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Fire ants in the garden - what to do


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Finnabair

Mon Nov 16 2009, 07:53AM

Registered Member #1184

Joined: Wed Sep 17 2008, 10:29PM
Posts: 45

Those of you north of the Mason-Dixon Line probably don't have this issue, but I have fire ants in my raised garden beds.

What should I use that will actually work, but not poison my food or the soil?

Copacetic

Mon Nov 16 2009, 09:55AM

Registered Member #1238

Joined: Wed Oct 08 2008, 02:04PM
Posts: 433

Amdro. For years I have been in the landscape industry and I have had the best luck with Amdro. As for environmental issue, any poison can be toxic to the environment. However, in the studies I've read, Amdro does not accumulate significantly in the environment. At recommended application rates, it does not pose a serious threat to people or pets. The product is easy to use as well. I have seen fire ants remove poison grans and place them in a circle around the mound. Smart little critters. They will feed the product to the queen resulting in the death of the colony. Just my suggestion.

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

Thomas Jefferson

http://lilliputfarms.blogspot.com/

"I work so I can eat, I eat to have energy, I need energy to play paintball!' - James 'Copacetic' B

Finnabair

Tue Nov 17 2009, 07:35AM

Registered Member #1184

Joined: Wed Sep 17 2008, 10:29PM
Posts: 45

OK, that's good. I use Amdro once a month around the well pump and AC unit so that the little buggers don't get into the wiring. Glad to hear it's safe for the garden, too.

Copacetic

Wed Nov 18 2009, 08:36AM

Registered Member #1238

Joined: Wed Oct 08 2008, 02:04PM
Posts: 433

Finnabair,
I did some extra research and found that Amdro is NOT approved for use in vegetable gardens, but can be applied around and outside the borders of the garden so the worker ants inside and outside of the garden can gather the bait and take it back to their colonies.

1-2 gallons of very hot to boiling water will kill FRESH fire ant mounds 60% of time. Be careful not to cook plants!

Information gleaned from http://fireant.tamu.edu/materials/factsheets_pubs/pdf/fapfs004.2002rev.pdf

Sorry for my incorrect post earlier.

Colorado

Wed Nov 18 2009, 09:57AM

Registered Member #1736

Joined: Thu Apr 16 2009, 11:19AM
Posts: 125

I was going to say farm store told use Andro and I read on the can not for garden. Here they use apple jelly or peanutbutter and boric acid. They stuff it in straws and lay in ant hill. Menonite lady told me they use apple jelly and boric acid and suck it up in straws and do not get in mouth. Our ants here are hard to kill and I have gotten out of garden but they just moved out, still have them. They would cut off tomato plants. Kill out beans and put down me 3 days if I got bit. Too much boric acid and they will not take it they do carry in to the nest. I have not tried it. In Texas a guy uses instand grits and they eat and blow up. Did not work here as they liked it fine. They do not like irrigation water . I figure cats would take the steaws with peanutbuter. Extension service said 5 % permethothen (can't spell it and can is gone) but it did not work. My neighbor said gas on the hill and light it on fire is the only way he found. They made big crop circle in my field.

Rockytopsis

Thu Nov 19 2009, 07:15AM

Registered Member #810

Joined: Tue Feb 26 2008, 11:57AM
Posts: 12

I have had pretty good luck just pouring boiling hot water on the ant hill.

Nancy

http://www.freewebs.com/rockytopsis/


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