I usually have ants once or twice a year, after a rainy spell. They showed up this morning. I picked up a great (simple and cheap) tip years ago on the boards and thought I'd re-share it.
Put the pet food in a dish inside another slightly larger dish with about a 1/2 inch of water in it. The ants won't cross the water, so they stop at the outside dish and never get to the dish of dry food in the center.
Recommend the outside dish not be too much larger, or you wind up with a lot of food pieces in it making a mucky mess.
I tuck a couple ant traps in areas cats can't get at and in about 24 hours, the ants are gone for good.
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Tammy and Pookey
(Stanley 8/91 - 8/07)
Foudini, Charlee, Spottie, ShyRaven, Buddy, Tuxie, Widdle Attila Sipowitz, Lizzie, Minnie, ET, Mylo,Salem, Wicca, Marmalade, Amelia, Rocket and Turbo (we iz NOT fosters) and the 5 porch kits, Mocha, Tigger, Cali, Torti and Smudge also Riley da goggie and Buddha da baby hamster too