Identification

• Little black ants are much smaller than carpenter ants. Workers are about one-sixteenth of an inch, while the queen is slightly larger at an eighth of an inch. They have two small nodes on the petiole, which connects the two segments of their abdomen.
  
  

Herbs and Spices

• Bay leaves and mint both repel ants. For either, you can place fresh leaves in the areas where you have seen a high concentration of black ants, or you can plant fresh plants around your home to discourage ants from entering it. You can also use mint oil. If you prefer not to deal with fresh ingredients to repel the little black ants, you can use dried red chili powder instead. Sprinkling a little of the powder along the outside of your home and around entryways that the ants are using will discourage them from trying to enter.
  
  

Boric Acid

• Boric acid powder is an excellent insect killer. You can buy commercial products or make your own treatments. To create a homemade ant trap, boil three cups of tap water in a medium pan. Use an old saucepan you do not intend to use again, since boric acid should not be consumed. Once your water has reached a rolling boil, add a cup of sugar and four teaspoons of boric acid powder. Allow the sugar to dissolve, but do not allow it to caramelize. To prevent the sugar from caramelizing or too much water from evaporating, turn the heat down and stir the mixture constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool so you do not burn yourself. You can then soak a cotton ball in your boric acid mixture and add it to the upturned lid of a glass jar. The ants will be attracted by the sweetness of the sugar, but the boric acid will kill them. No matter how you decide to use boric acid to kill the ants, you should be aware that it can be dangerous if consumed, so you will want to keep it out of reach of pets and children.