by the way). Not sure how "friendly" borax is though. The areas that I was reading seemed to have heated debate on the subject. I did have a mint plant that was a colony for ghost ants and I put some tero drops along the edge of the pot and a few drops directly in the soil and the ants were gone the next day. Tero is the only stuff I've used with success on ghost ants. Haven't tried the home made version yet.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...N_yGuQ&cad=rja

CookieCows · 01-24-2011, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunfish

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...N_yGuQ&cad=rja

Interesting, I've used Terro for a couple years now under my kitchen window sill as I have a couple infestations each summer. The funny thing is when I wash dishes I will take my finger and draw a line with dish soap around the edge of where I have the little squares of poison so they are trapped. For awhile they won't cross over the soapy line and once they find the Terro that's where they head until they're finally gone.

CookieCows · 01-24-2011, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by venturabananas

We use clove oil as an anesthetic when collecting marine fishes for research. It works very well (mixed with an organic solvent, like an alcohol), but everything it gets near smells like pumpkin pie for a long time (which ain't all bad).

It sounds like you do interesting stuff!!!

Richard · 01-24-2011, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Hollyberry Lady

Borax is not something I'll ever be working with ...

Well, I'm not suggesting that you do. On the other hand, the information you posted below refers to the raw chemical and I agree with it completely. I also think that equivocating the raw chemical with borax hand soap borders on fear mongering.

The Hollyberry Lady · 01-24-2011, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

In terms of equivalent dosages: borax powder and pyrethroids are far more "friendly".

So you were not just talking about the "harmless" soapbars. You even went on to say that Boric acid is non-hazardous!

However, a quote that is shockingly befitting here is one that my grandmother used to quote over & over again...."when you argue with an idiot, it only proves there are two"

Anyway, whatever folks choose to use....good luck with getting rid of ants, which is what this thread is supposed to be about.

: )

notrecruiting · 01-24-2011, 08:36 PM

The funniest part to me is that the problem was solved quite a few posts ago and yet we still debate on the use of boric acid. I don't know about boric acid per say, but it doesn't sound like something I would want ending up in my glass of water. A few drops of it on my windowsill to take out a colony of ants invading and eating my plants? Ok I'll do that. As far as naturally occuring, isn't uranium naturally occuring also? I know I don't want to have that hangin around my house.

Quote:

Happily, it appears that I was mistaken: the pot was on top of an ant nest, and although there was lots of ants in the pot, the nest was in the ground. After moving the pot and flooding it (just water) a second time, it appears that the ant problem is solved. No aphids either -- despite the hundreds of ants that clambered up the p-stem when their nest was flooded by me watering.

The Hollyberry Lady · 01-24-2011, 08:40 PM

Yes, I knew the problem was solved but others with ant problems may read this thread in the
future.

: )

notrecruiting · 01-24-2011, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Hollyberry Lady

Yes, I knew the problem was solved but others with ant problems may read this thread in the
future.

: )

Very good point!!

01-24-2011, 08:40 PM	#28 (permalink)
The Hollyberry Lady The Hollyberry Lady's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 15,161 BananaBucks : 1,456,759 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 12,042 Times Was Thanked 11,326 Times in 5,311 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 102 Times	Re: Ant farm in my banana pot, worry or not? Yes, I knew the problem was solved but others with ant problems may read this thread in the future. : )

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