I had some ants in my car when I bought it, albeit doesn't sound as bad as your situation. I got a few of those Terra (sp?) liquid ant bait traps. I set them in the car in various places, the ants come to them because of the smell/taste, then take the liquid poison back to the colony and it kills them all.
Worked for me. No ants in months.
Worked for me. No ants in months.
I have a crazy aunt,...walks around in her underwear at family gatherings.
Honestly?
You encountered that many people that didn't understand why you didn't want ants crawling across a newly painted car?
Before giving them any credit,did you look down to be sure that the pro painted-ant crowd had their shoes on the right feet?
Maybe in the ant community, the word has gotten out that you intend to paint it, and the ants that your seeing are the extremely rare emerald green paint fume sniffing ants,...willing to trade their miserable lives for one last giant huff, so they can go to that great big ant hill in the sky, stoned to the bejusus.
Did you ever stop to consider that???