Ants in the bonnet / Car

Wolfheart · 21st December 2009, 16:52

Alternatively you could get one of these and keep them in your garage

ishaanranderia · 21st December 2009, 20:09

hahaha nice one...............

neutralgrey · 21st December 2009, 22:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfheart

3. Always ensure that in and around your house, the ants dont have any access to garlic!

Yes Garlic!!!

This is very important 'cos if you feed them garlic, the 'lil buggers will then invade your car again in search of breath mints!

Thats a good one

I have cleaned up the car thoroughly, hope they are gone for good. Got my fingers crossed.

kailashnj · 25th July 2010, 11:10

Hi all,

I am faci g a peculiar problem with my car. My Indica vista is infested with ants and i don't know how. I have an open parking for my car and off late i started seeing lot of ants inside the car.

Can any one let me know the solution for this ants menance.

Mods: Did not know where to post this SOS thread and hence posted it here. Kindly move it as appropriate.

dadu · 25th July 2010, 11:58

I had faced this issue on the outside and engine bay, on close inspection I found they were moving away from the heat hiding behind the doors etc after a drive and I carried Mortien insect spray to get rid of them.

Then I found that once parked, they would come out only after 30 min all over the roof etc. Again I had to use the spray all over the body and inside the engine bay. This required close attention and readiness for spray action for upto a month before I could get them off entirely.

If you are parking on or near an ant house, move away from it.

aargee · 25th July 2010, 15:45

I'd a different issue that the ants would hide somewhere in the parked car & when the A/C blower is switched ON, the ants would be blown along with the air. Didn't know what to do, but after a regular service the ants disappeared. May be an unclean bonnet or some insects dead under the hood caused this issue.

Like @dadu says, Mortein works the best; even better than Hit or Baygon as we experience this at home. If the issue still persists, use anti ant powder surrounding the car or get ride of any ant house near your parking lot.

ghpk · 26th July 2010, 01:42

Mortein Tried and tested at my end too.

my kid dropped some sweets (one of the famous Allahabadi Gulab Jamun) and the sugar syrup invited a lots of Ants, its was scary driving when you have 2-3 ants moving on your hands or trying to pinch you in pants, EEK.

I cleaned the floor mat with soap water, and sprayed Mortein a few times, when car was parked at end of day, but after every spray and a few hours later rolled down window so it doesn't smells too much, next day.

with this done 3-4 times in a week, my car is now quite hated by Ants.

kailashnj · 26th July 2010, 09:19

Thanks a lot for all your advices. Let me try this in my car - only question, Can spraying Mortein on the car colour spoil it by any chance??

viper · 26th July 2010, 10:12

Hi Kailash,

I can suggest you to switch on the heater in your car and let it run for 15-20 mins. Leave a small gap in one window open for the ants to run out. It worked for me in my Santro. All the ants in the blower ducts etc all dead or ran away. Laxman Rekha also works. You need to break it into powder form and place it in strategic locations.

Goes without saying that no one should be in the car.

Viper

rk_sans · 26th July 2010, 11:17

Kailash,
Even i had the same problem, but in my case it was mostly in the narrow passages of the rubber beading all around the car. They were using it as if it was there 4 laned highway, right from the front bonnet to back boot. I too used Laxman Rekha and also DDT powder. Left it for few hours and then cleaned with water to remove any powder left in the bleadings, just to ensure that these powders do not give me any side effects on the bleadings.

viper · 26th July 2010, 11:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by rk_sans

Kailash,
I too used Laxman Rekha and also DDT powder. Left it for few hours and then cleaned with water to remove any powder left in the bleadings, just to ensure that these powders do not give me any side effects on the bleadings.

Hi,

DDT powder works best but it is unfortunately banned. Almost impossible to source legally.

Viper

rk_sans · 26th July 2010, 12:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by viper

Hi,

DDT powder works best but it is unfortunately banned. Almost impossible to source legally.

Viper

Oh, is it really. I didn't know about it. My father in law had a full big packet of DDT and i used it extensively to drive away the intruders.

lsp · 26th July 2010, 12:46

Please do not use DDT. There is a good reason why it is banned (though it is still being manufactured & used)

For a more environment friendly solution please use Haldi (turmeric) powder. It will drive away Ants but be careful to use it outside the car or on surfaces which will not get yellowed due to it or are easily washable eg Beadings, plastic foot mats etc. If it doesnt get wet, the turmeric powder probably wont leave any yellow stains.

Aarman_008 · 26th July 2010, 16:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by kailashnj

Thanks a lot for all your advices. Let me try this in my car - only question, Can spraying Mortein on the car colour spoil it by any chance??

No it does not. If you want an organic way of removing ants then I can suggest two things that I have used: 1. Turn on the heater and operate it for a while with a little opening of the window. 2. Sprinkle black peppers on the floor. It will serve the same purpose as a barrier type of insect spray.

ghpk · 27th July 2010, 01:09

If you feel your car has colony of ants, use the Boric Powder method.

take little flour, mix some sugar powder and boric powder. make it like dough, using water.

make small balls and place somewhere in car for few days, and if your car had queen ant multiplying ants, she's be dead soon.

