“They always come back in greater numbers”: the ordeal of a septuagenarian invaded by ants in her home for three years

Marie, a resident of Orvault, in the Pays de la Loire, has been living with ants for three years! After multiple attempts to get rid of these insects herself, the septuagenarian called pest control companies three times, in vain.

The tapinoma is a highly invasive species of ant that has managed to settle in – permanently – at the home of Marie, a septuagenarian who lives in Orvault, in Loire-Atlantique. After many attempts, she decided to live with it,  and gives her testimony to Ouest France.

From grandmother's tips to companies

The Orvaltaise has been sharing her home with these ants for almost three years. She says she has tried everything, boiling water, black soap, white vinegar, diatomaceous earth … But "they always come back in greater numbers" she exclaims.

She explains that after listening to advice all over the place, she turned to pest control companies. In total, they came to her house three times, and she spent 400 euros for these operations,“to be told in the end: we can't do anything more”, Marie adds.

“It obsessed me”

“Everyone was giving their little piece of advice and no one understood why we couldn't get to the bottom of it”, she told our colleagues. “It obsessed me. We thought the ants were going to throw us out. Now I've come to terms with it. I live with it." she says, accompanied by her sister, who lives in the neighboring house.

The latter's home is still spared from the invasion, but she still takes precautions, "you always have to think ant". For example, she puts her sugar in the refrigerator, relays the media from the West.

Habits have been adopted, everything is stored in airtight boxes, bags are never put in the garden, like clothes. If there are a lot of ants inside, Marie takes out her weapon: an ant vacuum cleaner.

“It's true that we feel a bit alone when faced with the problem. By nature, we're rather discreet. We're the type to tell ourselves that the town hall has other things to worry about. And then, moving heaven and earth to make yourself heard takes energy”, she finally says.