fire ants

[heehaw]

we went from normal sweet eating ants last spring, that took forever to get under control, to fire ants: i sprayed about a half dozen nest in my front yard this wk-end: this is the first time i have ever had fire ants: its going to be a battle to try to control them, from what i
have read anyway: i pushed the sprayer tip deep into the ground, until i hit a hollow spot, an then filled it with poison: sure hope that works: i will be checking at the co-op an tractor supply to see what they have for fire ants too.
heehaw

 

[Logan]

Use Ortho Orthene fire ant killer. I get it at Home Depot. It is available at Walmart too. It will kill most of them with the application of a teaspoon full sprinkled over the mound. What is not killed will move to your neighbors yard. BUT, it is a never ending process.

 

[creekbend]

Use Ortho Orthene fire ant killer. I get it at Home Depot. It is available at Walmart too. It will kill most of them with the application of a teaspoon full sprinkled over the mound. What is not killed will move to your neighbors yard. BUT, it is a never ending process.

That works but as you stated it is a never ending battle. I know because I lived and worked in Florida from 1978 until 2008. The FPL linemen used to have packages of poison dust that they dusted their work areas with but it contained amounts of DDT. The only permanent way to eradicate the mound-Queen and all- is to pour gas down the entrance and light it. When I worked for Storer Cable in Sarasota, Florida, my Brother and I came upon a mound that was as tall as me standing on the cab top of a F-350 crew cab. And I am 6'4". Cattle have been known to wander into a hill at night, and be dead by morning. A word of advice: if you get stung, do not pinch the bite after "Pus" forms. This will only drive the toxin deeper. Vinegar works somewhat. Fire ants are moving Northward and are already in several Counties of NC. Experts say that colder climates may prevent further advancement. Good Luck.

 

[ustmd]

The Ortho Orthene fire ant killer is pretty good for immediate control.

I would also recommend the Andro Bait. The bait takes several months, but it kills the mounds and keeps them under control. You need to bait in the fall and in the spring when they are forging.

If they get in a flower pot or if you have mound, Orange oil diluted with water (maybe 5 to 1 or even 10 o 1), will kill the mound without killing anything else. :thumbsup:

 

[Cat_Driver]

You need to kill the queen and thats done with this...
Fire Ant Killer, Ant Control & Ant Bait for Killing Fire Ants by AMDRO Fire Ant Killers

I used this and the next day there was a pile 8" around the ant hill made up of dead ants that live ants brought out from the bottom of the colony.

Apply AMDRO Fire Ant Bait and it starts to work immediately. The worker ants take the bait and carry it into the mound for the queen to eat.

The day after that even the workers that were bringing up the dead bodies were gone. Not an ant within 100ft of that pile. They never did show up again.

 

[Bird]

Amdro may be the most popular or well known with Orthene not far behind. But down in the country, I bought one called Logic from the ag chemical place. It was a poison impregnated yellow cornmeal and you simply broadcast it at a rate of one pound per acre. I did the 3 acres around the house, shop, barn & garden twice a year. Then any time I saw a mound starting (almost always right after a rain), I mixed up about a gallon of diazinon and poured it slowly on the mound so it would slowly run down the tunnels. But I also found that malathion and almost any other liquid insecticide will work. Texas A&M recommended the dual approach; both bait and drench.

And now in town, every time my wife or I find fire ants in our yard (maybe 4 to 6 times a year), I mix one ounce of Ortho Max in a gallon of water and apply it as above. So it's a continuous process, but they're not that hard to control if you don't let'em get ahead of you.

And 10 days ago, I got stung on both hands; first time in years. I was going to mow the yard and was first doing a little trimming with the string trimmer and picked up one of the rain gutter splash shields to move it out of the way without paying any attention and fire ants had built under it.

 

[EagleTDL]

Hi-Yield Acephate has always done the trick with me, living in FL & AL. Nudge the mound to get 'em going and sprinkle a teaspoon or so on the disturbed soil. They will track it back to lower chambers and as they say, that's that!

When you buy it, go ahead and transfer the contents of the can to a gallon ziplock. I'm still using what's left of a 1/2lb can I bought 6 or 7 years ago. Can long ago disintegrated in the FL humidity 'cause you have to store it outside. Stinks to high heaven...

However, I would have never known anyone to put a pinch under a buddy's truck seat when he left the windows down...

 

[raptor749]

Spectracide Red bag, white granules, a little late evening, repeat, repeat, repeat.... Don't stick flags in mound to mark them, ants will move before eating bait... If you are alergic to bee or wasp stings , fire ant stings can do the same to you.. Be careful.. NOTE bait will be stail 30 days after opening bag, share with your neighors , don't waste.. The worker ants are FEMALE they don't like stail food,, they eat by passing mouth to mouth all the way to the QUEEN.. I said bait late evening because sun light will make the bait dry out , ant fire ants search for food in the late evening.. They also like cement pads because of the HEAT.. They will also lay unseen for months and then show up again in may mounds.. They are hard to get rid of, good luck.. Any other questions your ag extention person should also be able to help , some times they offer fire ant classes to help out.. It sure helped me, here in North Carolina.. Sorry my spelling sucks. Steven.

 

[Combustix]

Backed when I lived in Texas with a brother and friend we used to take a broom stick and drive it down the center of the mound. Then we would fill the hole with black powder make a long fuse and run. Probably didn't get em all but it was a lot more fun that way

 

[Ken]

we went from normal sweet eating ants last spring, that took forever to get under control, to fire ants: i sprayed about a half dozen nest in my front yard this wk-end: this is the first time i have ever had fire ants: its going to be a battle to try to control them, from what i
have read anyway: i pushed the sprayer tip deep into the ground, until i hit a hollow spot, an then filled it with poison: sure hope that works: i will be checking at the co-op an tractor supply to see what they have for fire ants too.
heehaw[/QUOTe
hee haw
Wasn't it about a year ago you had a attack of ants and gophers and mice in your yard. Guess there back.If you use Bing search try pissant information everything you will need or care to know about ants.
Also your Mt. View home spend any time there
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Met a Ark. Power and Light employee used to work with. Retired in 1980 Now 90 wife 86 and she was fussing at him for wrecking there motorcycle.They were dancing at the music hall South of court house. one block.
Going back for the Bean Fest. Have your out house ready race?
ken