I wanted to take the time to thank you for this video. The testing is what caught my attention as well as seeing the results in your video. This video is the epitome of what SHOULD be on RUclips when it comes to DIY. Absolutely incredible! As an accountant, the math was my favorite part, especially weighing the water to make it that oil consistency. I used your 5:1 method in my house and it removed our problem within 12 hours. We had an ant problem for over 2 years! I cannot thank you enough.
It is also important to set out bait to be fed to the Queen or else she will sense the stress of the colony and lay an egg that will produce another Queen. In essence, the ant population will increase over time rather than decrease. Try creating a bait station by cutting entrance holes part way up in an old yogurt container with a sealing lid. Then soak a slice of bread or a waffle in the borax/sugar solution and set it in the bottom of the yogurt container. Add some solution in the bottom of the container as well. The ants will drink the solution and that will kill them. They will also chew off small pieces of the break to carry back to the colony. The Queen will be fed the tainted bread and will in turn die. This method eliminates the entire colony and does so without the Queen being able to produce a replacement Queen.
This sounds great, my issue is happening in the kitchen area, they come in and out from the floor vents in the kitchen, any advice on setting the said yogurt tub bait as I have a doggie
@@soyuen8438 I saw on another video, to use like an empty sour cream tub with your solution inside, the lid taped shut, and holes cut in the lid for the ants to come and go. Your pets shouldn't be able to get to the contents inside.
I personally feel this is exactly how I want my information. People need proof and facts. This was a textbook perfect format for me. Overall great video. I will do exactly this . Thanks so much
As a former high school chemistry teacher, I love the way you used the scientific method in this process. And your young assistant did an incredible job. Bravo! I've been reading so many different ant bait recipes and everyone has a different take on it. I didn't want to waste time and ingredients, so your video was exactly what I needed. And now I'm off to make my own 5:1 mixture. Thanks!!
as a high school chemistry teacher yuou shoulld have told him not to let that child pour in borax like that.... if you breath stuff in it can be very bad for you
@@generationrogue5329 it's not too late for you to add your own individual comment above telling him just that! What a relief that you caught something I didn't so we can make sure everyone stays safe moving forward! :)
Yes excellent demonstration of the scientific method having your daughter helping you is very good way of helping her thinking of how logically think about things. Helps in keeping from falling victim to so many of the scamming schemes people are always throwing at you.
You should receive an award for this video. It is simply perfect!!! Just like someone commented below, your video should be used as a standard. No BS, just facts and proof, and concisely presented. Thank you! 👍
Dude, your deadpan humor is HILARIOUS!!! "The dining table we are setting . . . "They've drank all the kool-aid" "12 hours since the party started" "no ants left except that guy Rambo" I'm laughing so hard I forgot that the reason I came here was to find a way to kill my ant invasion! 😂😂
Thank you. I try to make things educational for my kids. Whether teaching them about chemical and mechanical bonds of different adhesives while gluing things or teaching the purpose of defining theories and setting up controls when killing insects, they need to be able to relate what they learn in school to real-life experiences.
My father used to put a teaspoon of borax into a can of coke and leave it on a high shelf on our back porch to kill wasps. I've read that borax in any concentration is deadly to most insects to include ants, wasps, hornets, etc. When Dad used to do the borax and coke mix, honeybees would leave it alone. I seems that even though they like sweet things, they aren't very fond of coke but hornets and wasps are. It usually took about a week before all the wasps or hornets would quit coming around. If the can was emptied, a new can would be put out to ensure any other wasps or hornets could get a drink too.
Water at half the weight of the sugar and borax is probably the most important measurement Its because of vids like this that people then do their own experimenting. Thanks!
Great info, I’m having an ant problem in my kitchen, and weirdly enough, after a deep clean, they seem to be worse than before spring cleaning. I’m going to get borax today and will make these traps and I have faith after seeing your video, that the plan will work. They love my counter so I didn’t want to spray anything toxic on them and this is absolutely perfect! Thank you so much.
@@danadenisepatten7443 Vinegar and water mix didn't work for me at all. They just kept coming! The ants seem to be after water in my kitchen sink as well as my bathroom sink here in SoCal's hot weather. Now, I'm going to give Borax a try.
@@valeriep.4716 borax + sugar mix + water. rip a paper towel in half, fold it into a little square, soak and place where an ant is passing, they will sit on it for hours. can also use a cotton pad.
May I just tell you something? I get carpenter ants every couple of years. Those black ones. One day, I found a parade of ants had come down and were waiting in line, one behind the other, for something in my closed cabinet. I open the door to see what's going on, and found a new bag (sealed) of light brown sugar had been pecked open (NOT the white sugar), and judging by the parade of ants, the lucky devil went back and brought down a whole army of ants to carry this food back to the nest. By letting them continue to take their treat home with them, I was able to watch this ongoing parade and see that they were coming down from and going back to my attic. I watched the scout go back and bring back his army of ants, one behind the other. I was mesmerized. I eventually removed the source (the brown sugar) that they regarded as gold. I then put more brown sugar in a little cup in the attic and periodically went up there to check out ant activity. Sure enough. More comings and goings to a certain floor board. We pryed up the slightly loose floor board to find and entire community of ants. There were also zillions of ants not yet born, encased in some white thick filmy, gooey looking stuff. The little black ants could be seen. We sprayed them to death with insecticide immediately (about 20 of the adults scattered and got away. Not good. I'll be faster next time) and then we picked up this large thick gooey mass of ants with a large spatula and put them in a plastic bag and secured tightly and threw them in the trash outside. Bottom line: Carpenter ants go for the brown sugar (big time) and they'll be so much activity that you can follow them back to their nest. Ahaaaaa. Black carpenter ants love brown sugar. It's valued highly and more nutritious, as far as big black ants are concerned and they were bringing it to the caregivers of their unborn who were encased in this womb-like; jelly-like white substance. So, what you use, depends on what kind of ants you have. Carpenter ants don't seem to go for white sugar. Perhaps you can also make the above concoction with brown sugar and borax, if you have carpenter ants. I haven't tried the liquid method yet. This year, I have tiny little brown ants, so I will now try the borax method and white sugar on them. Thank you, redneck oriental. Thumbs up.
