We had a problem w/ ants last yr. For some reason, they were *everywhere* - little brown ants, big black ants, you name it. It was driving me buggy (pun intended)! After doing all the usual stuff (using clear sealer to caulk every hole I could find, ant traps (that were picked up when the ferrets were out), etc, I finally gave up & called an exterminator. I don't know what the stuff was that he sprayed outside, around the foundation of our house, but it did *wonders*! No more ants.....& the extra bonus was, no more centipedes, which make me even crazier than ants do. I don't think switching from water bottles to crocks had anything to do w/ it. I used to only use bottles. Then I switched to crocks. Now I use both. I always had ants to *some* degree. But hiring the exterminator last summer really did the trick. And yes, the exterminator dude told me there was *no danger* to inside pets from the stuff he used outside. Wish I could be of more help! Lin, Ariel, Oberon, Max, Puck, & Ivan [Posted in FML issue 5229]