Q: If ants keep swarming your house no matter what sprays and traps you employ, you'll need to attack them at their source: the nest. When you see a trail of ants marching inside, follow it as far as you can to find the anthill. Depending on the species of ant you're dealing with, the nest may be out in the open, hidden carefully in rocks or hedges, or inside your house.    Little black ants are one of the most common home invaders. These ants walk in long, slow lines, giving away their nest sites to anyone with the good sense to follow them outside. You'll find their nests in sheltered spots around the yard.  Odorous house ants (known for the rotten coconut smell they emit when you crush them) build nests inside the house in window frames or inside the walls. They also build nest outdoors in woodpiles, mulch piles, under rocks, and in other outdoor crevices.  Pavement ants tend to nest in cracks in the sidewalk or driveway. You might not be able to see the nest itself, since it could be hidden under the pavement, but you should be able to find the ants' entryway.  Fire ants usually don't come inside the house, but you might have a nest on your property that's preventing you from walking around your yard in bare feet. Look for a large mound raised above the ground and composed of sand-like granules. Fill a large pot halfway to the top with water. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. As soon as the water comes to a boil, and while it's still piping hot, you'll need to be able to get it from the kitchen to the nest you found. Try to pour it into the entry hole you found. The boiling water will kill hundreds of ants on contact, and it will also cause the nest to collapse. If the nest is quite large, you might want to pour more than one pot of water over it.  If the nest you're dealing with is indoors, the boiling water trick might damage your house. Instead of using water, douse the nest with a bowl of soapy water. You can also put on a pair of long rubber gloves and scrape the nest into a bucket, then drown the ants. If you're dealing with fire ants, make sure you approach the nest wearing long pants tucked into socks and long sleeves. The ants are sure to get angry, and they may swarm out of the nest and attempt to climb into your clothes. If the boiling water effectively killed them, your ant-enduring days should be over. If you see a slow trickle coming back, give the nest another boiling water treatment. Sometimes it takes more than one application to effectively kill all of the ants.   If the boiling water doesn't seem to be doing the trick, take a stake and stab it down into the nest. Wiggle it around until you have a fair-sized crater. Fill the crater with baking soda about halfway up and pour vinegar over it. If you're trying to kill red ants, you can also try what is known as "bucketing." Wearing pants tucked into long socks for protection, take a shovel and quickly shovel the fire ant mound into a large bucket that has been sprinkled with baking soda, which keeps the ants from climbing out. Keep going until the whole nest has been shoveled out. Drown the ants in vinegar and water or with boiling water. Sometimes it's difficult to access the entire nest, but you can usually find an entrance hole. You can pour boiling water into the entrance hole, but it's often just as effective to simply plug the hole. Fill it up with dirt or rocks, and sprinkle some boric acid around the site for good measure. The ants will likely relocate their nest.
A: Follow ants to track down the nest. Prepare a pot of boiling water. Pour the water over the nest. Check for ants over the next few days. Plug the entrance holes if you can't get to the nest.

Q: Choose a place where you won’t be interrupted or have to worry about others around you. Rather than a coffee shop or restaurant, sitting in the living room or at the kitchen table might be more conducive to an open conversation.  You could even ask your mom to take a walk with you. Go somewhere quiet and tranquil rather than a busy path or crowded street. If you want to talk to your mom at home but have siblings or another parent you don’t want around, try to arrange a time when everyone else will be out of the house. You could even tell your mom you want to talk privately and she could help arrange a time for you two to be alone. If you are nervous, write out a letter addressed to your mom—when the time for the conversation arrives, you can follow the letter. Or, write bullet points of the important things you want to make sure to cover. In the moment, you’ll probably feel pretty nervous and will be prone to forget things.  For example, you may want to include when you learned you were gay, what that has been like for you, and why you’ve decided to share this with your mom.  If you live in a household where homosexuality is frowned upon, you may also want to tell your mom that you were born this way and that it is part of who you are rather than a choice you’re making. You could end your letter or list with a wish for your relationship with your mom. For example, maybe you hope that you can have an open relationship and that she’ll accept you for who you are. Maybe you hope she will help you tell another parent. This is totally up to you based on what your relationship with your mom is like, so take some time to think about it. If you’re afraid that she might become violent when you tell her you’re gay, you need to have a plan in place. In this type of situation, it might be better to talk to her in a public place; or, you may want to have someone else with you for emotional support. At the very least, have an exit-plan prepared so that if she does become verbally or physically abusive, you have somewhere to go. If there are people in your life who already know you’re gay, ask them for their support. It can be daunting to come out to anyone, including your mom. Talk to them about your fears, ask them for advice, and lean on them when you’re feeling worried. If your mom is the first person you’re going to come out to, this may not be possible. But even if she is, you could still talk to a counselor or therapist beforehand to get some support. Rather than springing this big conversation on your mom, tell her beforehand that you want to talk. You could do this the morning of the day you plan to tell her, or you could even tell her a few days beforehand. Keep in mind that once you say this to her, though, she probably won’t want to wait very long to have the conversation.  Try saying something like, “Mom, I have something I want to talk to you about. Could we get together just the two of us this afternoon?” You could also say, “There’s something I’ve been wanting to share with you, but I want it to be private between the two of us. When can we talk?” If she asks what the conversation is about, say, “It’s about me, but I’d rather wait until we can sit down together to talk more about it.”
A:
Pick a place to have the conversation that is quiet and calm. Write down what you want to say so you don’t forget. Make your safety a priority if you’re worried about your mom’s reaction. Talk to a support system or mental health professional beforehand. Tell your mom you want to talk to her about something important.