Spring is here, the ice has melted, the flowers are blooming, the birds are returning… and so are those damn ants, marching their way right across your kitchen floor. The issue with many commercial insecticides is the toxins they are made of. Raid, for instance, “kills bugs dead” but also contains the synthetic pyrethroid, cyfluthrin which might take out a few things you didn’t want dead. Whether you’re a practicing Buddist, suffer from myrmecophobia (fear of ants) or just don’t want to share your sugar - there’s an easy, non-toxic way to nip those ants in the bud. Simply squeeze lemon juice into a spray bottle and squirt your windowsills, door frames and any holes or cracks where ants are getting in. Lastly, scatter small slices of lemon peel around the outside door. You can even wash your floors with lemon juice and water as a natural deterent. They’ll get the picture and you’ll get your kitchen back.