Natural Ant Killer: The Borax Honey Ant Bait That Actually Works

Got Ants? Here's a Homemade Ant Bait You Can Make Right Now

You’re ready to make a cuppa in the morning and they’ve claimed the bench. Ants have a talent for making themselves at home overnight, and by the time you spot them they've usually been at it for a while. Living on the sandy Kapiti Coast, ants are just part of life at our place — a few times a year they march in like they own the joint, and I've had to get good at dealing with them fast.

Here's the thing: you don't need to reach for the spray can. The best homemade ant bait is made from two ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard — borax and honey — and it works better than most of what's on the supermarket shelf. Not just on the ants you can see, but on the whole colony. I keep a small, labelled jar of it premixed in my pantry so when the scouts show up, I'm ready.

This is the Figgy way: a simple, science-backed borax honey ant bait you can make in five minutes, that's safer for your family and actually finishes the job.

Why Borax Works as a Natural Ant Killer — The Science Bit

To understand why borax honey bait works so well, you need to know two things about how ants operate — and both of them are genuinely fascinating. But here’s the thing: it doesn't happen immediately. And that's exactly what we want.

First, borax is toxic to ants in two ways. In adults it disrupts their digestive system, interfering with how they process food at a cellular level. And in juveniles it interferes with the development of their exoskeleton — the hard outer shell that protects them.

Second — and this is where the bait method gets clever — ants share everything. Worker ants (the ones marching across your bench) are the foragers. They go out, find food, eat some, and carry the rest back to the nest. Back home, they feed other workers and larvae directly — mouth to mouth — in a process called trophallaxis. They are, without knowing it, the perfect delivery drivers for our borax bait.

Why Baiting Ants Slow Is the Whole Point

The slow-kill mechanism isn't a weakness of borax — it's the whole strategy. Research from the University of California Riverside found the sweet spot for effective colony control is less than 15% worker mortality in the first 24 hours, climbing to more than 80% after 14 days. The ant needs to stay alive long enough to return to the nest and share the bait with nestmates, larvae, and — crucially — the queens. Hit the colony too fast and you only ever kill the workers you can see. Hit it slowly and you control the whole operation from the inside.

The Concentration Rule Most People Get Wrong

Here's the rub: more borax does not mean better results. The UC Riverside research found that above 1% concentration, ants can detect the borax in the bait and will avoid it entirely. The feeding stops. The bait sits there doing nothing. This is likely why some people find borax "doesn't work" — they've simply used too much. Interestingly, some commercial ant baits use concentrations of 5% or higher, which the research suggests may actually be counterproductive for whole-colony control. Our Figgy recipe is formulated at 1% — precise, science-informed, and calibrated to keep ants feeding long enough for the bait to do its job.

Why Dry Borax and sugar Powder Doesn't Work

Sprinkling dry borax powder along your skirting boards or across an ant trail is one of the most common approaches — and one of the least effective. A Congo Basin field study (Hanna et al., 2015) found that in several ant colonies exposed to dry borax powder, the colony fully recovered within three weeks. Queens survived. Brood developed normally. Dry powder isn't palatable enough, and the dose an ant actually ingests is too inconsistent to do real damage. A liquid borax solution in a bait station is what the research actually supports — and it's what we're making today.

Why Spraying Ants Doesn't Solve the Problem

Spraying is deeply satisfying. You see ants, you spray, they die. Done. Except — not done. Not even close.

The ants you can see on your benchtop are worker ants — foragers. They represent a tiny fraction of the total colony. The queen, who is responsible for all reproduction and the colony's survival, is deep in the nest, nowhere near your spray. She is completely unaffected. Kill all the workers you like; she just makes more.

Most household ant sprays contain pyrethroids — synthetic insecticides that kill on contact but also repel ants. Spray near an ant trail and you don't just kill the ants present — you chemically signal the colony to scatter and reroute. In a home, this can mean the colony spreads into new areas, often making the problem worse.

Pyrethroid sprays also degrade within roughly 30 days, after which reinfestation begins — because the colony is still there, intact, and the queen is still laying. Spray treats the symptom. Borax honey bait treats the source.

What You Need to Make a Natural Borax Ant Bait

You'll need very little for this — most of it is probably already in your kitchen.

-        Borax — the active ingredient. A naturally occurring mineral compound that disrupts the digestive system and exoskeleton development of ants at low concentrations. Not to be confused with boric acid or washing soda — make sure you have borax specifically.

-        Thick honey — the carrier that makes the bait irresistible. Argentine ants (NZ's most common household ant) derive the vast majority of their food from sugar sources, so honey is a near-perfect mimic of their natural diet. Cheap supermarket honey is fine — save your good raw honey for your toast.

