The problem with pesticide sprays is that even when they are effective, they leave behind a mess of drying liquid and dead ants, which somehow has to be removed.

I discovered that ants are very well sucked into a vacuum cleaner. For example, if you have a trail of ants, you can just vacuum it, and they will all be inside the cleaner. They do not die, and come out of the cleaner however.

The idea is to make a special appliance which is a mini vacuum cleaner with an embedded tank with pesticide (like Raid), attached to the side of the air duct, such that the airflow which sucks the ants in also picks up the pulverized pesticide, which kills the ants inside the vacuum.
-- Inspector Z, Mar 22 2003

Where it says "water" subtstitute "pesticide" http://www.rainbows...html/products3.html
[half, Oct 17 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Diatomaceous Earth http://www.diatomac...uk/diatomaceous.htm
Cut'em and let 'em bleed! [Cedar Park, Oct 17 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

I hate ants too http://www.halfbake...m/idea/Ant_20vacuum
Beat you too it [Gulherme, Oct 17 2004]

I'll pass on this one. Lot's o' pesticide will be pumped in to the air I think.

Maybe you could just grind up the ants instead of chemicaling them to death.
-- half, Mar 22 2003


Actually, in the current method, the pesticide is left exposed to the open air, when you spray it on an open surface. In this machine, the pesticide is contained inside the ANTS DEATH CHAMBER. Also, you can use pesticide more sparingly.
-- Inspector Z, Mar 22 2003


Insect vacuums are quite Baked. But I have visions of this thing running amok - Oh No! Run for cover! It's RoboAardvark!
-- DrCurry, Mar 22 2003


A vacuum cleaner moves a lot of air. It goes in the hose and out somewhere else. You have proposed that the hose picks up both ants and a supply of pesticide "like Raid". The Raid that I'm thinking of is a liquid/spray. I don't know how big Raid molecules are but I worry that they might be difficult to completely filter out of the exhaust air. Since you also say "pulverized", maybe you're talking about a granular pesticide. But, on the other hand, you later mention spraying it on an open surface. On yet another hand, maybe I'm just being too picky and really don't know what I'm talking about anyway.
-- half, Mar 23 2003


How about using your vaccuum cleaner, but sucking up a bit of diatomaceous earth, first? This non-chemical, non-toxic substance is actually microscopic shards that cut the ant, and make it dehydrate to death. [link]
-- Cedar Park, Mar 23 2003


I read this as "ant killer app", and thought that Inspector Z had finally found a productive use for humanity's main rival - one that would encourage their mass domestication and use around the home.
-- friendlyfire, Mar 23 2003


Vacuum up some cornstarch along with the ants, the cornstarch will suffocate them.

http://www.ecologycenter.org/resource_cntr/fact_sheets/ant_control.html
-- twerp2000, Jul 23 2003



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