Battle of the Ants

For the last three weeks I have been battling invaders, trying to prevent them from taking over my bathroom. I think it all started when the pesky creatures discovered Bailey's food dish. I fooled them for a few days by putting his dish inside his kennel during the day, but they just moved on to bigger and better things, like the trash can.

Since Meng and I occupy the downstairs, and the kitchen is upstairs, not all food items get thrown away in the kitchen. We empty the trash pretty regularly, but apparently not regularly enough. The day after I moved Bailey's food, I discovered them on an apple core in the trash can. Naturally, I took out the trash, washed the can and moved it. An hour later, I came back to the bathroom to find about a hundred of them on the wall, trying to figure out where the trash can had gone.

I decided to use this opportunity to study them. I watched them in their little line and traced it back to a hole in the corner between the bathtub and the tile. I grabbed some silicone sealant and plugged the hole.

The next day, I watched them seethe from between the tile and the baseboard, covering my (rather expensive) sugar scrub that I bought from Lush in preparation for the wedding. I grabbed the silicone sealant and completely lined the bathroom floor with it.

Another day came around. This time they were coming from behind the vanity. I used up the very last bit of the sealant, being sure to encase a few ants in the glue as a warning to others that may pass. My victory had finally come!

Or so I thought. About three days later, they were in Bailey's food dish again. Now they are flowing indiscriminately from underneath the carpet. I can't seal it because the contractor (I have nothing good to say about said contractor) did not put thresholds down.

I thought I had fooled them two days ago, when I spilled some alcohol-based hand sanitizer. I noticed they were avoiding the spot, so I used more to mop the floor around Bailey's food dish. It lasted about 12 hours, and they were at it again.

So now Bailey's dog food moves, my sugar scrub is protein-infused, and I am at my wit's end. I hope to pick up some ant traps today (the kind with poison that the ants take back to their nest). I'll just move Bailey into the laundry room for a few days and make sure Emma doesn't get into the bathroom.

I'm also considering picking up some grits, which I hear the ants will eat dry and then explode.

Before, I was fighting a battle against spiders, who were insisting on living in our corners. Now I see why they love our bathroom so much.