With Boric Acid Ants Are No More

Posted by The Popular News Today on Tuesday, January 17, 2012

By Kevin J Kronsberger


The sight of these creepy, crawlies, teaming somewhere in a person's house is an anxiety causing one. Most people have heard about how hard it is to get rid of these little uninvited visitors. But with the use of boric acid ants kill ants.

Over 400 years ago, Wilhelm Homberg made the discovery that he could get boric acid out borax. Borax is a specific kind of salt. Since that time, BA has been discovered to have many different uses. One only needs to look at the ingredients of many laundry detergents and insecticides.

Even by doing a quick search of the Internet one can see that there are many ways to mix BA into other substances and create an insecticide. With the reputation for being a top of the line killer, and yet referred to as a natural substance, this is no wonder. Another name for BA is Hydrogen Borate.

One may be under the misconception that Borates are new, but they actually have been around since the early Greeks used it for cleaning and food preparation. It is also used for athlete's foot. It is in the way that it is prepared that makes it effective for one thing or the other.

It was in 1948 that it was regulated for use in the United States for an insecticide. It was however used for this purpose long before this time. One needs to determine which kind of ants are in their home before they can successfully succeed in getting rid of them.

BA, when mixed with peanut butter or jelly, becomes attractive to the insect. When they eat the mixture or take it back to the nest, this is how it wipes out the ants and hopefully the queen. BA comes in powder and gel form, so there are many ways to work with it.

Insects are affected differently than a human would be by this substance. While a large quantity of it would certainly harm a human or animal, the amount to get rid of them is much less. Boric acid affects their metabolism and it poisons their stomachs. It also dehydrates and is abrasive to the exoskeleton.

Even if an insect simply walks through this, it will be effective. They do not have lungs but rather they take in oxygen through their pores. These pores are in their feet as well as in other places. The BA affects their metabolism and poisons their stomachs. They bring the food back to the nest and by using boric acid ants kill others in their group.




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