I just watched a video where a guy had a great idea to keep the mix from drying out and getting so hard that the ants just give up on it. He blended water into the borax first to dissolve it. Then addend 6 to 1 sugars but not all of the sugar at once. By the time he was done adding the sugar he had like small crumbs in his bait station. I have always just made a syrup and wet it regular. I've been using 1to 1 for a while. I started out with 2 to 1 years ago though and just sort of quit measuring it out. It always works but 5 to 1 will make my borax go a lot farther. I've found that if I go by my ( I use Grizzly Windergreen cans with 4 holes drilled on the side beneath the lid at 12, 3, 6 and 9 ) bait stations every so often and add water it keeps them soft and works for months. I also leave open cans in the garage where those pesky Palmetto bugs can get in easy. Some folks call them big roaches or flying roaches. They love to sample the mix now and then and I see them all the time on their backs for no apparent reason but then I realize they must have found my bait station. I'm seeing very few of those now days. Between palmetto bugs and ants its been a constant battle around here and I hate to spray toxic poisons especially in the kitchen. I always say if you can smell ant spray its getting into your lungs. I will try 5 to 1 now that'll make my borax go farther for sure. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you a thousand times for this wonderful video, I have had an ant problem for over a month; the traps I bought were absolutely useless and a waste of money, one application of your borax/sugar/water recipe and they all disappeared overnight..even li'l Rambo!
Brilliant research design and explanation. Thank you. Recap; 5 sugar to 1 borax is what you found to be ideal. Hydration ratio of water to powder helpful too. This is what a great YT posting looks like. It wasn't click bait - it was ant bait.
@@johnryanasong8068 regardless of whatever ratio of borax to sugar, use half the total powder weight for water. (1:12) For example: If your borax and sugar weighs 2 oz total together, use 1 oz of water to dissolve. Boiling water is better too, btw. Just cool it down before you set it out.
@@wakerobin9215 Since you have experience. Will this work for regular ants outside all in my mulch. They’re everywhere and I came home from work today and there were 3 ant trails climbing up my front wall of my house. I just quickly sprayed them but what can I do? I don’t see any mounds anywhere so how do I know what kind of ants they are
@@tracyb3198 Hi Tracy, so I don't personally have experience with ants and mulch, but I decided to look it up. It seems people do try a similar trick with the borax and sugar - they make the mixture, soak cotton balls, and place them on pieces of tinfoil outside where you think the nest is. Then give it a few days and see if it works. You call also try mixing in diatomaceous earth into your mulch. That takes a few weeks but is also effective from what I hear. Hope that helps.
I've been using Terro for many years. For some reason it just wasn't working this year. Saw in another video the idea to use a small piece of frozen waffle so the young ants can eat, and also to take to the queen. Made a mixture of borax and sugar, 3 parts sugar, 1 part borax and poured on a small chunk of waffle. They were gone the next day and haven't been back (6 weeks later now)
I am having the same issue with Terro. It used to work and would not see ants for a year or 2. Now they just keep coming back. Some dead and some not. I though maybe I bought a bad batch. I purchased 3 different times more Terro and still no positive results. What the hell?
@@MoeReefs I went to Walmart and got the cheapest frozen waffles they had (the Walmart brand) and put some of the ant Terro on a very small chunk of frozen waffle. Within 2 days, ants were completely gone. Has something to do with the young small ants needing something solid to help them ingest the terro
This works incredibly well. Thank you SO much sir! Had no idea where the colony was in our home, Made one of these traps...insanely easy....they are all gone. Just had to be a little patient and avoid stepping on any while they formed a solid line between the bait and their nest...still don't know where they were, but it really doesn't matter now that they are gone. Again, thank you for your generous sharing of information sir!
Great video. Just remember to put the bait inside a taped container, i.e.: cream cheese or butter tub with small holes drilled for access, to prevent poisoning house pets or wildlife (except ants, of course).
Don't bother. You could dip your cat in borax and let it lick itself clean and your cat might never forgive you but it wouldn't poison the cat. The mechanism is that the borax forms crystals in the ant's insides and the sharp edges poke holes in it. Very dependent on the scale.
@@rudyardkipling4569 It is dangerous to pets in large doses, according to multiple sources I consulted. "Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal distress including nausea, persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea"
Also, pets and wildlife can break open a plastic container in seconds. My Chihuahua can breach a jar of peanut butter that's never been opened in less than 15 seconds if I turn my back. Just holds it still with a front paw and bites right through the plastic. (Granted, her teeth and gums are excellent for a 12-year-old Chihuahua, but that's how they lose them!) My pit bulls would just pick the trap up, bite it a few times until it was crushed, and straight-up swallow it because they lack a sense of self-preservation when it comes to stuff that smells edible. My puppy actually eats ants now because a honey-based bait I used to use made them smell like honey, so now if she sees an ant, she eats an ant. Sluuuuurp. If you use a high concentration of Borax, just keep it out of reach from your curious pets. You're likely underestimating them, and it likely won't do longterm damage, but it's not worth the risk.
AWESOME video! I knew about the borax sugar mixture, but I didn't have time to experiment with the proper ratio(s) to make it at home. Thanks for sharing this with us!
My friend, My wife and I want to thank you, and say that your video was the best video available on this subject. I was laughing between taking notes. Just wanted to say you got a new sub, and that we appreciate the testing you did here.
Thanks for this video! 5:1 worked great! At 8pm on Wednesday, I Placed the mixture on 4" x 6" "mats" of masking tape on the floor in a couple of key spots and within 24 hours the number of ants had dropped significantly and the ones that remained were lethargic. 24 hours after that there was only 1 or two ants at each mat and by Saturday morning - No more ants. They've banned Borax based consumer grade insecticides where I live (Canada), so the stuff we can buy in the store takes weeks of constant application to work. This concoction has been a Game changer!
