Planting 'maters, freaking ants!!!

So I'm sticking in a few more plants today, filling up the last spots in the bed. I'm mixing in a few additives to the soil when I get that feeling that something on my wrist is wrong. Eh, it will go away...right? Hey! Ouch! What the heck!!! Stupid FIRE ANTS!!!! I hate you.

So do any of you Texas growers got a reliable method for keeping these suckers out of your raised bed? Normally I can see where they are nesting, usually right in a corner against a board. But today, the bed looked normal and didn't appear to be holding any ants, until my wrist was covered in them. I would prefer not to use something too drastic, but I have 2 kids that like to garden too, so in the end, the ants gotta go...

[Ricefarmer05]

Originally Posted by eltex

So I'm sticking in a few more plants today, filling up the last spots in the bed. I'm mixing in a few additives to the soil when I get that feeling that something on my wrist is wrong. Eh, it will go away...right? Hey! Ouch! What the heck!!! Stupid FIRE ANTS!!!! I hate you.

So do any of you Texas growers got a reliable method for keeping these suckers out of your raised bed? Normally I can see where they are nesting, usually right in a corner against a board. But today, the bed looked normal and didn't appear to be holding any ants, until my wrist was covered in them. I would prefer not to use something too drastic, but I have 2 kids that like to garden too, so in the end, the ants gotta go...

Here's a pretty comprehensive list from Texas A&M of what broadcast baits are available. It looks like the first six products listed can be used in gardens. However, I'm sure you will need to check out the label to see the details related to wait periods before harvest etc.

http://fireant.tamu.edu/controlmetho...ntbait2012.pdf


I've come to the conclusion that us Texans are destined to fight a long, losing battle in the garden. If you used raised beds, you better be ready to fight the fire ants. If you don't use raised beds, you better be ready to fight the weeds.

People always say that in the event of a nuclear catastrophe, the only thing left will be cockroaches. There's not a doubt in my mind that the cockroaches in Texas will have plenty of fire ants and nut grass to keep them company...

[livinonfaith]

I read somewhere recently that peeing on the hill will kill them. I haven't tried it yet, but if it works, I have a 14 year old who is getting free reign to go ant hunting this Spring!

I hate those things!

[Worth1]

Whats a fire ant?

Worth

[Petronius_II]

I would think the least invasive countermeasure is the one to try first, then moving up from there.

Using a garden fork or rototiller to disturb the heart of the nest, i.e. the part of the soil surrounding the largest entry/exit tunnel(s) visible on the surface, then pouring a lot of boiling water into the disturbed soil, is proven to, shall we say, sometimes either kill the queen, or convince her to move the whole tribe a goodly distance away. This has worked for me with some pesky red ants, but I'm not so sure they were actually fire ants.

The caveat here being that word sometimes. If the queen stays alive and stays put, the whole tribe stays put. If she doesn't, the problem is fixed. Unless maybe the place they move to is even worse for your purposes, eh?

[janezee]

Originally Posted by Petronius_II

Unless maybe the place they move to is even worse for your purposes, eh?

Yep, I had some ornery biting ants, half black, half red, that moved from the east side of my bed to the west. (Not the one I sleep in)

j

[saltmarsh]

This is the least expensive solution I've found and it works. I've used it for years.

Fire ants have turned over tomb stones weighing hundreds of pounds in this area. They like to build on the south face because it's warmer. They remove dirt, it rains, the dirt under the mined side settles, the ants remove more dirt, rinse and repeat. When you drive by a cemetery and see the tomb stones leaning south, they have a fire ant problem.

I mix 5 pounds of plain white corn meal (not self-rising), 2 packages of cherry flavored gelatin, 3 cups of granulated sugar (table sugar), and 2 tablespoons of 75% acephate powder and sprinkle no more than 1/4 cup on a large fire ant mound; less on a small mound. The cherry gelatin will turn the mound reddish to identify treated mounds and the tartness will deter animals from eating it. After a rain, if you see signs of activity (fresh loose soil on top of the mound) retreat it as before.

