I'm sure there's a mixture they wouldn't care to inhabit, it's my goal to find that. The problem doesn't seem severe enough to me to risk injuring anoles or toads, other beneficials that visit potted plants. Anoles lay eggs in pots. I may be being over-cautious, but I don't own any packages of stuff and don't really want to buy any. I don't understand any of them, and all seem to have something scary about them. For those who want to use them, it's great info! At least if one's going to try something, it's good to know it worked for someone else, not just that it says it will on the package. I enjoyed reading what people do, even if I have reasons for not following suit, at the moment anyway. Maybe I'm just not really mad yet, IDK.
Whenever I find a 'highway' going somewhere I can spray with windex, like up a porch post, or leading to a pot, I do that. Kills all of those instantly. A very temporary thing though, when it's dry, ants can crawl there safely again. Good to kill so many so easily & cheaply though. Slight over-mist on plants doesn't seem to bother, some slight spotting on Cannas, but I would recommend against spraying directly on any plants, pots, or soil of pots. The PH of ammonia is around 11-12.
Sway, no way ants are coming in the house, that's why there's a dozen pots in the shed, possibly freezing to death tonight, IDK, but they can NOT come inside that way. I check them first Fascinating your thoughts about soil changing chemistry. I wouldn't be surprised. They sure do create a hydrophobic zone around the tree trunks where their main nests seem to be in this yard.
I water plants every 2-4 days. Some days, some pots have ants in them, some days they don't. Not always the same pots. I spend a lot of time watching ants, following their trails, but it's not enough to answer all of the questions. There doesn't seem to be a preference, they can be in a pot so dry the plants are wilting, or in one just watered the day before.
In any case, it's good to commiserate!
Here's a few spots of plants inside... a lot of hanging baskets that aren't hanging, for now anyway.
