Boric acid is certainly a very effective ant poison. I just finished off a hidden nest with it (boric acid in sugar water)and it took only a week. Boron is a trace element for plants but larger amounts are an effective, and lasting plant poison so use it sparingly around plants. I don't know the toxic levels, but wouldn't advise placing it directly in pots. Fortunately, ants are good foragers. This is why you have to be careful about your laundry detergent if you use grey water for irrigation- some detergents contain very high levels of boron (in the form of borax). Regards, Phil > Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 09:00:27 +0200 > From: bulborum@gmail.com > To: pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > Subject: Re: [pbs] ants & bulbs > > Thanks a lot Patty > > This formula H3BO3 explains a lot > I will try this one to find it here in the drug store > Lets hole they sell it here in France > > Roland > > 2010/8/8 <patrylis@aol.com> > > > > > Linda: Insecticide recipes for ant removal should use Boric Acid (H3BO3- > > you can get it at drugstores)) not Borax ( A mixutre of sodium borate > > compounds usually Na2B4O7.10H2O-this is the laundry or soap additive)). > > Anyway a pinch can be added to something greasy and something sweet. Among > > other things I have used potato chip crumbs, cookie crumbs, cooking grease > > and sugar. Your recipes are headed in the right direction just put the > > bait somewhere you can see if they take it and wait. It takes awhile to > > kill a colony. > > My main problem is the nest just gets recolonized by the neighbor's ants > > so I have to do it regularly. Today I am repotting and picked up two pots > > with ants. Time to feed them again > > Patty > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > R de Boer > La Maugardiere 1 > F 27260 EPAIGNES > FRANCE > > Tel./Fax 0033-232-576-204 > Email: bulborum@gmail.com > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/