My computer has bugs...

[dreamflower]

Specifically: ants!

Seriously, this year the DH and I have been fighting a running battle with ants. Mostly in the bathroom and the utility room, but also in the kitchen around the sink, and then tonight in the living room as I was at my desk, I kept finding ants on my arms. One minute they would not be there, and the next, I'd have one crawling on me. I'd flick it away, only to find another.

I know there were some in my keyboard-- I saw two crawling out of it. I suspect there are some in one of my speakers!

We've sprayed the heck out of the house, and last evening the DH used one of those new "home shield" type sprays around the outside. Hopefully we are rid of them.

But what if they are still in my computer? How do I get rid of *those*? And what will they do to it?

Comments

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

Weird, I had a bunch of ant problems in late april and may and then all the sudden they were just all gone! I mean I sprayed in some very specific areas, and I'll see one or two occasionally, but the massive amounts of them are gone. I wonder if you could spray outside your house, like in a protective circle around it? HAHAHA. As soon as I wrote that, I saw that I missed the line where your DH had done that, oops, it's too early this morning to think...

I can't imagine them in the computer! Surely it would be too hot in there for them to survive!

[dreamflower]

Well, they seemed to be in the keyboard, and I think in one of my speakers. I don't think they are in my hard drive...I hope!

[shirebound]

Goodness, how annoying! :(

[dreamflower]

*nods* annoying is the word!

[lily-the-hobbit.livejournal.com]

That's so annoying! I have no clue if they could live in their or if they just hid away in the keyboard but I really hope you get rid of them.

[dreamflower]

I hope we do too!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's frustrating. We had ants in the kitchen and I sprayed ant killer around. That seemed to stop them, but we also had an exterminator come out (living in the woods, bugs are a problem) and they used a "bait" type spray that the ants take back to their colony, and it kills them there. I'm not sure which method worked or if it was the combination, but we haven't had ants since.

[dreamflower]

Well, we've done all but hire a professional exterminator, which we can't afford at this point in time. I hope that the spraying we've done will help.

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Never heard of them getting into the computer before. Hopefully, they'll leave it.

[dreamflower]

I hope so. I don't believe they are in the hard drive, but I know some were in the keyboard and I'm fairly sure that some were in one of the speakers.

[ansostuff.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't they burn to death inside the 'puter? Isn't it too warm for them in there, despite the fan? I really don't know but perhaps taking the lid of the bottom/back and vaccuum it might help?

*hugs*

[dreamflower]

They weren't in the hard drive, but in my keyboard and my speakers. Maybe all the spraying we did last night helped, because I've only seen two today.

[fell-beast2.livejournal.com]

Ick. *shudder*

My trailer has ants. I kill five or so every day, plus I have poison laid out. They're still here. Yippee.

At least they aren't in my *computer*. O.o

[dreamflower]

Ants just seem to get in EVERYWHERE!

[nancylea57.livejournal.com]

mho: they are eating all the little crumbs that fall off the great stories you write there! must not let them starve type MORE.

[dreamflower]

LOL! Maybe you are right!

[gamgeefest.livejournal.com]

Ick! *shudders* Hate ants in large numbers like that. Gives me the creeps.

Maybe you can put tape, sticky-side up, around the speakers and keyboard when not in use to catch any stragglers. You might have to get out the screwdriver and pop open the speakers and keyboard to give it a good, thorough cleaning if they don't seem to be going away on their own.

[lindelea1.livejournal.com]

Are they those little ants that smell like Pine Sol (another source says "rotting coconut") when you crush them? These are attracted to sweets and meats. We tried lots of things. Someone told me spray can backfire as it might cause them to scatter and form more nests. They adore rubbing alcohol, so if you use that to sanitize your keyboard, it'll attract them. (Crumbs, too, if you eat at the computer)

What works for us? Terro. You put it down near where the ants are coming in, or where you have a problem, and then you have to leave it undisturbed for 3 days, even if a horde of ants descends upon it. Some die in the Terro trap, some live long enough to take the stuff back to the nest. You might have to repeat it every 4-6 weeks (every time new eggs hatch out) but eventually the nest is completely dead.

Much cheaper than hiring someone, and you can get Terro at lots of stores, building supplies, maybe even Target or Walmart or someplace like that. (We get ours at the building supply store.)

HTH,

*hugs*
Lin