A million white ants and should I just quit?

[hasshoes]

I know I said I'd stop bugging everyone (no pun intended,) but this is just too comedic.

Once the winds died down, I went and started making more holes/mounds in the rain, determined to get some more plants in the ground. As I leaned in to pat my pile, I discovered literally thousands of white ants EVERYWHERE and a bunch of other critters that had the shape of a lacewing, but the body was black and the wings were white. It definitely wasn't a flying ant because I've been attacked by those before and those are bigger.

What are these critters, are they super bad, and how do I kill all them? They are actually IN the soil. . . and really deep. . . and in my mater mounds!!!!!

Also, I just found some weeds that had purple-y black spots all over them which I'm pretty sure is a horrific disease. Should I just kill myself err I mean the maters? I'm starting to think I'm spending a heck of a lot of time (and $) on something that looks increasingly like a HUGE disaster!!

[lavandula girl]

Are you sure they aren't termites?

[hasshoes]

OH MY GAWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After looking on Wikipedia, I now realize I HAVE TERMITES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Someone please HELP ME! OMG!!!!!!!!!!OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Panic mode and getting teary I've worked so hard on these little maters I feel like they're my children. It can't end like this, it just can't!!!!

[feldon30]

To save your house: http://www.terminix.com/
To save your tomatoes: Not sure.

[Steve1961]

I doubt if the termites are going to hurt your toms but I'm just like you.....GET THEM OUT OF HERE. Here is one tried and true way of getting them out of there. If you can, try and dig down and find the queen. She will be very large. Kill her and it will cause the rest of them to swarm and leave your area. Another thing you can try is get you some hot pepper wax and spray the hell out of them. I bet that will get there attention. Only problem is if you can't get the queen killed they will try to be very persistent in trying to come back and serve her. Good luck. Oh one other thing if you unearth any of the termite larva just throw some powdered milk on them......instant dehydration and your toms will enjoy the calcium.

[lavandula girl]

I have found that pouring large quantities of boiling water on the termites is very discouraging to them... Must be all those years I studied medieval history, but sending boiling liquid down on your enemy from lofty points is so oddly satisfying. Good luck with your issue. Definitely remove anything they might like snacking on, if you can. Wood mulch, timbers around the bed, nearby woodpiles, etc. By the way, termites make a really lovely popping noise if you burn the wood. I know, not nice, but again, oddly satisfying!

[hasshoes]

I like your thinking lavendula girl. . . I went crazy with the neem oil a couple of days ago and it was highly therapeudic. . . and shockingly fun.

I'm trying to get the town to remove them, as I am paying $50 for my little plot afterall. . . a plot that also turns out to be half shade. . . grrrrrr From what I've read online, they DO like to eat plant roots. Also, there's a hardcore ant colony on the other end of my plot and I just found out it was the "rock plot" where all the other gardeners dumped their rocks last year. . . so $50 is kinda insanely ridiculous!!!

I will grow maters. . . even if I go have to buy one at the store and lie about it 8)