When the weather is warmer, the ants go marching out of the ground and onto your kitchen counter.

But are weapons of mass destruction the only way to stop this invasion?  Isn't there some other way, short of all out chemical warfare, to fight household bugs?

Yep. There is.

The first line of defense is making your house bug-proof.  That means caulking your windows and doors, filling in cracks in your siding and foundation, fixing screens, etc.  These are places where ants get in.  Then you need to repair gutters and trim your bushes and shrubs.  These are where ants and other bugs breed and live.

If ant commandos still make their way past your fortifications, here are some natural, nontoxic, home remedies you can deploy:

Plant mint around the perimeter of your house.  ANTS HATE MINT.

Make a solution of 1 quart water and 1 teaspoon peppermint oil, and use a spray bottle to spray the solution on window sills, thresholds and other points of entry.  Citronella oil, lavender oil, cinnamon oil or citrus oil may be substituted for the peppermint oil.

Diatomaceous earth (DE), available at garden centers and home improvement stores, may be spread as a powder on window sills, thresholds and other places ants can enter your home.  DE can also be used on driveway and sidewalk cracks.  DE destroys bugs' exoskeletons.  It is not toxic, but you should use a mask when spreading DE; it can irritate mucus membranes.

Locate the ants' nest by tracing their route back to its source.  Pour boiling water on the anthill.

If the problem is fire ants, killing the egg-laying queen is the only way to get rid of them.  During a stretch of dry weather, sprinkle a teaspoon of instant grits on each anthill.  Worker ants will carry the grits to the nest where the queen will eat them.  The grits expand and kill her when she drinks water.  The other ants will then die within days.

Sources:  Earth Easy, Natural Insect Control