@@hal7ter, we're from Canada & moved to the USA decades ago- to escape socialism. Now, I see Trudeau Jr. is passing some VERY draconian laws up there. I fear the only thing that is going to save our (I'm still a citizen) once great nation is a REVOLUTION...
Best video on this topic that I've found! Thanks for sharing a informative video based on critical thinking and evidence! You're right to use a lower concentration, since killing the ants too quickly keeps them from bringing the bait back to the colony and killing the queen. I love that you did truly independent experimentation. Pretty rare.
Thanks for doing this great video. It answers the exact questions I was having about all the different formulas for ant killing with borax on RUclips. also it's so cute having your daughter be the scientist! As an aside, one thing I've noticed using Tetro, is sometimes some ants start to ignore it. I wonder if it's because all the ants that like that formula of Tetro have died and so the only ants left are the ones that don't like it and they make a new colony. But since now I can make my own bait I can change up the formula to get them to eat too. Thanks again for a super and scientific analysis.
Hi Tom. Thanks for the comments. By daughter loves doing these these things. Every 20 colonies or so, I find a colony that doesn't go for sugar. Then I have to find out what they're after and mix Borax with whatever that is. In those instances, it has always seemed to be dog food. So, I just pulverize dog food in lieu of sugar and add Borax and a little water. As for colonies coming back to life, I used to suspect that I wasn't completely killing the colonies. Then, I started taking the effort to follow the trails to the colonies' entrances. Those colonies never came back to life. So, I knew once the colony was dead, it wasn't coming back. The one I used for the experiment is still dead. I couldn't believe how many colonies there must be around my house. Then again, some of these guys are making trails 50 feet long to get to the house. So, it's a really large area to consider.
Good study. I also wondered about how much to use. I also heard that ants also like protein and that is what they take back home for the youngsters. I mix some up in eggs and tofu and ketchup for them with a side dish of grapes and mashed up apple. Works great.
Great advice and experiment. I did read that the adult ants drink the fluid and take it back to the nest for other adults (and the queen) but they also take solids back for the young ants. So a small piece of bread or biscuit soaked in the solution could be ....the 'solution' as well.
Not all ants are sweet eaters. Boric acid is what I use mixed with grease, peanut butter or sweet stuff. The ants that were in pupa stage will come out over the next week or so, keeping the bait around for a while will get them also.
I agree. They're not all attracted to sweet. Once in a while, I have a colony that will only go for dog food. In those instances, I smash up dog food, add Borax and a little water. I always try the sugar first because it seems 99% of the time, my ants will take the sugar. If not, I just follow them to see what they're eating. Thanks for the comment.
Mine went for different kinds of nuts. Does that means they won't want sugar? They completely ignore the store bought trap, like they don't like what's inside, althought I don't know what that is...
thank you for sharing the info...however i found that the sugar borax works for some type of ants...but not other...i use the fat of cooked steak with borax and it works...but as i said depends of the kind of ant...
Loved your video. Your daughter is a wonderful lab assist! And Rambo was hilarious. But we woke up to ants on the kitchen counter today. Haven’t seen them in the house in many years but then again, it hasn’t been this warm this early in Wisconsin…ever. I’m trying your method with Borax and disposable containers with lids. Another video had holes pounded into canning jar lids but we need every one of those lids we can find😱 Thanks for your time with this experiment
I have used your recipe for over a year and the ants are gone after 2 days. It’s amazing how they create a tight ring of ants around the bait without getting stuck or drowning. Thanks for the video.
Exactly what I was looking for. I just bought my first borax and am ready to go now following your excellent experiment and video....with a nice dose of humour. Exemplary example of how to inform with minimal waste of time.
Great video. I like experiments because they help you steer clear of mindless woo-woo. Thanks for doing the experiment for us. You gave me an idea: using foil for the baits. Brilliant in its simplicity, allowing me to set many more traps. That said, I've been going 4 to 1 (which I now know is a good ratio thanks t your experiment) in small plastic yogurt containers. I also add a quarter of a cookie or small section of bread crust, soaking it in the solution. Workers will take parts of the contaminated food back to the nest and feed it to the queen, her young, and any ants that stay in the colony. They'll all die.
I would suggest another set of experiments to discover WHICH TYPES OF ANTS are attracted to and eat this mix of borax/sugar mix. My experience with terro has been some types of ants are not attracted by/to Terro. Great work and thanks for this video !
Yes this is the best video I've seen and I've watched a lot. Thank you for sharing your experiment. It will save us a lot of time. Sharing to family and friends
I finally found this video again! This ratio totally works! I bought the rectangular liquid ant baits at the store and refilled them with this mixture and it got rid of them. It also helped to put them outside around the house. I would have never thought of trying that without seeing this video.
What a great DIY video! I am so glad I came across this one since I've spent a LOT of money on those Terro ant bait products--and even though they work, it appears that I can now make my own, more effective ant bait traps. Excellent job providing the measurements and comparisons. Your explanation narrative is very clear, to the point, and no fluff. And your results speak for themselves. Overall, a really useful and beneficial DIY video; I'll be telling all my friends about this one!
Excellent video. I've been using this formula for years, and it is remarkable how effective this simple solution is. By the way, it is as safe for pets and humans a concoction as you can make.
I haven't had any success trying this personally. I filled a 1:1 amount of sugar and borax, mixed into boiling water so it all dissolved, and tried a bunch of ways to get it to the ants but they never seem interested. I tried putting it on tin foil as seen in this video, I tried filling up bottle caps, I tried using cotton balls laced with it, etc. In every single situation, the ants don't seem interested in it at all. The first batch I thought maybe I didn't have enough total sugar in it, but the second batch I put about as much sugar in as I did water, they still wouldn't even look at it.
Not all ants are attracted to sugar. I forget the other lure but I’m thinking protein May need to mix borax with peanut butter instead if I recall right
Great experiment, and great for involving your kid. Learning and testing is fun for both adults and children. And now I know that 5:1 is a great ratio! Thanks boss!