This method also works great for kitchen ants/roaches.

Infact the sugar makes them eat, and boric powder makes their stomach fail.

21st December 2009, 16:52	#16
Wolfheart BHPian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bombay Posts: 160 Thanked: 28 Times	Alternatively you could get one of these and keep them in your garage
	(2) Thanks

21st December 2009, 20:09	#17
ishaanranderia BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: mumbai Posts: 167 Thanked: 57 Times	hahaha nice one...............
	() Thanks

25th July 2010, 11:10	#19
kailashnj BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 958 Thanked: 375 Times	Ants in the car Hi all, I am faci g a peculiar problem with my car. My Indica vista is infested with ants and i don't know how. I have an open parking for my car and off late i started seeing lot of ants inside the car. Can any one let me know the solution for this ants menance. Mods: Did not know where to post this SOS thread and hence posted it here. Kindly move it as appropriate.
	() Thanks

25th July 2010, 11:58	#20
dadu Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3,803 Thanked: 462 Times View My Garage	I had faced this issue on the outside and engine bay, on close inspection I found they were moving away from the heat hiding behind the doors etc after a drive and I carried Mortien insect spray to get rid of them. Then I found that once parked, they would come out only after 30 min all over the roof etc. Again I had to use the spray all over the body and inside the engine bay. This required close attention and readiness for spray action for upto a month before I could get them off entirely. If you are parking on or near an ant house, move away from it.
	() Thanks

25th July 2010, 15:45	#21
aargee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: TSTN Posts: 6,236 Thanked: 9,641 Times	I'd a different issue that the ants would hide somewhere in the parked car & when the A/C blower is switched ON, the ants would be blown along with the air. Didn't know what to do, but after a regular service the ants disappeared. May be an unclean bonnet or some insects dead under the hood caused this issue. Like @dadu says, Mortein works the best; even better than Hit or Baygon as we experience this at home. If the issue still persists, use anti ant powder surrounding the car or get ride of any ant house near your parking lot.
	() Thanks

26th July 2010, 01:42	#22
ghpk BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ghaziabad Posts: 870 Thanked: 211 Times	Mortein Tried and tested at my end too. my kid dropped some sweets (one of the famous Allahabadi Gulab Jamun) and the sugar syrup invited a lots of Ants, its was scary driving when you have 2-3 ants moving on your hands or trying to pinch you in pants, EEK. I cleaned the floor mat with soap water, and sprayed Mortein a few times, when car was parked at end of day, but after every spray and a few hours later rolled down window so it doesn't smells too much, next day. with this done 3-4 times in a week, my car is now quite hated by Ants.
	() Thanks

26th July 2010, 09:19	#23
kailashnj BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 958 Thanked: 375 Times	Thanks a lot for all your advices. Let me try this in my car - only question, Can spraying Mortein on the car colour spoil it by any chance??
	() Thanks

26th July 2010, 10:12	#24
viper BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,773 Thanked: 19 Times	Hi Kailash, I can suggest you to switch on the heater in your car and let it run for 15-20 mins. Leave a small gap in one window open for the ants to run out. It worked for me in my Santro. All the ants in the blower ducts etc all dead or ran away. Laxman Rekha also works. You need to break it into powder form and place it in strategic locations. Goes without saying that no one should be in the car. Viper
	() Thanks

26th July 2010, 11:17	#25
rk_sans Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,037 Thanked: 969 Times View My Garage	Kailash, Even i had the same problem, but in my case it was mostly in the narrow passages of the rubber beading all around the car. They were using it as if it was there 4 laned highway, right from the front bonnet to back boot. I too used Laxman Rekha and also DDT powder. Left it for few hours and then cleaned with water to remove any powder left in the bleadings, just to ensure that these powders do not give me any side effects on the bleadings.
	() Thanks

26th July 2010, 12:46	#28
lsp BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 381 Thanked: 188 Times	Please do not use DDT. There is a good reason why it is banned (though it is still being manufactured & used) For a more environment friendly solution please use Haldi (turmeric) powder. It will drive away Ants but be careful to use it outside the car or on surfaces which will not get yellowed due to it or are easily washable eg Beadings, plastic foot mats etc. If it doesnt get wet, the turmeric powder probably wont leave any yellow stains.
	() Thanks

27th July 2010, 01:09	#30
ghpk BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ghaziabad Posts: 870 Thanked: 211 Times	If you feel your car has colony of ants, use the Boric Powder method. take little flour, mix some sugar powder and boric powder. make it like dough, using water. make small balls and place somewhere in car for few days, and if your car had queen ant multiplying ants, she's be dead soon. This method also works great for kitchen ants/roaches. Infact the sugar makes them eat, and boric powder makes their stomach fail.
	() Thanks