Aussies urged to try simple $2 hack as ants take over homes: 'It worked'
Aussie homes are no stranger to a pest or two, and one resident who has been recently wrestling with an army of ants in her home claims she has a "very easy and simple" hack to rid them once and for all.
Ashley Fuller claims the answer lies in cloves, pointing to a $2 packet of the spice from Coles. The resident told Yahoo News a sprinkling of the spice near the ants is all it takes to send the critters packing.
"I saw it on social media a while ago, it was a video of ants walking away from a whole clove. I had ants in my home so decided to try it for myself. It worked and that was it," she told Yahoo.
"If you have ants, what you want to do is get whole cloves and you want to put them along the ant trail and that is it, it will get rid of them," she said, adding she recommended it to a family friend and it worked for her as well.
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Eduardo Garcia from Toro Pest Control told Yahoo News he's been inundated with calls from Aussies recently and said he wasn't surprised people were turning to natural remedies in a desperate attempt to rid their homes of ants. However, he reckons there are other, more efficient homespun methods to try to deter the ant invasion.
"Getting a spray bottle with water and vinegar with peppermint oil would help more than cloves," he told Yahoo News. "Or people often use baby powder. Campers often sprinkle it around their caravan or tent as it neutralises the ants' ability to communicate because they communicate through pheromones... They get lost and veer off and then just move onto the next area where they can communicate."
While natural remedies can be beneficial, fellow industry expert Warren Bailey from ABC Pest Control suggested steering clear of them altogether as they're not often effective long-term.
"It's worth a try but often with ants, they get immune to it very quickly. You can try it once and it works then you go to use it again and they've built up resistance," he told Yahoo. "People can get lucky with natural remedies but we usually have to come back with something stronger."
While many of us think about the heat encouraging pests into our homes, high rainfall can do the same, Eduardo explained.
"Pests are coming out at the moment with all the rain. The water is saturating their workings in the mud and they get destroyed easily so they come out of the ground. Obviously our properties are nice and sturdy, so they go in for food, shelter and water," he said.
To reduce the likelihood of ants coming into your home, it's recommended to block entry points such as weep holes or visible gaps in the walls and floor to stop ants from entering. Keeping indoors clean and crumb-free is also vital. However, the best to avoid pests getting inside your home is to call a professional.
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15 hours ago
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The Hidden Problem with Father's Day Cards
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Every June, I find myself in the same situation — standing in the stationary aisle with my kids, staring at dozens of Father's Day cards that don't quite meet our needs. We gaze into a sea of navy blue and tan, and are given a limited choice of themes: golf clubs, hamburgers on the grill, fishing gear or a necktie. The kids and I look at each other and shrug; none of these cards helps them articulate what they want to say, which is: Thank you for cooking dinner every night, thank you for the days when you leave work early because we need you at home, thank you for being our chauffeur on the weekend and thank you for making us feel loved. But there are no cards that capture those thoughts. So, we just choose the most innocuous of the bunch and move on. Another Father's Day card … check. I find this annual routine deeply unsatisfying. 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There are household tasks, such as laundry, cooking, dishes, grocery shopping, cleaning. There are caregiving tasks: giving kids a bath, helping with homework, taking time off work when kids are sick — not to mention scheduling and managing all the appointments, from dental check-ups to haircuts. And perhaps, the toughest of all, there is emotional work with kids: helping them through a challenge at school, or being there after their first heartbreak. Society has long coded these activities as a female responsibility, and data tells us that women still do the majority of this work. But little by little, our perception of a 'successful father' is evolving, and more dads are embracing household work as a way to provide for their family. According to the Survey of Contemporary Fatherhood, more than 90% of today's dads believe that fathers should play an active role in their children's lives, that a dad's involvement is essential for children's well-being. We are seeing a rise in stay-at-home dads. And more dads are looking for a flexible work schedule; not because they want to golf or go fishing, but because they want to be present at home, support their partner's career, and spend more time with their kids. This redefinition of fatherhood is not just the result of natural progression. Social change requires intentional behavior. Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice does research, advocacy and programming to change the way we think about fathers and fatherhood. One core component of Equimundo's work is specifically aimed at increasing men's role in caregiving, and they've found that more dads doing more hands-on care work in the home does not just benefit their partners and kids — it also benefits dads. 'Men themselves benefit as they embrace the daily joys that come along with doing the hands-on work that care requires,' says Gary Barker, founder and CEO of Equimundo. 'Our research from around the world finds that men who report being more involved in the daily care of their children and emotionally closer to their children are happier, they are more motivated at work and they tend to take greater care of themselves. Whether they live with their children, or live apart, involved fathers are happier and healthier. And for those of us who have the experience, it is a self-evident truth that the relationships with our children are among the most powerful and meaningful parts of our lives." Maybe you're thinking sure, this all makes sense. But why make such a fuss about a greeting card we send once a year? Father's Day is an important cultural touchpoint. According to Hallmark, Father's Day is the 4th largest card-giving holiday in the United States, and roughly 72 million cards are exchanged every June. Imagine the subconscious, reinforcing impact of those 72 million messages on our culture year after year. This year, let's move past the old stereotypes and use card-giving as a way to embrace an expanded definition of a 'good dad.' We can use Father's Day to highlight that fatherhood is so much more than a 9-to-5 at the office or a weekend BBQ. We can celebrate those dads who are providing for their families in many different ways, and honor fathers for the care work they do. We can also challenge outdated cultural norms, and set clear expectations of what we expect fatherhood to look like in the future. 'Many of us have in our heads that mothers are the main caregivers," Barker agrees, "the ones who really know what they are doing and that dads are really kind of deficient when it comes to care. That's why it's so important that we send daily messages that [dads] can and should be just as much the caregivers as moms.' This may be especially important for the new dads in our lives. A new generation of men are entering parenthood, perhaps celebrating their first Father's Day this year. They have the luxury of a blank slate, and a lifetime of opportunities ahead of them. Do we want to limit these new dads to the traditional role of "provider?" Or do we want to help them fully embrace a wider range of fathering possibilities — to be the dad they want to be. As a researcher and writer of gender norms, I will be the first person to admit we still have a lot of work to do before achieving household gender equality. And, still, I believe it is important to celebrate our successes — and think about the ways we are each embracing change. In that spirit, Good Housekeeping has created four Father's Day cards for you to download, print (double-sided works best) and give to the dads in your life. These cards, we hope, come closer to illustrating our evolving expectations of fatherhood: a dad giving a bath, a dad reading books, a dad and grandpa preparing a meal, and a dad doing a TikTok dance with his teenager — all of which aim to capture those sweet, every day moments that dads share with their family. We made two versions of each card: a color version, and one that also works as a coloring page that kids can fill in themselves. I showed these four illustrations to my kids and asked, which one is best for your dad? They knew immediately — their favorite was the dad reading books. When I asked why they chose that one, they replied, 'Because it is so real. It's so cozy. That's something that we have done with dad ever since we were little … something we still do with dad all the time.' My kids were drawn to the illustration because it made them feel something. Unlike a photo of golf clubs or a necktie, this illustration captured a snapshot of fatherhood; a routine that made them feel warm, content, important, and loved. Hopefully, when my husband opens this card on June 15th, he'll feel the Message: "Best Dad. Better Dancer. Happy Father's Day!" Shop Now Shop NowInside Message: "Dad, you've taught me so much! Happy Father's Day!" Shop Now Shop NowInside Message: "Thanks for all that you do! Happy Father's Day!" Shop Now Shop NowInside Message: "I couldn't ask for a better role model. Happy Father's Day!" Shop Now Shop Now You Might Also Like 67 Best Gifts for Women That'll Make Her Smile The Best Pillows for Every Type of Sleeper
