On Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:47:18 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
> wrote:

> On Oct 31, 10:43*am, RichD > wrote:
> > Occasionally, ants get into the pantry. *They
> > typically go for the bread, or anything sweet.
> > And there's the proverbial picnic basket.
> >
> > Question: *after cleaning them out, is the food
> > still edible? *Do ants carry disease?
> >
> > Instinctively, one tends to jettison it, but I want
> > to be rational.
> >
>
> Ants live in homes made of dirt. If I walked barefoot through dirt,
> then rubbed my feet on your food, would you worry about bacteria, or
> would you cheerfully eat it?

I've had ants in the house before, but they've never swarmed all over
my food. I usually just killed the ants (getting the queen) and
didn't worry about the food, but if it had been covered in ants I may
have a different attitude. Only had two invasions and haven't had one
in years (knock on wood).

--
All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:47:18 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
> > wrote:
>
>> On Oct 31, 10:43 am, RichD > wrote:
>> > Occasionally, ants get into the pantry. They
>> > typically go for the bread, or anything sweet.
>> > And there's the proverbial picnic basket.
>> >
>> > Question: after cleaning them out, is the food
>> > still edible? Do ants carry disease?
>> >
>> > Instinctively, one tends to jettison it, but I want
>> > to be rational.
>> >
>>
>> Ants live in homes made of dirt. If I walked barefoot through dirt,
>> then rubbed my feet on your food, would you worry about bacteria, or
>> would you cheerfully eat it?
>
> I've had ants in the house before, but they've never swarmed all over
> my food. I usually just killed the ants (getting the queen) and
> didn't worry about the food, but if it had been covered in ants I may
> have a different attitude. Only had two invasions and haven't had one
> in years (knock on wood).

Never in my food either. Twice in the house here and a couple of times in
NY. I am always on the lookout for them now and if I see them outside, I
spray. They don't get in the house.

If they did in the food I would for sure not eat it.