Need Help with Ant Control in Yard

[DanD78]

I have used diatomaceous earth to kill and keep ants away, you could look into that. But I haven't had to do it on a large scale, just drop some on their hills and put a perimeter around the house. The good news is that if you get the food grade stuff it is safe for human consumption and therefore would be safe for use around the kids, unlike many pesticides. Good luck.

I would look up a detailed MSDS sheet for Diatomaceous Earth before keeping it around. When wet there is no hazard but when dry and air born it can cause silicosis. We use it in filters for corn syrup but when dry we wear respirators. It would scare the public to death if they knew how dangerous some food grade ingredients were.

Dan

 

[Cat_Driver]

I've used it all and this stuff works like magic.

I sprinkled some around the ant hill and sat there and watched as hundreds of ants came out and grabbed this stuff and took it back down the hole ....I was amazed.

Then the next day I went to the ant hill and what I saw was even more amazing. There were many hundreds of dead ants arounf the ant hill and what living ants there were were bringing dead bodies out from the hole and dumping them around the entrance.

Next day after that not an art to be seen.

The ants take the bait back to the queen and serve her up a nice meal of poison - then bye, bye.


Ant Problem? Terro = Ant Control Solutions

 

[Tororider]

Food grade diatomaceous earth has very low amount of the crystalline form, and almost all amorphous form. Thus the risk for silicosis is much lower with food grade. That being said, keeping the bag closed and using a mask while working with it is a really good idea.

 

[Paystar]

Thanks everyone. I have a question, what is diatomaceous earth? I've never heard of it. And where do I get it? Do you need to put lots down, and what happens if it rains? Once the couple feet of snow is gone and it gets dry this summer maybe I will try that.

 

[Tororider]

You can get it at feed stores sometimes. Check online too. You do need to make sure you get food grade stuff though. So make sure the bags have a food grade codex on it. Like DanD78 said, the stuff that is easier to find, such as at pool stores, is the stuff you need to be real careful about.

Diatomaceaus earth, DE, is ground up fossil, which is why it is also called fossil shell flour, which you can sometimes get at health food stores. Many people add it to juice and drink it once a day, it is supposed to be good for your digestive tract. It sucks up moisture which is why I think it is affective with insects.

Check out this link. It has lots of other links for all you want to know about DE.

BackYardChickens.com - Raise Chickens, Build Chicken Coops, Hatch Eggs

 

[scott_vt]

Food grade diatomaceous earth has very low amount of the crystalline form, and almost all amorphous form. Thus the risk for silicosis is much lower with food grade. That being said, keeping the bag closed and using a mask while working with it is a really good idea.

Good Afternoon Tororider,
Thanks for that great tip ! Would I be able to use the diatomaceous earth that I use for my pool filter ? I do have some ant issues in the summer months also !

 

[Tororider]

Good Afternoon Tororider,
Thanks for that great tip ! Would I be able to use the diatomaceous earth that I use for my pool filter ? I do have some ant issues in the summer months also !

You know to be honest I have no idea, the only use I have had for it has been for my chickens and for killing/keeping ants away. I do know that there is some use for it with regard to pool filters. I just don't know what it is as I don't have a pool. Good luck. There is some good info on wikipedia about diatomaceous earth.

Diatomaceous earth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[weedpharma]

I have used diatomaceous earth to kill and keep ants away, you could look into that. But I haven't had to do it on a large scale, just drop some on their hills and put a perimeter around the house. The good news is that if you get the food grade stuff it is safe for human consumption and therefore would be safe for use around the kids, unlike many pesticides. Good luck.

I tried this on my place in West Australia. It had no effect. I poured it in and around the holes.

Weedpharma

 

[Skyco]

I really, really hate ants! Partly because I have an allergy issue with ant bites, not systemic, but extreme swelling and itching at the bite location.

Last night we were closely monitoring the outdoor temp because of the predicted heavy snowfall, and my outdoor remote temp sender quit working. Went out and got it, brought it in to see what was wrong. Dang thing had a bunch of ants in it, and this is in the winter and hangs on a tree 4 ft off the ground??? They started coming out as I went to disassemble it...BTW aerosol gun scrubber does a fine job on ants when they unexpectedly come pouring out on the workbench

I don't know why ants love electrical stuff so much. Years ago my heat pump quit, the contactor was full of fried ant bodies.

I use Amdro in the yard for the fireants but it does nothing against "regular" ants.