Can I mortar over damp proof membrane in external bricks

twopenny

I have an ant problem.

Every night between 6-8pm I'm getting some ants in the living room and usually leading to a coffee table and my laptop and coming from the direction (I think) of the patio doors.

Before you get carried away I've raked out the gravel drain and filled with ant powder, laid ant traps, taken up the carpet there and tons of ant powder, sprayed with ant killer, sprayed the carpet with vinegar and the table they climb up and finally put lavender down.

I also sprayed into the air vents in the base of the patio doors and the air brick.

The only other space I can see is the black damp proof membrane between the brick courses beneath the patio doors. This has some thin space between the bricks and mortar and membrane.

Would it do any harm to mortar so the membrane is encased?

Yours.

Desperate

PS MSE is appearing as a blank page on my tablet so I can only post or read posts when I'm logged into a laptop in the evening. I'm not ignoring you

Lorian

I wouldn't mortar it in. Give the other measures a chance to work. Plus they will be coming for a reason , be meticulous in removing any food/crumbs in the area they are heading for.

stuart45

I've found ant nests in cavity walls when opening up the brickwork, so they could already be in.

twopenny

There was an influx when I first moved in 5yrs ago and they'd eaten into the mortar under the patio windows. I dug out the drain, dried out and remortared the bricks where it had problems and I've been ant free.

But this has gone on for a week or more

This time there was a sudden run back along. I did wonder if the ones that came in then, were inside my laptop as that's where the odd one or two come out and they seem to dive for the keyboard as I chase them. I did wonder the sofa but they are constantly heading for the computer and little table. And yes, I've cleaned the keyboard of crumbs

That's on the little coffee table in the lounge they appear on . I'm itching for the rest of the evening!

There is no food in here, no crumbs, no scent of food unless it's a vanilla candle

The little birds ate most of them this year. perhaps they're running for cover but I've been doing 'no mow may' so maybe it's time to mow.

perhaps I can squeeze some sort of poison on the membrane where the mortar leaves a space.

stuart45

twopenny said:I did wonder if the ones that came in then, were inside my laptop as that's where the odd one or two come out and they seem to dive for the keyboard as I chase them. 

Make sure they don't see your passwords. 

twopenny

What's worse is another appeared on the screen and vanished and I don't know where it's gone!

stuart45

You need to clear them out of your computer. A friend of mine had a similar problem with ants. When he got his online Tesco delivery there was an extra 2lb of sugar that he swears he never ordered. 

twopenny

I do so every evening.

Tonight I found the last one (for today) came out slightly stunned.

I think I have to stop relocating them outside. They just know their way in.