A question about ants

[thefairlaneman]

After I finished my tinny and wired it up with all new wires and switches I parked it outside. The next day I discovered it was covered with ants yet I know it was clean and didnt have any sugar drink spilled on it. Question is can the electric charge of the wires (some are ground wires using the boat as a conductor) attract ants?.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: A question about ants

Ants will find a place to nest just about anywhere they can, I don't believe electricity has anything to do with it, they move there nest to cool and dry places.

 

[eaglejim]

Re: A question about ants

Well my boat is cool and for the last 3 weeks been dry

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: A question about ants

I had ants too.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=332630&highlight=ants
To answer your question about the new wires and ground wires, I believe it is just coincidence.

 

[Tubingluvr]

Re: A question about ants

Ants are attracted to 2 things sweets and grease.
My grandma for years kept a faygo pop cap full of caro syrup at the front and back door just inside the house.
The ants are attracted to the sweet syrup and once they fall in they can't get out.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: A question about ants

I spray my hull with ant / roach spray when i return from the lake. I suspect they are after the pollen that settles in the air.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: A question about ants

they also fall out of trees, try to keep it form under a tree.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: A question about ants

Sugar and baking soda works well. The ants can not burp or belch like we can so the baking soda creates gas that they can not get rid of so consequently they explode after they ingest it. Put a saucer of it out with a little water mixed in and within a couple of days no more ants.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: A question about ants

Question is can the electric charge of the wires (some are ground wires using the boat as a conductor) attract ants?.

I've seen a few posts that are adamant that you should not use the aluminum body as a ground as your boat can end up as a "sacrificial anode".

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: A question about ants

Ants do tend to flock near electric current. Working in the utilities field, every time I have opened an electric transformer, there is always an ant bed in there. I don't know what it is, but some older gentleman explained to me that they like the current travel through the cables?

 

[eurolarva]

Re: A question about ants

The internet and playstations are the reason for your ant problems. Before the internet, computers and video games kids were out with magnifying glasses making sport of the ants. Now we have an over population of them.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: A question about ants

Sugar and baking soda works well. The ants can not burp or belch like we can so the baking soda creates gas that they can not get rid of so consequently they explode after they ingest it. Put a saucer of it out with a little water mixed in and within a couple of days no more ants.

You cruel cruel man. I love it. I must try that at the cabin. Is there a certain amount or just sprinkle sugar and baking soda and mix it?

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: A question about ants

You cruel cruel man. I love it. I must try that at the cabin. Is there a certain amount or just sprinkle sugar and baking soda and mix it?

We use a sugar and baking soda paste like mix. They crawl all over it as long as it is sweet, run back to the nest and never seem to return. Many do not make it back to the nest.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: A question about ants

Do You Put Little Ear/antennae Tags On Them To Track Their Progress Back To The Nest. Inquiring Minds Want To Know The Scientific Level Of This Study

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: A question about ants

Because they seemed to like my boat,I figured they liked water too so I took the garden hose and DROWDED THEIR LITTLE ESES..LOL

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: A question about ants

Do You Put Little Ear/antennae Tags On Them To Track Their Progress Back To The Nest. Inquiring Minds Want To Know The Scientific Level Of This Study

Ear tags still in development !!!! LOL
The fact they do not return in their masses the following day is a good indicator that it worked. Usually a small amount that did not make it to the bait are around, but by the next day there are no more ants to deal with.