Question: I read your article about ants invading a home. I noticed your answer concerned Terro Ant Killer, which I agree is great. I'm fortunate enough to have a bottle that I purchased a few years ago. When I tried to purchase a bottle this summer for my daughter, I was told it had been removed from the market by the Environmental Protection Agency. Maybe you can find out if this is true. - R.K., Zionsville, Ind.
Answer: It appears that the information you have is partially correct. I talked with a spokesman at Senoret Chemical Co., the manufacturer of Terro Ant Killer. It seems that in 1988 the EPA found out that Terro contained minute amounts of sodium arsenate. According to Senoret, there is more arsenic in a gulf shrimp than what was found in its ant killer. This did not sway the EPA and, after a costly court battle, the agency's decision was upheld.
Fortunately, Senoret already had produced another effective ant-killing formula that did not contain arsenic. Ac-cording to Senoret, Terro now contains a borate (borax) as the main killing agent. The ants take the borax back to the main colony and feed it to the young and to the queen, which, in time, kills off the whole colony.
You should be able to find Terro at most hardware stores. If there are no retailers near you, write Senoret Chemical Co., 566 Leffingwell Ave., Kirkwood, MO 63122 or telephone (314) 966-2394.
Question: Will the Terro Ant Killer be effective on a termite colony? Is there any chemical a do-it-yourselfer could use to eradicate a termite colony? - W.G., Washington, Ind.
Answer: Terro might work on termites if you could get them to consume it; however, termites are looking for wood or cellulose to consume. Also, it is almost impossible to eradicate a whole colony of termites. When a home or building is treated for termites, what the exterminator is doing is laying a chemical barrier between the building and the colony. The termites then venture elsewhere for a meal.
From the treatments I've seen, it would be impractical for a homeowner to try to treat his own home. First, it takes hundreds of gallons of water mixed with a termiticide to treat a foundation. Second, the foundation has to be drilled and the proper amount of mixture injected into the block or slab foundation. Third, the dirt needs to be trenched and injected with termiticide. Fourth, if any small area is left untreated, the termites can still find their way into your home.
I strongly recommend that you leave the handling of chemicals to the experts and that you purchase an extended warranty from the exterminator.
Questions to C. Dwight Barnett, a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors, may be addressed c/o The Evansville Courier, P.O. Box 268, Evansville, IN 47702 or via e-mail at dwightevansville.net.