Most Ant Traps Contain Peanuts

I was surprised when I first learned that most ant traps contain peanut butter or peanuts as bait.  Read the package carefully from any traps you may have in your home, and you will likely see the warning that they contain peanuts. Peanuts do not need to be disclosed by name on the ingredients list, since the traps are not an item for human consumption.

I verified that both the white Raid ant bait and the black Raid double control ant bait do contain peanut. On the double control item, peanut is the “protein” referred to on the ingredients list.  Many people allergic to peanuts will still feel comfortable placing these in their home, as long as they’re tucked away out of reach from the allergic person. They could be tucked under a couch close to the ants’ place of entry, for example.

We felt uncomfortable having them in our home once we found out that our son is severely allergic to peanuts. Of course, the ants kept coming, so we had to look for safe alternatives. We now put out small dishes of 50% baking soda mixed with 50% powdered sugar. These too need to be tucked out of reach so they don’t spill, but if they’re found, they’re harmless. They work incredibly well: The ants are attracted to the sugar and eat it, and the baking soda causes them to explode.

We also sprinkle a line of cayenne pepper across the ants’ entry points, and the ants will not walk over it.  To ensure our puppy doesn’t lick this up, or a toddler doesn’t stick a finger into it, we put the cayenne out of sight too. In our case, it’s right against the patio door steps and sprinkled deep into the carpet on the other side of the door.

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