Ants on Campus

Posted by Zoe Baillargeon in Campus

The ants go marching into the dorms, hurrah, hurrah.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, news of SFUAD’s infamous ant problem has probably either reached your ears or affected you personally. Students from all over campus, ranging from the Mountain View apartments to the dorms have reported issues with ants swarming into their rooms, creating a health issue and uncomfortable living situations.

The ants in question are sugar ants and don’t bite or pose a significant threat, but are attracted by food and sweets. Students had reported ants living in droves under dorm mini-fridges and finding their way into rooms via doors, windows and cracks.

Marisa Doherty have had a real issue with the sugar ants in her dorm room. Photo by René Bjorheim

“If you’re not being proactive, putting out stuff to get rid of them, it can get pretty bad really fast,” says student Marisa Doherty. “You have to monitor it, you just can’t leave out dirty dishes or they’ll come.”

Doherty, a Creative Writing student who currently lives in St. Mike’s B Wing, has experienced huge issues with the ants and has taken to Student Life to try and get the administration to deal with the problem.

“I’m not super into complaining on Facebook, but at that point I was so done I needed someone to pay attention and help me figure it out,” she says.

Doherty says she wasn’t sure the school was responding to her work orders because she sometimes didn’t find notes that said Facilities had been there to deal with the issue.

Even though the school sprays by her building and room, Doherty has needed to employ her own methods of prevention.

“I lined the walls with diatomaceous earth, which is an insecticide used in gardens,” she says. “It’s worked best at keeping them out.”

She’s also used Raid, but says diatomaceous earth is better as it creates a barrier to prevent them from entering.

“We’re treating symptoms, we’re not fixing the problem,” she says, hoping that additional funding from Laureate in the future may result in evaluations of the halls and why the ant problem exists.

Looking on Student Life Facebook page and asking around campus, students have stories about ants invading jars of Marshmallow Fluff, walking around on desks, and even getting into mattresses. Amber Blaeser, a senior in the Film School who lived in King Hall last year, tells of another horror story when she bought a cup of coffee from the coffee machine in King lounge one morning.

“I noticed floaty things in my coffee and realized they were ants. I dumped it out and the bottom was lined with dead ants. On the bright side I woke up,” Blaeser says.

Some students who have dealt with the issue in the past have also recommended cinnamon as a safe, non-chemical method for getting rid of the ants.

Little sugar ants looking for sweets. Photo by René Bjorheim

Executive Director of Facilities Peter Romero says that according to records, the ants have been around for many years and affect pretty much all of campus.

“They’re more of a nuisance, they don’t bite or generally carry disease,” says Romero. “We try to deal with the problem effectively without anyone getting sick, injured or hurt by the products we use.”

Facilities uses safe, green products that aren’t harmful to students or pets, such as the campus rabbits or the goats. Facilities has its own sprayer for emergency situations, but also has a company they use regularly.

Romero says that if students want to be proactive and use their own methods for getting rid of the ants, such as Raid or cinnamon, he’s fine with it, but allergies are a concern.

“You may have a roommate or hall mate who has allergies to cinnamon, and Raid—with repetitive use—off-gases and you can inhale really bad fumes,” he says.

Romero urges students to either submit work orders or contact him or Facilities personally to find a solution to the problem. He also recommends students remain diligent in keeping their rooms clean and free of left-out food, drinks, or sugary items.

“There’s responsibility on both sides,” he says. “It’s a community issue and it’s best if we work together to find a solution.”