Just an FYI, adult ants eat anything, but baby ants don't eat liquid, they eat solid. Add a little solid food like a piece of a waffle or something sugary sweet (soaked with the liquid) and the big ants will take it back to the colony and feed the babies. The colony will die faster :-)
Killing a colony of ants in less than a day isn't fast enough? Why make it any more complicated? If sugar, water, and borax is good enough to kill the whole colony, why go through the trouble of cooking up a whole gourmet meal to kill some ants?
Just to clarify, you're suggesting 5 sugar to 1 borax? 5 Tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon of borax? Thank you for this! I've been trying different ratios at home and not had much success.
Great video. Did you use 20 Mule branded Borax for this experiment, and would Boric acid work as a substitute for the Borax? If so, any word on the acid to sugar ratio to use?
Thank you! Finally someone who uses logic to figure things out. You've done all the experimentation for us. Now I'll quit buying Terro and start treating acres affordably. Best.
Hi :) very nice experiment. Well presented. Alot of ant removal videos say that a dry formula should be used also as babies only eat solid food. So it would be nice if you could please do a follow up in a week to see if ants come back. I would like to know if dry formula is needed. I used commercial stuff last season on a deck and exposed ant nest and 1 colony. Killed satellite queen for sure. But not sure if main one just moved or died. So now, going to try your 5 to 1 suggestion both liquid and dry. Ty for video. I loved the science team! :)
Great and efficient experiment. I loved your detailed explanations too. Lovely helper. I’m off to do the work and I hope it also works on red ants too. Thank you sooo much for taking the time.
Thank you, Olga. If the ants aren't attracted to sugar, lay out some other items and see what it is they're attracted to. Then you can mix in your borax and water to make bait.
Recipe I used many years ago specified 1 cup sugar to 3 tbsp boric acid (not Borax.) That has to be at least a 20:1 ratio and it worked great. Took out a 4 foot diameter ant mound in one day. Don't know the concentration of acid in Borax, but the lower ratio makes sense.
I wouldn't write the ratios down in plain sight as the ants would see them.
I too noticed that and thought that it probably affected the results.
@@MissTrixie29 Agreed , It should be a blind test
xD you guys are funny
@@Sakunayanathara i wanted to try a blind test but i couldn't get any ants to allow me to blindfold them.
@@keithmcgurn5336
Yeah, they can be uncooperative little bastards can't they?
I wanted to take the time to thank you for this video. The testing is what caught my attention as well as seeing the results in your video. This video is the epitome of what SHOULD be on RUclips when it comes to DIY. Absolutely incredible! As an accountant, the math was my favorite part, especially weighing the water to make it that oil consistency. I used your 5:1 method in my house and it removed our problem within 12 hours. We had an ant problem for over 2 years! I cannot thank you enough.
Well said.
Was going to write a very positive review. Yours saves me time.
Ditto.
The perfect comment.
5 Borax to 1 sugar OR 5 sugar to 1 Borax?????
@@kayeprescott8228 He never mentions using Borax more than 1 to 1 with sugar, so his conclusion was 1 part Borax to 5 parts sugar.
It is also important to set out bait to be fed to the Queen or else she will sense the stress of the colony and lay an egg that will produce another Queen. In essence, the ant population will increase over time rather than decrease. Try creating a bait station by cutting entrance holes part way up in an old yogurt container with a sealing lid. Then soak a slice of bread or a waffle in the borax/sugar solution and set it in the bottom of the yogurt container. Add some solution in the bottom of the container as well. The ants will drink the solution and that will kill them. They will also chew off small pieces of the break to carry back to the colony. The Queen will be fed the tainted bread and will in turn die. This method eliminates the entire colony and does so without the Queen being able to produce a replacement Queen.
poifect, thanks!
Thanks!
NICE!
This sounds great, my issue is happening in the kitchen area, they come in and out from the floor vents in the kitchen, any advice on setting the said yogurt tub bait as I have a doggie
@@soyuen8438 I saw on another video, to use like an empty sour cream tub with your solution inside, the lid taped shut, and holes cut in the lid for the ants to come and go. Your pets shouldn't be able to get to the contents inside.
I personally feel this is exactly how I want my information. People need proof and facts. This was a textbook perfect format for me. Overall great video. I will do exactly this . Thanks so much
Can’t beat the good ol’ scientific method. Jesse Pinkman would be proud.
I like my Informationen packed with some flowers which hide a nasty punch behind it
This was great thank you.
I completely agree!!
Great experiment. As a retired science teacher I couldn't be more pleased seeing you involve your daughter in this project.
hear hear
Our next generation scientist in development.
For those with short memories (like me) 5:1 -> 5 parts sugar to 1 part borax + water to syrupy [vegetable oil] consistency. Great video!
Thank you for posting that information.
Thanks!
Thought he said 5 part Borax to 1 part sugar.
@@nathanheu1616 The Borax was all 1 part, with varying parts of sugar.
@@nathanheu1616 HE DID
As a former high school chemistry teacher, I love the way you used the scientific method in this process. And your young assistant did an incredible job. Bravo! I've been reading so many different ant bait recipes and everyone has a different take on it. I didn't want to waste time and ingredients, so your video was exactly what I needed. And now I'm off to make my own 5:1 mixture. Thanks!!
as a high school chemistry teacher yuou shoulld have told him not to let that child pour in borax like that.... if you breath stuff in it can be very bad for you
@@generationrogue5329 it's not too late for you to add your own individual comment above telling him just that! What a relief that you caught something I didn't so we can make sure everyone stays safe moving forward! :)
What I like is that you are teaching your daughter a scientific method. Good parenting.
Yes excellent demonstration of the scientific method having your daughter helping you is very good way of helping her thinking of how logically think about things. Helps in keeping from falling victim to so many of the scamming schemes people are always throwing at you.
You should receive an award for this video. It is simply perfect!!! Just like someone commented below, your video should be used as a standard. No BS, just facts and proof, and concisely presented. Thank you! 👍
Perhaps we should show this video to our government representatives and show them how to determine if something is working or not.
