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From: levy@ttrdc.UUCP (Daniel R. Levy)
Newsgroups: net.garden
Subject: re:Ants (use Boric Acid)
Message-ID: <257@ttrdc.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 12-Jul-85 11:41:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: ttrdc.257
Posted: Fri Jul 12 11:41:23 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 7-Jul-85 05:46:51 EDT
References: <231@weitek.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Teletype Corp., Skokie, IL
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Keywords: ants boric acid

mae@weitek.UUCP (Mike Ekberg):
>
>Boric Acid is a commonly available product used as an eye wash. You can 
>get a 8 oz. jar of it in your local drugstore for $1.69. I just sprinkle
>it around on the trail of ants. The ants get it on their feet and carry it
>back home. The ants lick each other clean and die.
>
>I don't know the toxicity of Boric Acid.
>
>

Boric acid is not caustic to skin (and will not penetrate unbroken skin) but
precautions ought to be taken against swallowing it, i.e., wash before eating
or smoking after powdering your plants with the boric acid.  If you try it on
a vegetable plant, you obviously want to wash it well before eating the veg-
etable.  The boric acid might have some effect on the plant; the situation
would be similar to that of high-borate soils (the boron, rather than the
acidifying effect, would be of concern).