-        Just-boiled water — a small amount to dissolve the borax before combining with honey. Borax doesn't dissolve well in cold water; a little heat helps it combine properly.

-        A small clean jar with a lid — for mixing, storing, and deploying the bait. A repurposed jam jar works perfectly.

-        Kitchen scales — the recipe is precise by design. A digital scale makes this foolproof and consistent every time.

-        A permanent marker — to label your jar. Non-negotiable.

How to Make Your Borax Honey Ant Bait — The Figgy Way

This recipe makes approximately 100g of bait — enough to set multiple stations and keep some in reserve. Because the concentration matters so much, we use scales rather than guessing. It takes about five minutes.

Step 1 — Make the bait

1. Place your clean jar on the kitchen scales and tare (zero) the scales.
2. Add 1/4 teaspoon of borax to the jar — this gives you approximately 1g, which is your 1% concentration for a 100g batch.
3. Add 20ml of just-boiled water. Swirl gently until the borax is fully dissolved — you should see the powder disappear completely into a clear solution.
4. Add thick honey slowly until your scales read 100g total.
5. Stir to combine until smooth and uniform.
6. Put the lid on and label clearly: BORAX HONEY — DO NOT EAT
7. Store in a cool spot.

Step 2 — Follow the trail and place the bait

Before you place your bait, take a moment to watch the ants. Where are they heading? Where are they coming in? Following the trail is one of the smartest things you can do — baiting at the source is always better than baiting where you first spot them.

If the trail leads outside — brilliant. Placing your bait station near the entry point outdoors means fewer ants making it inside, and less of the indoor swarm that makes people panic and reach for the spray.

If the trail leads indoors and you can't find the entry point, place bait stations close to where you're seeing the most activity — along the trail, near the wall, close to where they disappear.

Step 3 — Set up your bait station

The container your bait goes in matters. You want ants to find it easily, but you don't want it accessible to children, pets, or bees.

Good options:

-        A shallow bottle cap or jar lid or even a small jar laid on its side — the opening faces out, ants walk straight in

-        A small piece of cardboard or cut up plastic lid

-        Outside the borax honey can be placed directly on the ground or fence in a suitable spot

Place about a teaspoon of bait mixture into or onto your chosen station. You don't need much — the ants will find it and return repeatedly.

A note on bees and other pollinators: borax and eating honey is harmful to bees. Don't place your bait station near flowering plants or anywhere bees are active.

Bait the ant trail freely in the first few days — set multiple stations if needed. As activity reduces, maintain at least one consistent station for several weeks. Consistency is what finishes the colony.

What to Expect — And What Not to Do While the Bait Is Working

Let's be honest about what happens next — because if you're not expecting it, it's alarming.

More ants show up first. Sometimes a LOT more ants. This is a good sign. It means the bait has been found, scouts have laid a pheromone trail back to the nest, and now half the colony has come to the party. Do not panic. Do not clean them up. Do not move the bait. This is exactly what you want.

Here's what to expect across the timeline:

-        First 24-48 hours: increased ant activity around the bait station. They're feeding. The bait is being carried back to the nest and shared through the colony.

-        Days 3-5: activity starts to reduce. Fewer ants at the station. Fewer ants in the house generally.

-        Weeks 1-3: continued decline. Smaller colonies may show significant reduction or near-elimination. For larger Argentine ant mega-colonies, allow up to three to four weeks of consistent baiting where you see ant activity.

Remove competing food sources. If there's a better food option available — like sugary spills, sticky lids on jars — ants may ignore your bait entirely.

Wipe down surfaces with Everyday spray or diluted soap, cover the compost, and consider keeping honey and jam in the fridge.

Refresh your bait station daily — liquid bait dries out and loses its appeal.

Why You Must Not Spray While Baiting

This is the most common reason borax baiting fails. If you spray near the bait station — or anywhere near the ant trail — you are undoing everything. Pyrethroid sprays repel ants. They will abandon the trail, reroute, and stop feeding on your bait. You'll kill a handful of visible ants and give the colony time to recover and find a new entry point. If you're baiting, put the spray away entirely and commit to the process. Patience wins here.

How to Stop Ants Coming Back

Once the colony is under control, a few simple habits will make your home a much less attractive destination.

Close their buffet

Ants love anything sweet — but they'll also go after meat, grease, and even crumbs. Wipe up sticky messes, rinse the rims of honey jars and sweet spreads, keep your compost bin covered, and store fruit in the fridge during ant season. No food, no reason to visit.

