Natural ways to keep ants out of your house

And now for a classic Dad Joke.

Q What did the Pink Panther say when he stepped on an ant pile?

A (to the tune of the theme song): Dead ant, dead ant, dead ant, dead ant, dead ant, dead ant, dead ant …

Well, no offence to the dads chuckling away out there — or the dads at heart — but the Pink Panther should’ve prepped his home to fight that ant invasion long before they built a mound in the first place.

The website Popsugar offers several chemical-free ways to get rid of ants in the kitchen, where they tend to end up.

Dare them to step over the line.

■ The chalk line, that is. If ants are entering through an outside door, try drawing a chalk line outside on the ground just in front of that door. The critters aren’t fond of the calcium carbonate in the chalk, so they’re apt to turn away.

■ Stop a pantry raid. Ants don’t like flour or cinnamon either, so a sprinkling of the stuff in and around your pantry, or along your windowsills, can help keep them from munching your foodstuffs.

■ Use citrus. When life gives you lemons, make an effective ant repellent. Squeeze some lemon juice around windows, doors and window sills, where citrus is particularly effective. You can also pour some in a squirt bottle and spritz away.

■ Herb’s the word. Ants love sweet substances, so throw those sugar-crazed hexapods off the scent with herbs like sage and bay leaves. Put them directly in your sugar container or next to your honey.

■ Opt for a natural insecticide. Diatomaceous earth is a siliceous sedimentary rock that’s crumbled into a fine powder. It kills insects by entering their outer skeletons and dehydrating their bodies. Use a small amount wherever needed and follow the directions carefully since it can be toxic.

■ Caulk-a-doodle do, rather than don’t. Ants are great at finding cracks and holes around your doors and windows, so seal them up with caulk. It’s an easy DIY fix, but keep an eye out for more holes as they develop.

■ Make a clean sweep. Eliminate crumbs and sticky messes as soon as they appear and be thorough. Regular cleaning of counters, floors, cupboards, drawers and even your fridge should make your kitchen as anti-ant as possible.