Another reason to hate fireants

[Jogeephus]

Since planting my garden a week ago we have had 5 inches of rain. I noticed two cabbage sets I had planted were wilted and I figured they were just drowning. Looked today and have five more wilting bad so I pluck one out of the ground and find fire ants all over the root and the root has been eaten like a beaver got hold of it but I wasn't positive it was caused by the ants or some other insect and the ants were just secondary like in the case of aphids. A quick Google and learn it is the fire ants. Ba$tards!

I read on about control of fire ants in cabbage and learn the following.

Blend hot peppers, garlic or lemons with water in a blender and liberally mist the area where the ants gather. Alternatively, sprinkle cayenne pepper, chili powder, black pepper or cinnamon around the cabbage plants to keep ants away. These methods will not kill many ants but will create an unpleasant living environment, which causes the ants to relocate.

I don't know if any of you have priced McCormick's cayenne pepper or their chili powder lately but it ain't cheap. Besides, I don't want to make the ants "uncomfortable" I want to KILL THEM. I may not have been the pick of the litter but momma didn't raise no fool. So much for going organic this year but the ants are dead.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Dang! That mixture sounds like it would just make those ants meaner and hotter!! Their "Fire Ants" for gosh sake! Why would "Cayenne Pepper" faze them?!

 

[skyhightree1]

Jo that sucks im sorry we don't have fire ants here but I tell you I got ant hills everywhere. Do you think if you mixed boric acid in the soil or sulfur seven dust what have you and mixed in the soil may kill them.

 

[Nesikep]

We have tiny little black ants that make miniature anthills in the garden, they usually don't do any harm.. Then we have the big red ants, if they aren't by the house they don't bother us.. Our house is built on a wood log foundation, so we watch out for termites... A couple years ago our hot water tank just about fell through the floor they had eaten it all out.. it was leaking a little, and with the warmth and humidity they thought that was just the perfect place!

 

[cowgirl8]

The best way to get rid of fire ants is a bait. They go so deep into the ground, just applying stuff to the top doesnt even faze them. Sometimes you think you've gotten rid of them, in reality they've just moved or gone under to rear their ugly heads another day. People usually dont use a bait because they want them gone asap..Baits usually take a few days, but is the best way to get rid of a problem mound.

 

[austinwend]

Since planting my garden a week ago we have had 5 inches of rain. I noticed two cabbage sets I had planted were wilted and I figured they were just drowning. Looked today and have five more wilting bad so I pluck one out of the ground and find fire ants all over the root and the root has been eaten like a beaver got hold of it but I wasn't positive it was caused by the ants or some other insect and the ants were just secondary like in the case of aphids. A quick Google and learn it is the fire ants. Ba$tards!

I read on about control of fire ants in cabbage and learn the following.

Blend hot peppers, garlic or lemons with water in a blender and liberally mist the area where the ants gather. Alternatively, sprinkle cayenne pepper, chili powder, black pepper or cinnamon around the cabbage plants to keep ants away. These methods will not kill many ants but will create an unpleasant living environment, which causes the ants to relocate.

I don't know if any of you have priced McCormick's cayenne pepper or their chili powder lately but it ain't cheap. Besides, I don't want to make the ants "uncomfortable" I want to KILL THEM. I may not have been the pick of the litter but momma didn't raise no fool. So much for going organic this year but the ants are dead.

By pouring boiling water into the entrance of an ant colony, every ant that it comes into contact with would perish. Likewise some amount of corn meal would also do and if nothing works then I think, you should go for pest control. For this, you can get citations from any of specific pest agency in your local or you can also check here.

 

[Hook]

This looks like it give you more satisfaction
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IGJ2jMZ-gaI

 

[jedstivers]

The best way to get rid of fire ants is a bait. They go so deep into the ground, just applying stuff to the top doesnt even faze them. Sometimes you think you've gotten rid of them, in reality they've just moved or gone under to rear their ugly heads another day. People usually dont use a bait because they want them gone asap..Baits usually take a few days, but is the best way to get rid of a problem mound.

The good thing about orthene is they think its food and take it to the queen and the rest of the colony. About two days and the mound is dead.
I put a bag in the truck yesterday, we have a new mound by the house. I'm fixing to take it out.

 

[Jogeephus]

I like the aluminum cast. Its organic.

 

[Deepsouth]

Get some Talstar and spray your gard3n and yard. It work's really well!

 

[Jogeephus]

I have some Talstar. Haven't tried them on ants but I will give it a try. I used something different. The ants are dead in piles. Garden is no longer organic but .....

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Dead fire ants has to better than a organic garden.

 

[TexasBred]

The best way to get rid of fire ants is a bait. They go so deep into the ground, just applying stuff to the top doesnt even faze them. Sometimes you think you've gotten rid of them, in reality they've just moved or gone under to rear their ugly heads another day. People usually dont use a bait because they want them gone asap..Baits usually take a few days, but is the best way to get rid of a problem mound.

I like to think the little b$%$%ds are screaming as they consume the stuff. I figure if I kill all the workers the queen will starve to death on her own.

 

[cowgirl8]

I laugh when i see people recommend sprinkling corn meal or cream of wheat on the mound to explode their stomachs.. :lol2: Come on, if it were that easy we'd have no problems with fire ants. They are hard to kill. They go deep into the ground so anything you do to the top will do nothing to the group underground.
20 years ago we had no fire ants. They moved in and for a while were everywhere. The cold winters have pushed them back a bit, but at least we dont have as many as some. I only try to control the ones in my garden area and up against the house. Baits work the best, but you have to keep it up or they just keep coming back.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have some Talstar. Haven't tried them on ants but I will give it a try. I used something different. The ants are dead in piles. Garden is no longer organic but .....

This is the best stuff I have found other than dragging the pasture below freezing.

http://fireant.tamu.edu/controlmethods/ ... uish_plus/

 

[ga.prime]

I've used the Extinguish bait and it does work very well. Never tried the Talstar but I asked a Allgood professional pest control guy what they used for fire ants and he said Talstar.

 

[mike12345]

Hello ga.prime,

To get your ant problem under control, inspection is an important first step.

To find ant nests, follow their trails. Ants lay down a chemical pheromone trail along their established routes to and from a food source so other Ants can easily find the food.

Inside a house, inspect along the carpet edges, doors, windows, and all areas of the kitchen. The easiest way to find a trail to the nest is to watch where ants go after reaching the food source. If you are targeting Carpenter Ants, inspection at night is more effective since the larger Carpenter Ant is nocturnal. You can spot Carpenter Ants emerging from damaged wood inside the house, or foraging outside in woodpiles, rotted or water-damaged wood, and tree stumps.

Outside the house, inspect around foundation walls, areas of vegetation, and mulch. Any vegetation found near patios and walls may hide some Ant nests or their trails. Check under any item that is on the ground. Some ant nests are well hidden.

Follow the trail to find the nest.
Treat the nest directly if possible or use bait or non-repellent insecticide around the perimeter of the house and on the ant trails.

 

[Craig Miller]

I hope he found a solution years ago or they toted him off by now

 

[greybeard]

I hope he found a solution years ago or they toted him off by now

:lol: :lol:

(I never had any problem finding a fire ant 'nest'. They're pretty dang obvious---just walk around till your feet are on fire up to your knees)

 

[Stocker Steve]

This looks like it give you more satisfaction
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IGJ2jMZ-gaI

Very Nice!

Can you sell the castings to tourists?