Wipe the trail — and do it properly

When you find ants, spray with Figgy Everyday Spray and wipe them away with a damp cloth. This isn't just cleaning — it destroys the pheromone trail they've laid for the rest of the colony. No trail, no team meeting. Rinse any ant-covered containers under the tap to get every last one.

Block the secret entrances

Take a moment to watch where the ants are heading when you first spot them. Follow the trail back to where they're getting in — a crack in the skirting board, a gap around a pipe, a worn door seal. Seal it. Caulk, weatherstripping, or even a line of petroleum jelly across a threshold will deter them.

Use peppermint essential oil as an ongoing ant deterrent

A few drops near known entry points — on a cotton ball tucked into a corner, or wiped along a window sill — will deter ants from using that route again. They're not fans of strong scent, and peppermint oil is particularly effective.

FAQs About Borax Ant Bait

What is the best homemade ant killer?

The most effective homemade ant killer for dealing with the whole colony — not just the ants you can see — is a borax honey bait at 1% concentration. This is because the slow-acting nature of borax allows worker ants to carry the bait back to the nest and share it through the colony via trophallaxis (mouth-to-mouth feeding), reaching the queen and larvae that a contact spray never could.

How long does borax take to kill ants?

You'll typically see increased ant activity in the first 24-48 hours (a good sign — the bait is working), followed by a noticeable reduction in days 3-5. Full colony control for smaller infestations takes 1-2 weeks; larger Argentine ant colonies may need 3-4 weeks of consistent baiting. Be patient — the slow kill is what makes it effective.

Why are there more ants after I put the bait out?

This is completely normal and actually means your bait is working. When a scout ant finds the honey bait, it lays a pheromone trail back to the nest — a chemical invite for the whole crew. The surge of ants you see is the colony responding to that trail. Don't disturb the bait, don't clean up the ants, and don't spray. Within a few days the numbers will start to drop.

Is borax ant bait safe around kids and pets?

Borax is a naturally occurring mineral but it is not safe to eat, because with repeated ingestion it can raise boron levels above what the body needs. Curious children and pets should not have access to the bait station. Always label your jar clearly and store it safely, and place bait stations in spots only ants can

Can I use borax ant bait outside?

Yes — and it's often the smarter move. Baiting near the entry point or along the outdoor trail means you're hitting the colony closer to the source, and you'll see less of the indoor ant swarm. Consider bee safety: do not place open bait stations near flowering plants or in areas where bees are active.

What if my borax ant bait isn't working?

The most common reasons are: the concentration is too high (ants will avoid bait they can detect as a threat — stick to 1%); the bait has dried out and needs refreshing; there's a better food source nearby competing with your bait; or someone has sprayed near the bait station, which repels ants from the area entirely. Give it two to three weeks of consistent baiting before concluding it's not working.

How is borax different from commercial ant baits?

Most commercial ant baits contain borax or a related compound — but often at concentrations higher than what the research supports for whole-colony control. The UC Riverside study found that above 1% concentration, ants detect and avoid the bait, which may make high-concentration commercial products less effective for getting deep into the colony. A precisely made 1% homemade borax honey bait is aligned with what the peer-reviewed evidence actually recommends.

How often do I need to replace the bait?

Check your bait station every day for the first week and top up as needed to keep it fresh. During the first week, the station may empty quickly — that's a good sign. Once activity starts to reduce, refresh every few days. Keep at least one primary station going where you see ant activity for three to four weeks to ensure the colony has fully declined.

The Takeaway About Controlling Ants

Ants are clever, social, and surprisingly hard to beat with a spray can. But once you understand how they work — how they share food, how they follow trails, how the colony functions as one organism — the borax honey bait method just makes sense and is a safe and effected homemade ant solution. Two ingredients, five minutes, and a bit of patience is all it takes to deal with an ant problem at the source rather than playing whack-a-mole.

This is what the non-tox approach is really about — not just avoiding chemicals for the sake of it, but choosing the method that actually works better. Your family and your pets don't need to share their home with a cloud of pyrethroid spray. And the ants don't need to either — until they show up uninvited, at which point the borax honey jar comes out of the pantry.

You've got this. Sorted.

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Scientific References:

Klotz, J.H. & Shorey, H.H. Low-Toxic Control of Argentine Ants Using Pheromone-Enhanced Liquid Baits. University of California Riverside, Department of Entomology. California Department of Consumer Affairs, CDCA 84SA8020-07.

Hanna, R., Fotso Kuate, A., Nanga Nanga, S., Tindo, M., Nagel, P. (2015). Boric acid for suppression of the ant Anoplolepis tenella and effects on an associated scale insect pest Stictococcus vayssierei in cassava fields in the Congo Basin. Crop Protection, Vol. 74, pp. 131-137. DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2015.04.016