# The ants are about the lemons are out



## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Where is Cabby with his conkers. :frown2:


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

JanHank said:


> Where is Cabby with his conkers. :frown2:


I thought conkers were for spiders?

Anyway the ants are out here as well. Spent last evening re sealing around the worktop upstands where they seem to be getting in but the little bar stewards were back this morning. I'd left a bottle of Benilyn Cough syrup on the worktop and they were crawling all over it. They surely can't ALL have a cough can they....:grin2:


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

How the heck do you hit an ant with a lemon? Surely a cricket bat would be more effective. You could get several at once.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

caulkhead said:


> I thought conkers were for spiders?
> 
> Anyway the ants are out here as well. Spent last evening re sealing around the worktop upstands where they seem to be getting in but the little bar stewards were back this morning. I'd left a bottle of Benilyn Cough syrup on the worktop and they were crawling all over it. They surely can't ALL have a cough can they....:grin2:


See you should have dried some lemons over winter and now you would have an ant deterrent.
Fancy wasting Benilyn on ants, If anyone comes to visit us please bring me 2 bottles.
Super Stellplat including,---- view, water, rubbish & other disposal and leclic, for a bottle of Benilyn :grin2: I had to resort to honey & lemon for my cough, soon went.

Our garden is seething with he little darvels, the starling will soon find them, I hope.


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

JanHank said:


> See you should have dried some lemons over winter and now you would have an ant deterrent.
> Fancy wasting Benilyn on ants, If anyone comes to visit us please bring me 2 bottles.
> Super Stellplat including,---- view, water, rubbish & other disposal and leclic, for a bottle of Benilyn :grin2: I had to resort to honey & lemon for my cough, soon went.
> 
> Our garden is seething with he little darvels, the starling will soon find them, I hope.


Not sure I relish the idea of starlings all over my kitchen! Think I'd sooner put up with the ants!!!!


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

*Couldn´t resist it*



caulkhead said:


> Not sure I relish the idea of starlings all over my kitchen! Think I'd sooner put up with the ants!!!!


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Stupid? Definitely!!! Boy? I wish!!!!!


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

caulkhead said:


> Stupid? Definitely!!! Boy? I wish!!!!!


And go through all that painful learning again :frown2:


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

JanHank said:


> And go through all that painful learning again :frown2:


I once watched a programme about the Poet Laureate Sir John Betjamin. Right at the end of the programme, with Sir John (very elderly) sat in a wheelchair looking out over his much loved Cornish coastline, the interviewer asked him if there was anything he regretted about his life? He thought for a second or two and then replied, "Yes! I wish I'd had more sex"!

Ditto.......:kiss:


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Well if ants are the worst worry

How lucky are you

They don’t spread disease as far as I know

We lived with them in Israel 

And once one of our baby twins was off colour, wouldn’t eat 

Found eventually she’d put spiralling seed in her mouth, they had spiralled into the inside of her mouth 

Next day a colony of ants were busy, they carried off the whole of them 

Some clouds have a silver lining 

Sandra


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## nickoff (Oct 11, 2005)

Now don't laugh but dear old departed mam once told me that she used to get rid of ants in her kitchen by getting up at midnight and asking them politely to please leave. She reckoned it never failed. I suppose it could have been something to do with the brandy on her breath. :grin2:

Nick.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

They are very intelligent, but I don't think they actually understand words.
My dried lemons have worked for many years I don't have to get up at midnight.:grin2:


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Tell me again Jan what you do with the lemons? Do they have to be dried or do they dry off doing the job? Do you put them where you think the ants are coming in?


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I've had my lemons for years Jean and add to them when ever I have too many fresh ones.
Each windowsill has a little collection on it and I haven't had any ants marching through my house for many years either in England or here. 
A friend once had them coming into the house and new where they came in, I gave her a dried lemons she put it at the spot and the ants disappeared.
I also have a few in the MH.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Sounds worth a try. I absolutely hated it when we'd an infestation in the van - I woke up 1 night with a start cos an ant was running round the inside rim of my nostril. Uuggghhhh!!! I can still feel it....


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Spring has sprung then!


We have a blackbird nesting in the Mahonia (which has a grapevine growing through it). It is right outside our new big window in the lounge. Feeling blessed


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Very annoying at the time but usually short lived.
If you can trace them back to the 'nest' outside and I personally drip an eggcup full of diesel into the nest. No more ants.

Ray.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

JanHank said:


> I've had my lemons for years Jean and add to them when ever I have too many fresh ones.
> Each windowsill has a little collection on it and *I haven't had any ants marching through my house for many years either in England or here. *
> A friend once had them coming into the house and new where they came in, I gave her a dried lemons she put it at the spot and the ants disappeared.
> I also have a few in the MH.