Dude, your deadpan humor is HILARIOUS!!! "The dining table we are setting . . . "They've drank all the kool-aid" "12 hours since the party started" "no ants left except that guy Rambo" I'm laughing so hard I forgot that the reason I came here was to find a way to kill my ant invasion! 😂😂
🤣🤣🤣
You forgot "shoulder to shoulder"!😄
The Rambo ant really got me 🤣🤣🤣🤣
This is one of the best experiments I've seen.Very informative.
This is the best video on RUclips for how to kill ants properly
Thank you. Happy hunting.
There is no improper way to kill ants. If they die then it's very proper.
Great way to explain to kids how to run a simple experiment and to allow the results for speak for themselves.
Thank you. I try to make things educational for my kids. Whether teaching them about chemical and mechanical bonds of different adhesives while gluing things or teaching the purpose of defining theories and setting up controls when killing insects, they need to be able to relate what they learn in school to real-life experiences.
I had a batch of Terro bait stations that weren't working. I got some borax and made your 5 to 1 mix, and it worked! Thanks for posting.
My father used to put a teaspoon of borax into a can of coke and leave it on a high shelf on our back porch to kill wasps. I've read that borax in any concentration is deadly to most insects to include ants, wasps, hornets, etc. When Dad used to do the borax and coke mix, honeybees would leave it alone. I seems that even though they like sweet things, they aren't very fond of coke but hornets and wasps are.
It usually took about a week before all the wasps or hornets would quit coming around. If the can was emptied, a new can would be put out to ensure any other wasps or hornets could get a drink too.
Wow I'm going to try this. Thank you
Water at half the weight of the sugar and borax is probably the most important measurement
Its because of vids like this that people then do their own experimenting. Thanks!
This WORKS. Thank you so much! I no longer have an ant problem!
Great info, I’m having an ant problem in my kitchen, and weirdly enough, after a deep clean, they seem to be worse than before spring cleaning. I’m going to get borax today and will make these traps and I have faith after seeing your video, that the plan will work. They love my counter so I didn’t want to spray anything toxic on them and this is absolutely perfect! Thank you so much.
1/2 vinegar & 1/2 water and wash down counters with it. It really worked for me!!
I have the same thing happen always! I thought it was just me.
@@danadenisepatten7443 Vinegar and water mix didn't work for me at all. They just kept coming! The ants seem to be after water in my kitchen sink as well as my bathroom sink here in SoCal's hot weather. Now, I'm going to give Borax a try.
@@valeriep.4716 borax + sugar mix + water. rip a paper towel in half, fold it into a little square, soak and place where an ant is passing, they will sit on it for hours. can also use a cotton pad.
thanks for covering all scenarios in one shot
You have no idea how much you've helped millions of people around the world. Thanks!
Best video on the subject!
Thanks very much!
sure was simple and to the point...
May I just tell you something?
I get carpenter ants every couple of years. Those black ones. One day, I found a parade of ants had come down and were waiting in line, one behind the other, for something in my closed cabinet. I open the door to see what's going on, and found a new bag (sealed) of light brown sugar had been pecked open (NOT the white sugar), and judging by the parade of ants, the lucky devil went back and brought down a whole army of ants to carry this food back to the nest. By letting them continue to take their treat home with them, I was able to watch this ongoing parade and see that they were coming down from and going back to my attic.
I watched the scout go back and bring back his army of ants, one behind the other. I was mesmerized. I eventually removed the source (the brown sugar) that they regarded as gold. I then put more brown sugar in a little cup in the attic and periodically went up there to check out ant activity. Sure enough. More comings and goings to a certain floor board.
We pryed up the slightly loose floor board to find and entire community of ants. There were also zillions of ants not yet born, encased in some white thick filmy, gooey looking stuff. The little black ants could be seen. We sprayed them to death with insecticide immediately (about 20 of the adults scattered and got away. Not good. I'll be faster next time) and then we picked up this large thick gooey mass of ants with a large spatula and put them in a plastic bag and secured tightly and threw them in the trash outside.
Bottom line:
Carpenter ants go for the brown sugar (big time) and they'll be so much activity that you can follow them back to their nest. Ahaaaaa.
Black carpenter ants love brown sugar. It's valued highly and more nutritious, as far as big black ants are concerned and they were bringing it to the caregivers of their unborn who were encased in this womb-like; jelly-like white substance.
So, what you use, depends on what kind of ants you have. Carpenter ants don't seem to go for white sugar.
Perhaps you can also make the above concoction with brown sugar and borax, if you have carpenter ants. I haven't tried the liquid method yet.
This year, I have tiny little brown ants, so I will now try the borax method and white sugar on them. Thank you, redneck oriental. Thumbs up.
I just watched a video where a guy had a great idea to keep the mix from drying out and getting so hard that the ants just give up on it.
He blended water into the borax first to dissolve it. Then addend 6 to 1 sugars but not all of the sugar at once.
By the time he was done adding the sugar he had like small crumbs in his bait station.
I have always just made a syrup and wet it regular.
I've been using 1to 1 for a while. I started out with 2 to 1 years ago though and just sort of quit measuring it out.
It always works but 5 to 1 will make my borax go a lot farther.
I've found that if I go by my ( I use Grizzly Windergreen cans with 4 holes drilled on the side beneath the lid at 12, 3, 6 and 9 ) bait stations every so often and add water it keeps them soft and works for months.
I also leave open cans in the garage where those pesky Palmetto bugs can get in easy. Some folks call them big roaches or flying roaches. They love to sample the mix now and then and I see them all the time on their backs for no apparent reason but then I realize they must have found my bait station. I'm seeing very few of those now days.
Between palmetto bugs and ants its been a constant battle around here and I hate to spray toxic poisons especially in the kitchen. I always say if you can smell ant spray its getting into your lungs.
I will try 5 to 1 now that'll make my borax go farther for sure.
Thanks for sharing.
I think you did a fantastic job with this video. Thank you for all your effort and kindness.
Absolutely i like the 5 to 1 and here in Yuma Arizona we definately will use this method, thank you
Update: 3 months later. Middle of summer. Not a single ant to be seen in my home. You sir, are a genius.
