Ants

Just found myself in the midst of an ant colony when out hilling my potatoes. Any way to disperse of these critters naturally? This is dirt I need to keep weeded and move about and I had the little buggers all over me by the time I got done out there!

Thanks,
Gwen

Boiling water poured directly into the hill's opening. No permanent damage to the soil and gets rid of the queen so the colony is quickly finished. I've used this effectively even on the terrible fire ants for several years, and thus far this year have not seen a single colony (keeping fingers crossed!)

I'm with Yuska on this one. I pal in Florida uses this method on his fire ant colonies with remarkable success. Just make sure it's a large pot of boiling water to insure that hot water gets down to the queen. It is a clever remedy and the entire colony of ants then becomes a rather fertile part of the compost. This lends further use of the axiom "Tresspassers will be Composted"....lol.

good luck,
Don

Okay, but how do I find the opening. They are in mounds of dirt that I scooped out to make the trench for potatoes. Now I'm using those mounds to hill the potatoes. I'm not seeing any sort of 'opening.'

Gwen

Watch the ants moving. I assumed they were hilling in the potato patch, but if they are coming in from elsewhere they will move in lines coming and going (so as not to get lost.) Find the point at which the lines originate and end (returning). Most types of ants like tilled soil as it is easier to construct their underground tunnels, and the dirt they throw up forms a hill. A few kinds don't form much of a hill but there will be some place where they go underground. One other thought - it's possible that it is a new invasion foming a colony. If the queen has not yet been selected the individuals may be wandering at random. They will probably colonize in a matter of days and you can zap them with boiling water then.

Thanks, Yuska. I look forward to this mission. I *hate* ants! We also battling carpenter ants around the house. What a pain. Have had pest control out twice but we are still seeing them. They want to spray the whole place which I am fighting against. Up til now I have kept them to just dusting the 'nests' as they have found them.

Gwen

Here's a very good informational piece on carpenter ants and what to do about them. I agree with you - the "shot gun" approach should be avoided if at all possible.

http://tinyurl.com/ic2p

Tansy seems to work well, too. Crumble dry (I've also used fresh) leaves over the area you don't want them in. People used to plant tansy by the house to keep the ants out. Some of us still do... :)

Is there anything Tansy doesn't do? ;)

Gwen

It doesn't do squat for my potatoes.

I read that someone used crumbled catnip to get rid of flea beetles, so I practically ran to the catnip growing at the back of the yard... it was covered with flea beetles. Urg.

I used the boiling water method many times in FL. as well as here.I have been told that instant grits do a good job as well. they expand or something.I haven't tried this yet but there are some small hills around the yard so I'm getting ready to try.I will report when I do.

I have those red and black ants with a mound of grass and sticks at the edge of my garden and came here to see what I could do to kill them short of burning them out (fire hazard so that's out) or poison. Will try the boiling water and let you know.

I use boric acid (from the drug store) mixed with sugar is very popular with the ants and they take it and eat it
and feed it to the queen and no more ants..............

In the house I mix it will a little water in jar caps and they come and get it. Outside I sprinkle it around the house.
Most bugs won't cross it. That worked for palmetto bugs in FL. Put a line of boric acid across the door and
palmetto bugs that want to come don't survive the ordeal.

Is boric acid poision to humans or dogs???

There is currently a thread (titled Ant Repellant) running on the General Discussion forum that discusses boric acid.

hiya old_rose,

Boric acid is toxic to both humans and dogs. Ask your vet how many snail bait and boric acid poisonings he/she sees in a year, you'll find the number astonishing.

Thank you Yuska I will keep an eye on that thread.
Hey Dr.Don thank you for the answer I was afraid of that I tried the boiling H2O on one tonight I don't see any out there now but will watch it I am not much of a chemical person. When I made a new flower bed I made when I move my old compost pile I must have displaced quite a few they are frantic trying to build new homes all around it.
Sandy