10 acres and tons of ant mounds

[Atchuuu]

It may be a losing battle but I want to fight it anyway. How do I get rid of all these fire ant mounds? Is there an attachment that I can use on the 3pt to spread ant poison? Do they sell it in bulk at the Co/op? Do you even worry about it?

 

[void777]

Atchuuu
gas on top the ant hill works catch as manny as you can now or summer will be H.ll on outdoor get togthers

 

[smstonypoint]

One solution is to move.

I am not aware of any insecticides that would be cost effective on that scale.

I have used Amdro and another insecticide (the name escapes me) to treat individual mounds. Neither is inexpensive. Treating 10 acres would be too heavy a hit for my bank account. Even if you are able to eradicate the mounds, they will be back as they establish new colonies by migrating from adjacent properties.

Steve

 

[YLee Kioti]

I'm using a mixture of Borax soap and some sugar. About a cupful of the powder on the mound.

Also using Bifen I/T, depends on the size.

They have eliminated our little horned toads, rabbits and quails.

All the best these little suckas are as tough as they come.

On edit:
do you have 10 acres of solid mounds of these little darlings or you have 10 acres and have dozens of mounds of these little darlings?

Big difference on a solution.

But worst case use of a 40 gallon sprayer pulled behind with water and strong Bifen I/T solution.
Some may escape but you'll make a big dent in the population.

 

[Atchuuu]

One solution is to move.

I am not aware of any insecticides that would be cost effective on that scale.

I have used Amdro and another insecticide (the name escapes me) to treat individual mounds. Neither is inexpensive. Treating 10 acres would be too heavy a hit for my bank account. Even if you are able to eradicate the mounds, they will be back as they establish new colonies by migrating from adjacent properties.

Steve

I somehow knew that would be the answer but wondered how they keep ants mounds off soccer and ball fields.

 

[smstonypoint]

I somehow knew that would be the answer but wondered how they keep ants mounds off soccer and ball fields.

I suspect it is because either they treat individual mounds as they appear, or they have budgets that allow them to broadcast Amdro (or another insecticide) over the fields.

BTW, I have heard that sprinkling Amdro (or similar) on a doughnut on an individual mound speeds up the transport pace. I haven't tried it -- my Lab has an insatiable appetite and I don't want to have to haul her to the vet for treatment of fire ant stings.

Steve

 

[dieselscout80]

It costs just under $400 to treat our 14 acres.

There’s a guy around here that custom applies fire ant treatment.

Check with local horse owners and you’ll find someone to do it.

Your local county extension agent is a great source of info too.

 

[Atchuuu]

It costs just under $400 to treat our 14 acres.

There’s a guy around here that custom applies fire ant treatment.

Check with local horse owners and you’ll find someone to do it.

Your local county extension agent is a great source of info too.

Thanks for the info. Will contact extension office and post in thread to let everyone know what they recommend.

 

[MickeyDBC]

We have 86 acres of ants right now and I really hate ants. Looks like Amdro or a clone will cost about $15 to $20 an acre for bait plus an atv mounted spreader (about $300) and at least for the first year or two should be put out in spring and then early fall. It will probably take a month or so to really see results.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Amdro works fine for us. First year or two spring and fall. Then spot treat as needed hopefully. It’s a never ending deal it seems. Read the instructions carefully to make sure your not having conflict with other pasture uses.
3 point fertilizer spreader seems to work fine. Have mixed the amdro in with fertilizer one time and it seemed to work mine. Helped the grass and hurt the ants all in one spreading.
Yep its going to cost money. Just have to decide what its worth.

The commercial $400 treatment mention above sounds interesting. Please let us know what you lean and how it all works out.

Best of luck.