Thank you a thousand times for this wonderful video, I have had an ant problem for over a month; the traps I bought were absolutely useless and a waste of money, one application of your borax/sugar/water recipe and they all disappeared overnight..even li'l Rambo!
Brilliant research design and explanation. Thank you. Recap; 5 sugar to 1 borax is what you found to be ideal. Hydration ratio of water to powder helpful too. This is what a great YT posting looks like. It wasn't click bait - it was ant bait.
What's the ratio if the water for 5:1?
@@johnryanasong8068 regardless of whatever ratio of borax to sugar, use half the total powder weight for water. (1:12)
For example: If your borax and sugar weighs 2 oz total together, use 1 oz of water to dissolve. Boiling water is better too, btw. Just cool it down before you set it out.
@@wakerobin9215 Since you have experience. Will this work for regular ants outside all in my mulch. They’re everywhere and I came home from work today and there were 3 ant trails climbing up my front wall of my house. I just quickly sprayed them but what can I do? I don’t see any mounds anywhere so how do I know what kind of ants they are
@@tracyb3198 Hi Tracy, so I don't personally have experience with ants and mulch, but I decided to look it up.
It seems people do try a similar trick with the borax and sugar - they make the mixture, soak cotton balls, and place them on pieces of tinfoil outside where you think the nest is. Then give it a few days and see if it works.
You call also try mixing in diatomaceous earth into your mulch. That takes a few weeks but is also effective from what I hear. Hope that helps.
I've been using Terro for many years. For some reason it just wasn't working this year. Saw in another video the idea to use a small piece of frozen waffle so the young ants can eat, and also to take to the queen. Made a mixture of borax and sugar, 3 parts sugar, 1 part borax and poured on a small chunk of waffle. They were gone the next day and haven't been back (6 weeks later now)
Good idea, thanks for sharing!
I am having the same issue with Terro. It used to work and would not see ants for a year or 2. Now they just keep coming back. Some dead and some not. I though maybe I bought a bad batch. I purchased 3 different times more Terro and still no positive results. What the hell?
@@MoeReefs I went to Walmart and got the cheapest frozen waffles they had (the Walmart brand) and put some of the ant Terro on a very small chunk of frozen waffle. Within 2 days, ants were completely gone. Has something to do with the young small ants needing something solid to help them ingest the terro
@@Tech-Mark Thanks, I am going to try that. I have seen other people say the same thing.
@qcmark52806 did you also add some water on the waffle?or pure solid borax and sugar?
Excellent! No hand waving, pointing, showing me you can speak. Just show and demonstration. I understood without the sound on.
This has got to be the best and most informative video in this educational category I have ever seen, so thank you for that. About to go try it 👍🏻
This works incredibly well. Thank you SO much sir! Had no idea where the colony was in our home, Made one of these traps...insanely easy....they are all gone. Just had to be a little patient and avoid stepping on any while they formed a solid line between the bait and their nest...still don't know where they were, but it really doesn't matter now that they are gone. Again, thank you for your generous sharing of information sir!
Great video. Just remember to put the bait inside a taped container, i.e.: cream cheese or butter tub with small holes drilled for access, to prevent poisoning house pets or wildlife (except ants, of course).
The borax is a NUTRIENT for humans and pets of ALL kinds, birds and mammals. Unless you keep insects as pets. Bachelor of science medical technology.
Don't bother. You could dip your cat in borax and let it lick itself clean and your cat might never forgive you but it wouldn't poison the cat. The mechanism is that the borax forms crystals in the ant's insides and the sharp edges poke holes in it. Very dependent on the scale.
@@rudyardkipling4569 It is dangerous to pets in large doses, according to multiple sources I consulted. "Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal distress including nausea, persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea"
Also, pets and wildlife can break open a plastic container in seconds. My Chihuahua can breach a jar of peanut butter that's never been opened in less than 15 seconds if I turn my back. Just holds it still with a front paw and bites right through the plastic. (Granted, her teeth and gums are excellent for a 12-year-old Chihuahua, but that's how they lose them!)
My pit bulls would just pick the trap up, bite it a few times until it was crushed, and straight-up swallow it because they lack a sense of self-preservation when it comes to stuff that smells edible. My puppy actually eats ants now because a honey-based bait I used to use made them smell like honey, so now if she sees an ant, she eats an ant. Sluuuuurp.
If you use a high concentration of Borax, just keep it out of reach from your curious pets. You're likely underestimating them, and it likely won't do longterm damage, but it's not worth the risk.
@@rudyardkipling4569 Sounds like diatomaceous earth - that's what DE does!
AWESOME video! I knew about the borax sugar mixture, but I didn't have time to experiment with the proper ratio(s) to make it at home. Thanks for sharing this with us!
Really well done! Thanks for your (and daughters) time and effort. Can't wait to try it out!
My friend, My wife and I want to thank you, and say that your video was the best video available on this subject. I was laughing between taking notes. Just wanted to say you got a new sub, and that we appreciate the testing you did here.
Thanks for this video! 5:1 worked great!
At 8pm on Wednesday, I Placed the mixture on 4" x 6" "mats" of masking tape on the floor in a couple of key spots and within 24 hours the number of ants had dropped significantly and the ones that remained were lethargic. 24 hours after that there was only 1 or two ants at each mat and by Saturday morning - No more ants.
They've banned Borax based consumer grade insecticides where I live (Canada), so the stuff we can buy in the store takes weeks of constant application to work.
This concoction has been a Game changer!
I hate living in Canada.
@@hal7ter, we're from Canada & moved to the USA decades ago- to escape socialism. Now, I see Trudeau Jr. is passing some VERY draconian laws up there. I fear the only thing that is going to save our (I'm still a citizen) once great nation is a REVOLUTION...
So you mix 1 part borax and 5 parts sugar and add water until the consistency of what?
@@chrisosborne9079 Just a thin syrup - like those flavored syrups people use to flavour coffee
Excellent experiment. You covered many variables of ratios, time and brands. I will try with my grandson this weekend. Thank you!
