Ants And Dummy Cakes!

Decorating By mybizzy Updated 26 Mar 2014 , 3:13pm by mybizzy

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mybizzy Posted 24 Mar 2014 , 3:28pm
post #1 of 14

Has anyone had any problems with your dummy cakes attracting ants and other tiny insects?  Is there a way to cover the fondant/sugar decorations to make them less attactive to the bugs?!?  Thanks!

 

Janice

13 replies
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AZCouture Posted 24 Mar 2014 , 7:36pm
post #2 of 14

AHaven't had that problem, but spraying them with bug spray should do the trick.

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sweettooth101 Posted 24 Mar 2014 , 9:50pm
post #3 of 14

You could use the equal amounts of borax ans sugar, mix well and leave close to where your cakes are, they will take that to their nests and that should eliminate that problem, this is a non poisonous solution.


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mybizzy Posted 25 Mar 2014 , 2:37pm
post #4 of 14

Thank you both for your replies.  Both very interesting solutions!

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hbquikcomjamesl Posted 25 Mar 2014 , 5:39pm
post #5 of 14

Or you could do your dummy cakes in Hydrocal, or any other kind of plaster. Little suckers would likely break their mandibles trying to eat that.

 

Hmm. Sugar, appetizing appearance, and bug spray. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

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AZCouture Posted 25 Mar 2014 , 6:20pm
post #6 of 14

AAnd what disastrous recipe would that be, exactly? Plenty of people do that. It's a display cake. It's not for licking or eating.

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mybizzy Posted 25 Mar 2014 , 7:04pm
post #7 of 14

Thanks HB.  Where can I get Hydrocal?  Is that something I could get from a hardware store?  Actually my concern with the bug spray is more about the smell than worrying about whether or not someone would try to lick it. :-D

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AZCouture Posted 25 Mar 2014 , 7:11pm
post #8 of 14

AIt goes away. And honestly, unless you already have a big problem, it's doubtful the dummy will suddenly cause one.

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hbquikcomjamesl Posted 25 Mar 2014 , 10:48pm
post #9 of 14

A well-stocked model train dealer would likely carry Hydrocal.

 

Of course, if you don't need to walk on the frosting, you could get by with Plaster of Paris, from the local hardware store. More-or-less the same stuff, except that Hydrocal sets up a lot harder.

 

It's been a while, but as I recall, if you add organic substances to any kind of plaster, it will slow down the setting, whereas if you add inorganic substances, it will speed up the setting.

 

And note that when a piping bag of plaster starts to feel warm and stiff (those with dirty minds can do what they please with that), it's about to set up, so you want to disassemble and clean out the tip and the fitting while you still can!

 

And note that while I've worked with both kinds of gypsum plaster (mainly building model railroad scenery), I'm far from an expert, and I've never had the need to run it through a piping bag (but I know it can be done, because that's how a lot of decorative plaster work is done, e.g., in some of the historic rooms of the California State Capitol).

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leah_s Posted 25 Mar 2014 , 11:00pm
post #10 of 14

Yep.  Sprayed along the base with ant spray.  Problem solved.

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patticake1951 Posted 25 Mar 2014 , 11:40pm
post #11 of 14

You could use wilton fondant instead of good stuff!!! I had some dummy cakes  couple of years ago in our window display, and had one with MMF and one with Wilton and they destroyed the one with MMF and didn't touch the Wilton one.

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AZCouture Posted 26 Mar 2014 , 4:31am
post #12 of 14

A

Original message sent by patticake1951

You could use wilton fondant instead of good stuff!!! I had some dummy cakes  couple of years ago in our window display, and had one with MMF and one with Wilton and they destroyed the one with MMF and didn't touch the Wilton one.

Hey, those ants know good eats!

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hbquikcomjamesl Posted 26 Mar 2014 , 5:12am
post #13 of 14

AMy own experience with ants mirrors everything the professional exterminators say:

Spraying for ants just gets you a bunch of dead workers, and some nasty contamination, without having any real impact on the colony. A few well-placed bait stations take out the whole colony, queen and all.

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mybizzy Posted 26 Mar 2014 , 3:13pm
post #14 of 14

Thanks everyone!  Patticake - I did use Wilton Fondant!  I guess they were just really hungry after emerging from their winter break! :smile:

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