Ants...

When I came home from lunch at Torino's (highly recommend), I wondered who had made coffee and spilled grounds. As I got closer I saw the grounds were milling around and then moving up and down a trail along my windowsill. They were the first ants I've seen all year. And they weren't there when I left.

Ants give me the willies. These were very tiny ants, which really make me squirm. So, the first instinct is to grab the Lysol Anti-bacterial and start spraying. That gets rid of some of them but doesn't stop the army from marching. One must kill the nest. The best product I've found to accomplish that mission is Terro. I discovered Terro from a friend while visiting her in Florida. She swore of its miraculous powers. And it was easy to use...no spraying. Just rip a piece of cardboard off the packaging, place some drops of the poisonous honey looking goo, and set it near the trail.

Patience is key when using Terro. First you have to wait for a scout to discover it. Once that happens all the troops begin to follow. They start on the rim and work their way inwards. On a dime-sized blob of Terro, there could be hundreds of ants. Your instinct is to grab that bottle and spray again. Don't! Let the little guys munch away and bring it back to their queen. That kills the nest.

Within 24 hours there'll be no activity near the cardboard, and probably many ants dead stuck on it. Remove it, spray the counter, and watch while nothing happens. There's no smell either. Props to Terro.