Best video on this topic that I've found! Thanks for sharing a informative video based on critical thinking and evidence! You're right to use a lower concentration, since killing the ants too quickly keeps them from bringing the bait back to the colony and killing the queen. I love that you did truly independent experimentation. Pretty rare.
Thanks for doing this great video. It answers the exact questions I was having about all the different formulas for ant killing with borax on RUclips. also it's so cute having your daughter be the scientist!
As an aside, one thing I've noticed using Tetro, is sometimes some ants start to ignore it. I wonder if it's because all the ants that like that formula of Tetro have died and so the only ants left are the ones that don't like it and they make a new colony. But since now I can make my own bait I can change up the formula to get them to eat too.
Thanks again for a super and scientific analysis.
Hi Tom. Thanks for the comments. By daughter loves doing these these things. Every 20 colonies or so, I find a colony that doesn't go for sugar. Then I have to find out what they're after and mix Borax with whatever that is. In those instances, it has always seemed to be dog food. So, I just pulverize dog food in lieu of sugar and add Borax and a little water. As for colonies coming back to life, I used to suspect that I wasn't completely killing the colonies. Then, I started taking the effort to follow the trails to the colonies' entrances. Those colonies never came back to life. So, I knew once the colony was dead, it wasn't coming back. The one I used for the experiment is still dead. I couldn't believe how many colonies there must be around my house. Then again, some of these guys are making trails 50 feet long to get to the house. So, it's a really large area to consider.
@@redneckoriental Canned chicken also seems to be very popular.
One of the best videos I have seen and quite informative, in fact I'm going to make a 3-1 mix for my ant infestation tomorrow! Thanks!
Rambo made me laugh so hard!
Yes I caught thqat too so funny I did laugh out loud
He should have said it's over Johnny! !!!!!
Love the Rambo ant....lol.....great experiment and video.
A five minute video that answered all my questions? Good Job.
Good study. I also wondered about how much to use. I also heard that ants also like protein and that is what they take back home for the youngsters. I mix some up in eggs and tofu and ketchup for them with a side dish of grapes and mashed up apple. Works great.
You kidding, right?
Great advice and experiment. I did read that the adult ants drink the fluid and take it back to the nest for other adults (and the queen) but they also take solids back for the young ants. So a small piece of bread or biscuit soaked in the solution could be ....the 'solution' as well.
Not all ants are sweet eaters. Boric acid is what I use mixed with grease, peanut butter or sweet stuff. The ants that were in pupa stage will come out over the next week or so, keeping the bait around for a while will get them also.
I agree. They're not all attracted to sweet. Once in a while, I have a colony that will only go for dog food. In those instances, I smash up dog food, add Borax and a little water. I always try the sugar first because it seems 99% of the time, my ants will take the sugar. If not, I just follow them to see what they're eating. Thanks for the comment.
@@redneckoriental what does 5 to1 mean, please? Like teaspoons or, im not sure or how to measure. Thank you for your help.
@@foto2548 It is a proportion of ingredients. Could be 5 grams sugar to 1 gram borax. I think in this case he used ounces.
@@foto2548 it means 5 parts sugar to 1 part Borax.
Mine went for different kinds of nuts. Does that means they won't want sugar? They completely ignore the store bought trap, like they don't like what's inside, althought I don't know what that is...
Thank you for the video I will use your advice 😊
thank you for sharing the info...however i found that the sugar borax works for some type of ants...but not other...i use the fat of cooked steak with borax and it works...but as i said depends of the kind of ant...
Great video and awesome you involved your daughter.👍
Loved your video. Your daughter is a wonderful lab assist! And Rambo was hilarious. But we woke up to ants on the kitchen counter today. Haven’t seen them in the house in many years but then again, it hasn’t been this warm this early in Wisconsin…ever. I’m trying your method with Borax and disposable containers with lids. Another video had holes pounded into canning jar lids but we need every one of those lids we can find😱 Thanks for your time with this experiment
I have used your recipe for over a year and the ants are gone after 2 days. It’s amazing how they create a tight ring of ants around the bait without getting stuck or drowning. Thanks for the video.
Awesome! Very informative! Thanks for taking the time to do the analysis!
A lot of folks don’t show results from making the bait. Nice job showing that your mixture actually worked and how long it took from start to finish.
Q: Why don’t ants ever get sick?
A: Cuz they have little anty bodies.
Scientific fact. Dr. Oz would agree.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
E d wow!
What's worse than ants in your pamts?
*WARNING* The answer may be mildly offensive!
Uncles.
Snaggle 😳🤣🤣
Exactly what I was looking for. I just bought my first borax and am ready to go now following your excellent experiment and video....with a nice dose of humour. Exemplary example of how to inform with minimal waste of time.
Great video. I like experiments because they help you steer clear of mindless woo-woo. Thanks for doing the experiment for us. You gave me an idea: using foil for the baits. Brilliant in its simplicity, allowing me to set many more traps. That said, I've been going 4 to 1 (which I now know is a good ratio thanks t your experiment) in small plastic yogurt containers. I also add a quarter of a cookie or small section of bread crust, soaking it in the solution. Workers will take parts of the contaminated food back to the nest and feed it to the queen, her young, and any ants that stay in the colony. They'll all die.
Yes my dear i also use the same ratio and technique used by you and get great result. Lot of love from india.
Thanks for the info. It's great that your teaching your daughter important information.
thanks for the info, ants are crazy this year
I would suggest another set of experiments to discover WHICH TYPES OF ANTS are attracted to and eat this mix of borax/sugar mix. My experience with terro has been some types of ants are not attracted by/to Terro. Great work and thanks for this video !
Yes this is the best video I've seen and I've watched a lot. Thank you for sharing your experiment. It will save us a lot of time. Sharing to family and friends
Glad it was helpful!
Plot twist: they just ate everything up, enjoyed it, and went back into their home, re-energized.
Great job, excellent demonstration of the empirical method applied to everyday living.