Take care not to disturb the mound as they will likely move to a new location.

It's important to treat all the mounds. They're normally within 25 - 30 feet of each other. If your mound came from a new batch of queens, more mounds will appear as the others build their colony. Be patient and continue to treat the mounds as they appear without disturbing them. The smaller the mound the better, because they haven't had time to make more queens.

Often your fire ants are coming onto your property from the road right of way. Look for them 2 - 6 feet from the pavement and treat as much as you like, it's unlikely the city or county will treat them (they do get tax revenue from the fire ant poison sales).

If your neighbor has fire ants give them the recipe, show them how to use it, and let your neighbors be a buffer to your property.

Or if you don't care to use chemicals, you can take a witching wand and ask the fire ants if they plan on building more mounds.

But worker and soldier ants don't count, make sure you're asking the Queen.

Claud

[feldon30]

When I find a fire ant mound, I get a tea kettle nice and full and bring it to a rolling boil. I disturb the mound and start pouring. I don't know how effective it is but it's very rewarding.

[jennifer28]

Red Imported Fire Ants are a huge problem, as you have experienced, but they are especially dangerous when children are involved. Most young children love to play and run in fields and then they sit down right on the ground when they are tired. OR they love to dig in the dirt. That's just what kids do. The ants HAVE to go because they will swarm any child who sits on or near their nest.

The Texas Imported Fire Ant and research project recommends the following 2 step method to control fire ant populations:
http://fireant.tamu.edu/management/twostep.cfm
I am not usually in favor of pesticides but we need to put children first in this situation.

I know I hate them, and I will be throwing out some bait today. I typically will use Green Light w/ Conserve, which is 'organic' and can be used without too many worries. Of course, the price on it has risen at most retailers over the last few years, but I found a shop in Elgin that still has it at the old prices. I'll pick up a couple more bags and give it a go. We live in the middle of nowhere, so we can't do the neighborhood trick, we just treat the area around the house that we have fenced in.

[Dewayne mater]

Dirt Doctor has several natural solutions. http://www.dirtdoctor.com/Fire-Ant-Control_vq558.htm
Whatever method you use, it is a war, not a battle. I.E. they will be back even if you kill the ones you have. So, to me, using less poisonous solutions makes sense because you are going to do it again and again. I've tried baits and they do work on that mound, but then the are back. The orange oil drench method seems to work about as well to me.

Dewayne Mater

[b54red]

Boiling water poured on a mound will work but it takes a lot of water and if you aren't careful you will get a few burns yourself transporting the hot water. It is a lot of work and only practical for a small infestation. If fire ants in Texas are the same kind of problem they are in Alabama then you might as well go get some Amdro. I have had raised beds for about 30 years and not a year goes by that I haven't had some fire ant problems. The problem greatly decreased when I really treated the surrounding area with Amdro for a couple of years in a row. Now I only get a few small beds which I treat as soon as I see them. If you don't treat the small ant beds then you will soon have a very large ant bed with many satellite beds all around. Amdro must not be very toxic because I have had to treat my compost pile several times when fire ants got in it and it didn't seem to affect the worms but it did get rid of the ants.

[Worth1]

The problem is if you have neighbors that dont do a darn thing but sit in the house you aren't going to get rid of them.
I have two across the street that mow about 2 times a year, laziest bunch I have ever seen.
And they have kids old enough to do yard work.
I put out ANDRO in my neighbor lady's yard my other neighbor tries to control his.
The problem with it is sometimes the ants dont take the bait.
What we need are aardvarks and lots of them.

Worth

[ArcherB]

I use DE (diatomaceous earth) and it's worked every time I've used it. As far as I know, it's perfectly safe for kids and pets.

I sprinkle a bit on, disturb the mound and sprinkle a bit more on. The only time I've had an issue is when the ground is wet or it rains the next day as DE needs to remain dry in order to be effective.

[jennifer28]

I do love diatomaceous earth, that is a great suggestion. I use it here because we have a prolific earwig population. They like to chew everything and they are so ugly. And they pinch... I didn't think about using it against fire ants. great suggestion!