I Give Up

The ants go marching, one by one,

Across my kitchen floor,

My little one stops to suck his thumb,

And then he starts to roar.

” Come, Mommy! Something’s getting me!”

Another small voice begs,

Oh no! The tiny terrors

Are marching up her leg!

Let tiny monsters wreck my home?

No thanks! I have no interest.

”Hush, little ones, go play awhile,

Mommy’s consulting Pinterest.”

The ants go marching, one by one,

But I don’t sing ”Hurrah,”

Pinterest has like, a hundred tips,

I sigh, and try them all.

Those sticky little Terro traps,

I have them everywhere.

Well- everywhere the kids can’t find…

(So- three under my armchair.)

Sugar and borax, everywhere

(Well… you know what I mean.)

And little cups beneath the chair,

With an odd-smelling goop that’s green.

“Dish soap! Soda! vinegar!

Will kill them, every time…”

My house smells like a laundromat, (Looks like a scene of crime.)

The ants they march, across my floor.

They eat their free buffet,

But, very much alive and well,

They bravely march away.

-J.D.

I thought maybe this would be relatable for some more of you. If you have tips that ACTUALLY WORK, please do comment!

14 thoughts on “I Give Up

  1. Your poem is the best! 😂 Try to figure out if they are sweet-eating ants or grease-eating. Then try to eliminate whatever they are so interested. I’ve had grease-eating ants and they can be sooo persistent but trying to keep the floor clean and NO food in trash cans helped if I remember right.

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  2. I had the middle-sized and large sweet eating kind, and couldn’t believe the hole they had carved out of a bag of brown sugar until I found them. Every spring they come looking, but eventually go out again except for the occasional straggler. I had them thick again one day and finally remembered the unfinished sucker on a bag on the counter. It was nearly finished by then. 🙂 I used some spray where they were thickest, but I think eliminating the food source was the major success. Not saying you have lots of food lying around–and please do accept my sympathy! It ain’t fun, I’m sure.

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  3. If you want a child-safe contact spray, I found that the lavender Method all-purpose cleaner kills instantly but isn’t as toxic. And my children can “spray ants” for me😁

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  4. I know your frustrations!! Put borax and sugar around the outside of your house, right along the base… that’s the only way I could conquer them around here…and it actually works! (The comments are going to be as confusing as Pintrest! 😉 )

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  5. You said you tried Terro. Do you know where they’re coming from? Like can you find a hole or spot where you can see them going in and out of? I’ve just about always had success with Terro bait. But I usually try to put it close to where I see them coming in and out or at least directly in the “path” they’re using. But I understand with littles you can’t have them setting out as easily as I can!😉😊

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  6. Way to go on the poem!! Oh not fun!! We have those very tiny little ants that have attacked the pantry for the last couple years. I used sugar and borax and that would work but after a rain storm they would be back. I was told of ‘Home Defense’ from Lowe’s. Spray that around, inside or outside. Dries very quickly, so it is child friendly. We have had good results that last. I hope you can conquer them!!! So so annoying!!!

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  7. Cute poem,Jeanette! Terro seems to work very well,besides trying to make sure all slop is immediately disposed of and sticky counters washed. I do not know why ants have been known to march up & down a bathroom wall,seeing there are no leftover feasts in there! Best wishes, Nancy

    On Thu, Sep 6, 2018 at 12:27 PM A Farm Wife’s Reflections wrote:

    > Jeanette posted: “I Give Up The ants go marching, one by one, Across my > kitchen floor, My little one stops to suck his thumb, And then he starts to > roar. ” Come, Mommy! Something’s getting me!” Another small voice begs, Oh > no! The tiny terrors Are marching up her l” >

    Like

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