Jan

Is that like the old joke about rolling up front page of the FT and throwing it out of the train window to keep the elephants away

'But there aren't any elephants here'

'Shows how effefctive it is.'

i.e. maybe you don't have any ants in the garden?:laugh:


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

JanHank said:


> See you should have dried some lemons over winter and now you would have an ant deterrent.
> Fancy wasting Benilyn on ants, If anyone comes to visit us please bring me 2 bottles.
> Super Stellplat including,---- view, water, rubbish & other disposal and leclic, for a bottle of Benilyn :grin2: I had to resort to honey & lemon for my cough, soon went.
> 
> *Our garden is seething with he little darvels, the starling will soon find them, I hope.*


*
*

You obviously don't listen to me Kapitän :frown2:

Starlings and sparrows having a feast this morning.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Ants? Do we have ants? (Little black ones).. My OH has fun with them every night playing hide the kettle! Thankfully I don't make the morning coffee, otherwise I'd have a serious sense of humour failure.

They don't like the smell of bleach though, so after dinner I wipe the counter tops with a bleachy sponge. Cleaning the drying yard paving today, so Weds (senior discount day) I'll be down to B&Q equivalent to buy a supply of "ant biscuits" for scattering outdoors around the perimeter of the house. (Snacks for ants they take home to the nest and they all suffer the consequences, hopefully.) 

The bigger ones love the citrus trees, so those I spray with diluted dishwash liquid. Funny they don't like the taste of that either and I do buy them the lemon variant to complement their home environment!

Just resealed the crack between the granite tops and the wall tiles. It's surprising where they like to nest indoors. Once I found a trillion (little black) ants in the battery storage compartment of the phone (unplug > plastic bag > bin) and suspect there are a few optimistic ones trying to take up residence in my microwave, optimistic because I use it every day. (Hiroshima for ants!)

Anyone got any good tips?


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Diesel Viv. But don't bath in it.

Ray.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Why don't you take notice of what I say? Its not a joke. are your citrus trees lemon trees Viv?
If they are then your ants are a lot different to ours, which are red or brown.

Buy a bag of lemons ( they're not expensive are they) and leave the lemons wherever the ants are in the house and see what happens. I can´t understand why nobody else has tried it yet, I have been talking about it for 3 years now, surely a bag of lemons won't break anyones bank.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

raynipper said:


> Diesel Viv. But don't bath in it.
> 
> Ray.


Diesel will also kill the grass under which these soldiers live.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Now your just being difficult Jan.
Get a funnel and direct it down the ole.! Like wot I do to moles.

Ray.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Green fly killer also works that way, don't stink like diesel either.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

JanHank said:


> Why don't you take notice of what I say? Its not a joke. are your citrus trees lemon trees Viv?
> If they are then your ants are a lot different to ours, which are red or brown.


Meyer Lemon and West Indian Lime. The ants are black about 8mm long and they look like front end and back end are joined by a thread. I think they are attracted by the aphids. The leaves get crinkled, curl up and die. They also get a white/black mildew on the underside of the leaf. They are young trees, the lime is flourishing (about 4m apart) but the lemon tree hasn't grown in 3 years. It still only has +-25 leaves on it, about 3' high. Going to invest in some fertiliser now and cut back the grass surround a bit. (Read that on internet). I suspect that area was despoiled during building and the soil may be inadequate. It's not a water issue. Meyer lemon is supposed to be easy to grow!:frown2::frown2::frown2:


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

JanHank said:


> Buy a bag of lemons and leave the lemons wherever the ants are in the house and see what happens. I can´t understand why nobody else has tried it yet, I have been talking about it for 3 years now, surely a bag of lemons won't break anyones bank.


So, Milly.........do you leave the lemons whole, or can you use the juice and just put the skins out?

Not that I have an ant problem, just curious.

Most of my lemons go in gin or pancakes. They all end up in my tum, ultimately.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

So no fruit, buy a bag of lemons then and try my method of keeping them out of the house. 
My lemons are on the indoor windowsills not outside by the way.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Oh, oh thank goodness my OH doesn't read MHF. Our moles are the bane of his life and the reason for his longevity. Diesel doesn't light does it? Chuckle.Chuckle. Reminds me of the Darwin award of some years ago when someone used a cigarette lighter to search for a missing hamster (where the sun don't shine!) No I'm not explaining it. Sure you'll find it on google.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

JanHank said:


> So no fruit, buy a bag of lemons then and try my method of keeping them out of the house.
> My lemons are on the indoor windowsills not outside by the way.


Bag of lemons coming up.:wink2:


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

raynipper said:


> Diesel Viv. But don't bath in it.
> 
> Ray.


