Ants!

chunkyfrog wrote:I found a dead silverfish in my tank once;
and the window in my humidifier was fogged over most evenings;
I started taking the tank out during the day, and returning it, newly filled (and inspected/cleaned, at night.
I don't know how far into the works that condensation can go, (or little nasties)
but I'm not putting my precious Autoset in any danger.
--mmm, must have Precious, must keep her safe.

I though froggies liked bugs!

Drying the tank out every day is a good idea anyway.

Borax and boric acid are both effective against ants. The crystals scratch their chitin, causing them to dehydrate. Either of these can be spread on ant trails or mixed with sugar, corn syrup, or other foods and used as ant bait. If you don't want to make your own, you'll probably find Terro ant killer at the hardware store. The best way to use ant bait is to put it near where the ants emerge from walls or floor. Besides eventually killing the colony, the ant feeders keep them from wandering all over your house in search of other food.

You should also be able to find an insecticide spray at the hardware store containing d-limonene from the oil in orange peels. It's nontoxic to humans but deadly to ants. Spray this on their trails and into the cracks they emerge, and it will both kill and repel.

I've found both of these to be more effective than any of the little ant bait domes I've tried.

Mint oil is also a powerful insecticide, and yes, the more commonly available peppermint oil works too. Victor Poison Free Wasp Killer is 8% mint oil in water plus the foaming agent used in shampoo. The wasp killer smells very strongly of mint and is overkill for ants, but a friend of mine got rid of carpenter ants in her home by putting mint oil on cotton balls and dropping them into the walls.

Cinnamon, talc, and baking soda are also said to be ant deterrents, but I haven't tried them. Another one I haven't tried is sugar and yeast. They say it ferments inside the ants, and the resulting gas pops their internal organs.

Otter wrote: Another one I haven't tried is sugar and yeast. They say it ferments inside the ants, and the resulting gas pops their internal organs.

like a seagull eating alka seltzer?????