Fire Ants - They must die!

[Jed_Clampet]

Folks, any ideas on what to use on these little buggers. They are a major pain down here in the south. I've tried several things, the most recent being Seven dust applied with a gallon sprayer. I actually soaked the mounds the other day. They just pack up and moved a few inches next door as you can see in the one photo. Previously they made their home near the edges of the yard next to some fields where the grass was sparse, but now they are building in my nice green grass and must go. (needs cut, been raining) I'm headed to town and I'll see what Lowes has.

Jed

[Apache Warrior]

It is very hard to kill a Fire Ant Colony. They actually have multiple queens and if you don't kill all of them the colony will survive.
I use a combination of Ortho Orthene and a bait. The Orthene is a white powder that does not have to be watered in. Sprinkle it over the mound and a feet feet around the mound.
Apache

[Jed_Clampet]

It is very hard to kill a Fire Ant Colony. They actually have multiple queens and if you don't kill all of them the colony will survive.
I use a combination of Ortho Orthene and a bait. The Orthene is a white powder that does not have to be watered in. Sprinkle it over the mound and a feet feet around the mound.
Apache

Thanks Apache, that sounds great! Can you get that stuff at Lowes?

Jed

[{CLR} Major.Massacre]

It is very hard to kill a Fire Ant Colony. They actually have multiple queens and if you don't kill all of them the colony will survive.
I use a combination of Ortho Orthene and a bait. The Orthene is a white powder that does not have to be watered in. Sprinkle it over the mound and a feet feet around the mound.
Apache

Very wise is the Apache Warrior. Is there anything you dont know???

[DougBob]

I sent Ma an email asking what the granular is she uses. We have a terrible problem with them back home in NC and this stuff will knock a mount out. I"ll post it as soon as she emails me back.

[Apache Warrior]

You can get it at Lowes in South Georgia.
Apache

[Jed_Clampet]

I guess I should wait until the rainy pattern stops. It's supposed to be 60 % chance all the way through mid-week.

Jed

[DougBob]

I got it Jed, it's called Amdro and it's the best stuff I've ever seen for fire ants. You basically use the granular form and surround and cover the colony. They'll be gone by the next day and then it's on to the next colony.

Trust me on this, forget the home remedy stuff it doesn't work, use this stuff.

Ma said she get's it from Lowes so you shouldn't have a problem finding it there. Good Luck.

[GeneralSnake]

You could convert to Buddhism and make peace with the fact that you live on the land of ants.
I wonder if the ants realize how similar they are to Native Americans.
well, I dont wonder that, I will just assume they dont know.

[Jed_Clampet]

I got it Jed, it's called Amdro and it's the best stuff I've ever seen for fire ants. You basically use the granular form and surround and cover the colony. They'll be gone by the next day and then it's on to the next colony.

Trust me on this, forget the home remedy stuff it doesn't work, use this stuff.

Ma said she get's it from Lowes so you shouldn't have a problem finding it there. Good Luck.

Good deal. I'll get that and the stuff Apache mentioned and I'll let you know what happens. I worry about the kids running with no shoes on and getting in one. It happened to me with my hand a few weeks ago - I was moving a piece of wood that had a huge colony under it and didn't even realize they were on me until I felt pain, there must have been 50 or so. Got about 5 bite marks...painful and itchy hours and days later.

You could convert to Buddhism and make peace with the fact that you live on the land of ants.
I wonder if the ants realize how similar they are to Native Americans.
well, I dont wonder that, I will just assume they dont know.

I think they are making love, not war cause there popping up everywhere. It's amazing how much dirt they can move overnight...it facinates me. But they still must go.

[{CLR} Major.Massacre]

Good deal. I'll get that and the stuff Apache mentioned and I'll let you know what happens. I worry about the kids running with no shoes on and getting in one. It happened to me with my hand a few weeks ago - I was moving a piece of wood that had a huge colony under it and didn't even realize they were on me until I felt pain, there must have been 50 or so. Got about 5 bite marks...painful and itchy hours and days later.





I think they are making love, not war cause there popping up everywhere. It's amazing how much dirt they can move overnight...it facinates me. But they still must go.

Burn the Hippies!

[GeneralSnake]

lol. hippie fire ants.
The regular small black and red ants here in northern california move a lot of dirt too, those fine grain dirt piles everywhere. they dont hurt though.
Fireants sting bad or are they just some unsightly nuisance? or both?

[Apache Warrior]

Fire Ants are very aggressive and they sting. The fire ant uses its mandibles to grasp its victim. It arches its body and drives an abdominal stinger into the skin to release venom. If not quickly removed, it then pivots around its mandibles and inflicts further stings in a circular pattern.

The venom from a fire ant is different from that of wasps and bees because it is made from a protein base. Almost 95% of the venom is water soluable. The venom also has a histamine in it which causes the reaction to the skin which looks like a blister or zit. There are also several different allergens in the fire ant venom that can cause allergic reactions to some people when they are stung by a fire ant.

And Fire Ants can kill.
Apache

[Pumpkin_Jack]

Burn them with a magnifying glass

[Skud]

Burn them with a magnifying glass

Lol, +1. I used to hit them with M80s, gasoline, etc. when I was a lad...that was before they had PCs!