Not even camel's milk, let alone diesel!:wink2:


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

tugboat said:


> So, Milly.........do you leave the lemons whole, or can you use the juice and just put the skins out?
> 
> Not that I have an ant problem, just curious.
> 
> Most of my lemons go in gin or pancakes. They all end up in my tum, ultimately.


I leave them whole pardner, just keep them as they are, I dried dozens years ago in a hot loft, now I put them in an egg cup on the windowsill and turn them periodically so´s they don't go mouldy.

You don't need to deprive yourself of G&T lemons, they're cheap enough :grin2:


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

JanHank said:


> I leave them whole pardner, just keep them as they are, I dried dozens years ago in a hot loft, now I put them in an egg cup on the windowsill and turn them periodically so´s they don't go mouldy.
> 
> You don't need to deprive yourself of G&T lemons, they're cheap enough :grin2:


I'll try a couple right next to the kettle!:wink2: Watch this space!


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

JanHank said:


> I leave them whole pardner, just keep them as they are, I dried dozens years ago in a hot loft, now I put them in an egg cup on the windowsill and turn them periodically so´s they don't go mouldy.
> 
> You don't need to deprive yourself of G&T lemons, they're cheap enough :grin2:


What? Now I have to buy dozens of lemons and find a hot loft?

Bu**er that carry-on, I'll stick wiv pancakes and gin.

If I find ants, I use ant powder, boiling water or a flame-thrower. I don't mess about.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

tugboat said:


> What? Now I have to buy dozens of lemons and find a hot loft?
> 
> Bu**er that carry-on, I'll stick wiv pancakes and gin.
> 
> If I find ants, I use ant powder, boiling water or a flame-thrower. I don't mess about.


If you had a garden as big as ours thats absoblinkinlutelee full of ant nests you'd go broke and ant killers are rendered useless if you haven't put them somewhere where they can´t get wet when it rails. boiling water and flame throwers don't always reach the nests, MY lemons keep them out of places they are not wanted, like the house :laugh: see, so there. :frown2:


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

JanHank said:


> I leave them whole pardner, just keep them as they are, I dried dozens years ago in a hot loft, now I put them in an egg cup on the windowsill and turn them periodically so´s they don't go mouldy.
> 
> You don't need to deprive yourself of G&T lemons, they're cheap enough :grin2:


Does it work with fresh lemons Jan, I love eating them. They work for all sorts of things.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

*Have a read of this Paul*

This is just for Paul, not you other disbelieving lot >

My lemons are dried so its not just the peel, it has absorbed the juice, please don't ask me why, but as I have said many times, it is not a joke, it does work for my ants, I have at least 3 dozen dried lemons scattered about the house and motorhome.

https://www.thekitchn.com/can-lemon-peels-really-keep-ants-away-243800


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Lemon by kettle - 2 nights ant-free. BUT it has been raining and ants don't go out at night in the rain. Night 3 coming up and its dry. Watch this space....


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Ants no problem

Rats well maybe

We’ve caught a few, transported them to pastures new 

The two young rats have disappeared now 

We accepted that a pond attracts them 

It’s life , but now we will pressure hose the back, open the doors and Winston will rush around the back garden 

The hound from hell , well he doesn’t do the back unless we are sitting out there 

But I’m excited, the hostas will soon unfurl , the herbs begin , the Ivy’s and the clementis put out new shoots 

The jasmine is already flowering , a yellow splash

The fish are active 

The ferns beginning to unfurl 

Yes I love my back garden

Small but perfectly formed 

And from my kitchen I see it through the patio doors 

And this year we will add another window, which will increase the view of the pond and it’s backdrop

And the frogs will return to the upper pond, and purr their greetings 

And just maybe the water lilies will bloom again 

And we live in the centre of a built up environment 

Sandra


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Three bodies in my mouse traps today. That's seven in the last week. Usually when the weather warms up the traps are empty. 

Ray.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Ray

I don’t do bodies 

Sandra


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I do Sandra. Only when they come into my tool sheds.
I had a drawer of about 10+ gross of countersunk screws and Rawlplugs in boxes. The mice managed to get in and eat all the cardboard boxes. Now I have a drawer of mixed screws.

Ray.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

:grin2::grin2::grin2:

No futher comment>

Sandra


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

You'll enjoy this boys and girls. Jingoistic moi?

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/9...er-patrol-waters-royal-navy-warships-UK-coast

Dick


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

What exactly has this thread to do with - spring - unfurling plants - ants and mousetraps? Keep your Brexit stuff where it belongs, where those who can't stomach another sentence can avoid it. (wink,wink). (OK I know you got the wrong thread!)