I finally found this video again! This ratio totally works! I bought the rectangular liquid ant baits at the store and refilled them with this mixture and it got rid of them. It also helped to put them outside around the house. I would have never thought of trying that without seeing this video.
Nice video showing different ratios and results.
Do these ants know they "volunteered"?
Of course the did. You can ask them yourself. Oh...
What a great DIY video! I am so glad I came across this one since I've spent a LOT of money on those Terro ant bait products--and even though they work, it appears that I can now make my own, more effective ant bait traps. Excellent job providing the measurements and comparisons. Your explanation narrative is very clear, to the point, and no fluff. And your results speak for themselves. Overall, a really useful and beneficial DIY video; I'll be telling all my friends about this one!
This is awesome! Can you please do one for grease ants, with peanut butter and borax?
Great job, this is the best ant/borax video I’ve seen. Your helper did an awesome job too.
Excellent video. I've been using this formula for years, and it is remarkable how effective this simple solution is. By the way, it is as safe for pets and humans a concoction as you can make.
Is Borax safe to pets ? I’m eager to know does this work with carpenter ants and is it safe to dogs ?
Thanks for the in-depth examination. I've had hit or miss results with borax traps so this is a help.
I haven't had any success trying this personally.
I filled a 1:1 amount of sugar and borax, mixed into boiling water so it all dissolved, and tried a bunch of ways to get it to the ants but they never seem interested.
I tried putting it on tin foil as seen in this video, I tried filling up bottle caps, I tried using cotton balls laced with it, etc.
In every single situation, the ants don't seem interested in it at all. The first batch I thought maybe I didn't have enough total sugar in it, but the second batch I put about as much sugar in as I did water, they still wouldn't even look at it.
Not all ants are attracted to sugar. I forget the other lure but I’m thinking protein
May need to mix borax with peanut butter instead if I recall right
Try a small amount of bacon fat...they go crazy for it!
I love your scientific approach and the fact you are including your children in the study.
Thank you so much. Saved me a lot of time instead of doing the experiement.
That was a perfect way to exhibit exactly how each component affects the ants...well done
Great experiment, and great for involving your kid. Learning and testing is fun for both adults and children. And now I know that 5:1 is a great ratio! Thanks boss!
This video is amazing!
No bullshit. To the point editing. And incredibly useful information.
Thank you.
Just an FYI, adult ants eat anything, but baby ants don't eat liquid, they eat solid. Add a little solid food like a piece of a waffle or something sugary sweet (soaked with the liquid) and the big ants will take it back to the colony and feed the babies. The colony will die faster :-)
thanks
Killing a colony of ants in less than a day isn't fast enough? Why make it any more complicated? If sugar, water, and borax is good enough to kill the whole colony, why go through the trouble of cooking up a whole gourmet meal to kill some ants?
Excellent experimental study and strategy which no other video on this subject has ever offered...congrats
Just to clarify, you're suggesting 5 sugar to 1 borax? 5 Tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon of borax? Thank you for this! I've been trying different ratios at home and not had much success.
Thank you! This is what I was looking for. You saved me from having to do these kinds of tests myself. Thumbs-Up!!
Smooth details .thanks for sharing ! Much needed info.wonderful explanations and edits. Subscribed to your voice ...calm and 😎
Thank you for watching and subscribing!
Were can i buy this Borax in Australia. I have Boron with a poision too human consumption add, sold as a cleaner only use :-/
fruitherbnut@icloud.com
This was very informative. I watched 4 or five videos prior to this one and this is by far the best,,,,thank you for this information
I use 1 to1 sugar and borax with a piece of biscuit in a small coffee cup it works
I would not use a cup you might accidentally take a sip out of. Use an old plastic container that is headed to your recycle bin
Nice Explanation, the best ever video I have ever seen to the relevant 'Ant bait'.
Great video. Did you use 20 Mule branded Borax for this experiment, and would Boric acid work as a substitute for the Borax? If so, any word on the acid to sugar ratio to use?
Yes it will still work
Thank you! Finally someone who uses logic to figure things out. You've done all the experimentation for us. Now I'll quit buying Terro and start treating acres affordably. Best.
Hi :) very nice experiment. Well presented. Alot of ant removal videos say that a dry formula should be used also as babies only eat solid food. So it would be nice if you could please do a follow up in a week to see if ants come back. I would like to know if dry formula is needed. I used commercial stuff last season on a deck and exposed ant nest and 1 colony. Killed satellite queen for sure. But not sure if main one just moved or died. So now, going to try your 5 to 1 suggestion both liquid and dry. Ty for video. I loved the science team! :)
Wow another amazing super great video info and analysis from absolutely the best channel on RUclips. Fantastic stuff .
Great video! Funny...Rambo:)
Thanks so much for taking a scientific approach here! This would actually be a great school science project for a kid!
I do 1:1, dry. No liquid needed. Works every time. Right on top of mound.
THNAK YOU SOOOO MUCH for taking the time to find what is optimal
Very specific and professional. Gave it a like.
Well done. Not a lot of unnecessary information. All of it was relevant and I love the comparison.
Great and efficient experiment. I loved your detailed explanations too. Lovely helper. I’m off to do the work and I hope it also works on red ants too. Thank you sooo much for taking the time.
Thank you, Olga. If the ants aren't attracted to sugar, lay out some other items and see what it is they're attracted to. Then you can mix in your borax and water to make bait.
Thanks. I recently tried 1:1 ratio and ants didn't eat at all. I'll try 5:1 today. Thanks! Appreciate your efforts.
Scientific!!! I love it.Thanks for taking the time to do this so I don't have to. And your helper is a sweetie.
The most informative, clear and scientific out the other borax ones. I saw close to 10.
This is the best video demo on how the kill ant colonies I have ever seen! Thanks so much for sharing. Stay safe...😃😷👍
Thanks, Jayne. I hope you solve your ant problems.
Recipe I used many years ago specified 1 cup sugar to 3 tbsp boric acid (not Borax.) That has to be at least a 20:1 ratio and it worked great. Took out a 4 foot diameter ant mound in one day. Don't know the concentration of acid in Borax, but the lower ratio makes sense.