Ants are our friends. They aerate soil, recycle dead animal and vegetable matter, and prey on other insects. But they can also be a nuisance, especially when we're both competing for space on the picnic blanket. Keep the little foot soldiers at a distance with some least toxic alternatives to pesticides.

Ant baits are usually the most effective at controlling and ultimately destroying ant colonies. The workers will take the 'bait', often a mix of boric acid and a sugary substance, back to the nest and spread it around.

First you'll need to find the ant hot spots. If it isn't obvious where they're coming from follow the trail. Place small pieces of carboard or wax paper topped with syrup to lure the ants out. This will make the trek to their home visible to you. Another way to find ant hot spots is to lay down masking tape in areas you have seen ants and top with mint apple jelly. The ants should soon follow.

Once you know where they like to hang out you can bring out the bait. There are a number of combinations you can use. Try sprinkling a mixture of 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar and one tablespoon of borax around the hot spot areas. However, some ants, like black ants and pavement ants, don't have a sweet tooth and prefer savory snacks. These guys can be baited with a combination of peanut butter, honey and boric acid.

You can also try making a Sugar Ant Hotel which will catch (and kill) the worker ants. This simple solution uses borax and sugar water in a shallow glass jar. (Check out the Care 2 site for the full how-to description.)

Wipe out or block ant trails by treating with soapy water or citrus cleaner, or try sprinkling spices such as pennyroyal, mint, thyme, or cayenne pepper across their path.

To keep ants out of pet food bowls, place the pet food dish in a shallow container filled with soapy water. The ants won't cross the moat and your pet can eat ant free (but don't let your pet drink the soapy water.)

Care 2 also suggests creating a citrus solvent spray to keep ants away with 1/4 cup citrus solvent and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle.

If ants have taken up residence in a potted plant you can flood it with water to get them to move elsewhere. And for nesting areas beneath patios and pavement try flooding with soapy or boiling water.

Always take preventive measures to keep pests away such as wiping up crumbs and spills, keeping food sealed up tight and areas around the garbage clean. Also close up entry points if possible by repairing holes in walls and screens, or sealing cracks and crevices in your home.

And remember to keep children and pets away from ant bait, because even though boric acid is a less toxic solution, it can be harmful if ingested.

Amy says: We have a picnic table in our small backyard area that my little, tiny ant neighbors love. I think I might try out the citrus spray to see if I can reclaim the table for human use.

For more on pesticides, integrated pest management and least toxic alternatives:

Care2Living (Sugar Ant Hotel)
Beyond Pesticides
University of Nebraska (Ant Baits: A Least Toxic Control)
Pesticide Action Network - UK (Ant Control - least toxic options)
Ecology Center (Non-toxic Ant Control)