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## nickoff (Oct 11, 2005)

Blow me, we haven't had ants in the house for years and all of a sudden the little devils have started to appear on the front window sill. On closer inspection they had found a tiny gap between the window frame and wall. For whatever reason they seemed to be attracted to a bunch of daffodils the wife had put in a jar. I've just filled the gap with a piece of blue tack and it seems to have stopped them in their tracks.

Nick.


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for news of Viv's kettle and it's surrounds.

If it's clear of ants, I'm expecting some of you to want to confer sainthood on our Milly.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Where is she? :frown2:


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

If she's been eaten by ants, you'll be heading for the naughty step.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I think she's so pleased with the result she's off telling all her neighbours :grin2:


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Worrier that I am, I hope the black eye is not the reason we haven't had a report today.


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

Just a lot of well-fed ants. Shame, I liked Viv.>


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Come on

A black eye won’t phase her

Sure you liked her Tuggy, you met her here, a close friend of ours , you stayed here together 

You could meet her here again 

If you decided to remain a close friend of ours 

Why not?, we are here ready and waiting

But perhaps you can never make that step

Sadly, why not?

We will all be a long time dead babe 

And friendship, well it remains 

Well for us it does

Sandra


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Sorry guys! And thanks for caring! No ants in evidence, yet! But we (for that read the gardener) did give the brick paved drying yard a deep clean with the Karcher on Saturday. Haven't seen one ant since. But I did give them a 'good feed' of ant biscuits before we drowned them, which may also be helping.

As regards my 'absence'. I've been giving my 80 year old neighbour a helping hand with packing up. It's not the boxing up that's difficult. It's coming to terms with what to get rid of. She was widowed 2 years ago and will have a downsized annex in her son's new house. Disposing of a lifetime of Mum's china and her own 'treasures' creates so much anxiety. I helped her with a garage sale and a visit to Cash Converters - cash in hand eased the pain a little.

Add to that she's been having injections in both eyes for her retinas, once a month for life now although the frequency should lengthen as it improves. Her car was written off a couple of weeks ago in a tail end shunt by a truck that decided (in true South African tradition that an orange traffic light is good reason to speed up and jump rather than slow down and stop). Luckily she and friend were unhurt. New (used) car delivered yesterday so that box ticked.

On my side, I've just had my 2 k/s duvets laundered, but brought them home to dry in the sunshine rather than pay for drying. Guess what it's raining today, but they are 98% dry now. Just airing them laid out in my study, which is warmest part of the house. And just to keep me out of mischief, I'm finishing off an art quilt for a competition. It's overdue but I squeezed out a concession based on my eye which is improving daily. And when I've done that I have an appeal to write for an orphanage in Botswana, a shirt to alter for my husband and his unwanted, and pretty much unused, leather jacket to sell. (Anybody want to buy a traditional length/style size jacket, black, large, that would be about a 42"?)(Not a bomber.)

I'm also making plans and researching things for my return to UK and summer comings and goings and van repairs and maintenance. No time to sit on the stoep and relax, that's for sure!


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

There was me imagining you flat out on the bed not knowing what day of the week it was from your bang on the head. 
I was very happy to read how busy you have been.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

aldra said:


> Come on
> 
> A black eye won't phase her
> 
> ...


Come on Tuggy, do it!! You know you want to! Meet up again later this year?


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

JanHank said:


> There was me imagining you flat out on the bed not knowing what day of the week it was from your bang on the head.
> I was very happy to read how busy you have been.


Happy, I've been busier than a dozen bees?????:wink2::wink2::wink2::wink2: You're just happy I'm as busy as you are! But that's what keeps us young, no????

Stop living and you start dying! What would I have to talk about and all my friends, and ex-friends know, I can talk for England!:grin2:

PS I decided to spoil my OH. I made him a cinnamon bread and butter pudding with my own homemade cinnamon bread, which was quite nice but a bit boring as I missed the beeps on the bread machine, thus the sugary, cinnamon-y raisins didn't go in. I nearly liked it myself - the crusty bits - but I don't do soggy anything.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Blimey Viv! I am exhausted just reading about your exploits! 


Glad you are ok


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I’m just watching our decorator

He’s brilliant , we pay by the day and he puts in a good day 

We recommend him he recommends us 

Well he recommends his dinner , ham and cheese sandwiches, chutney, salad 

I’m so pleased we found him 

Because we were anxious , weve always done our own 
But it’s looking good

Sandra


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

HermanHymer said:


> Come on Tuggy, do it!! You know you want to! Meet up again later this year?


Well you talk him into it Viv

Because I can't it seems

I just want to hug him as he enters the hall

Because nothing in the past is that important

At our age the future is all we have

Sandra


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