I've got fire ants. Who doesn't, right?
I've noticed more mounds after our most recent rains. So....what's
the best way to get rid of these, and to help prevent future mounds
from appearing? I know I won't get rid of all of them, all the time,
but I'd like to keep them at bay as much as possible.

Any (sensible) suggestions?

Thanks!

On 15 May 2007 07:32:07 -0700 in . com Hey, It's Me! wrote:
I've got fire ants. Who doesn't, right?
I've noticed more mounds after our most recent rains. So....what's
the best way to get rid of these, and to help prevent future mounds
from appearing? I know I won't get rid of all of them, all the time,
but I'd like to keep them at bay as much as possible.

Any (sensible) suggestions?

You won't achieve 100% eradication unless you only have one mound.

I'd suggest a two step as mentioned at fireant.tamu.edu.
Apply a broadcast bait to the yard.
Use a mound treatment on the mounds.


Thanks!



--
Chris Dukes
elfick willg: you can't use dell to beat people, it wouldn't stand up
to the strain... much like attacking a tank with a wiffle bat

In article . com,
"Hey, It's Me!" wrote:

I've got fire ants. Who doesn't, right?
I've noticed more mounds after our most recent rains. So....what's
the best way to get rid of these, and to help prevent future mounds
from appearing? I know I won't get rid of all of them, all the time,
but I'd like to keep them at bay as much as possible.

Any (sensible) suggestions?

My brother who lives in SC and has some experience dealing with them
says that compacting the nest soil works for him. Drop a chunk of 2x4 on
the nest (you might need something a bit larger if it is a large nest)
and pound on it for a little while with a hammer, sledge or the head of
an axe. Obviously this will annoy the ants so you don't want to wear
flip-flops while doing this. =)

I've tried it on a few nests around here and it took a few "treatments"
but eventually the nest died. I like this method because it doesn't
involve insecticide.

Good luck
--
Philip Semanchuk
email: first name @ last name.com

On Tue, 15 May 2007 11:37:45 -0400 in Philip Semanchuk wrote:
In article . com,
"Hey, It's Me!" wrote:

I've got fire ants. Who doesn't, right?
I've noticed more mounds after our most recent rains. So....what's
the best way to get rid of these, and to help prevent future mounds
from appearing? I know I won't get rid of all of them, all the time,
but I'd like to keep them at bay as much as possible.

Any (sensible) suggestions?

My brother who lives in SC and has some experience dealing with them
says that compacting the nest soil works for him. Drop a chunk of 2x4 on
the nest (you might need something a bit larger if it is a large nest)
and pound on it for a little while with a hammer, sledge or the head of
an axe. Obviously this will annoy the ants so you don't want to wear
flip-flops while doing this. =)

I've tried it on a few nests around here and it took a few "treatments"
but eventually the nest died. I like this method because it doesn't
involve insecticide.

That just gets them to move.


Good luck


--
Chris Dukes
elfick willg: you can't use dell to beat people, it wouldn't stand up
to the strain... much like attacking a tank with a wiffle bat

In article ,
wrote:

On Tue, 15 May 2007 11:37:45 -0400 in
Philip Semanchuk
wrote:
My brother who lives in SC and has some experience dealing with them
says that compacting the nest soil works for him. Drop a chunk of 2x4 on
the nest (you might need something a bit larger if it is a large nest)
and pound on it for a little while with a hammer, sledge or the head of
an axe. Obviously this will annoy the ants so you don't want to wear
flip-flops while doing this. =)

I've tried it on a few nests around here and it took a few "treatments"
but eventually the nest died. I like this method because it doesn't
involve insecticide.

That just gets them to move.

Has that been your experience with this method?
--
Philip Semanchuk
email: first name @ last name.com

Where are you located? We haven't seen any fire ants here immediately
south of Raleigh yet.. knock on wood...

On May 15, 10:32 am, "Hey, It's Me!"
wrote:
I've got fire ants. Who doesn't, right?
I've noticed more mounds after our most recent rains. So....what's
the best way to get rid of these, and to help prevent future mounds
from appearing? I know I won't get rid of all of them, all the time,
but I'd like to keep them at bay as much as possible.

Any (sensible) suggestions?

Thanks!

On Tue, 15 May 2007 18:09:59 -0400 in Philip Semanchuk wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

On Tue, 15 May 2007 11:37:45 -0400 in
Philip Semanchuk
wrote:
My brother who lives in SC and has some experience dealing with them
says that compacting the nest soil works for him. Drop a chunk of 2x4 on
the nest (you might need something a bit larger if it is a large nest)
and pound on it for a little while with a hammer, sledge or the head of
an axe. Obviously this will annoy the ants so you don't want to wear
flip-flops while doing this. =)

I've tried it on a few nests around here and it took a few "treatments"
but eventually the nest died. I like this method because it doesn't
involve insecticide.

That just gets them to move.

Has that been your experience with this method?

The fire ants I've had in my yard have relocated the nests at the slightest
disturbance. The same has been the case for the mounds I've seen at work.

--
Chris Dukes
elfick willg: you can't use dell to beat people, it wouldn't stand up
to the strain... much like attacking a tank with a wiffle bat

On 16 May 2007 04:43:04 -0700 in . com ncstockguy wrote:
Where are you located? We haven't seen any fire ants here immediately
south of Raleigh yet.. knock on wood...

Your part south of Raleigh.

There have been fire ant mounds in the walmart parking lot at the intersection
of tryon and kildaire farms for most, if not all of this century.
I'm in wake forest and get infestations (ALthough, looking at the distribution
the neighbor has them hitching a ride on his earth moving equipment).
I've seen well established mounds at the RTP campus I currently work at.
And IBM was starting to get mounds on their campus back in 2005.
--
Chris Dukes
elfick willg: you can't use dell to beat people, it wouldn't stand up
to the strain... much like attacking a tank with a wiffle bat

On 2007-05-15, Hey, It's Me! wrote:
I've got fire ants. Who doesn't, right?
I've noticed more mounds after our most recent rains. So....what's
the best way to get rid of these, and to help prevent future mounds
from appearing? I know I won't get rid of all of them, all the time,
but I'd like to keep them at bay as much as possible.

Any (sensible) suggestions?

Thanks!

The most environmental method uses boiling water under pressure in a
root feeder like wand. I read about this in some farm magazine years
ago. Their setup was on a tractor with a large tank / boiler and
pumping it 3 feet deep. The queen can be that deep. I am pretty sure
at least 3 gallons per mound was needed. They stuck the wand in 3 feet
deep, turned on the pump and slowly brought the wand to the surface.

I have no idea how a home owner could get such a rig this was for
farmers.

One way, though it has RISKS REPEAT RISKS would be to heat up a turkey
fryer full of water near the mound and pour it in. The problem is that
probably will not go 3 feet. You might be able to rig up some kind of
electric pump and stick a hose in the vat of water and pump it out that
way. NOTE THIS KIND OF DIY PROJECT COULD CAUSE SEVERE SCALING AND 3RD
DEGREE BURNS.

An alternative method, I used in SC was to pour a cup of diazanon on one
spot in the middle of the mound and then use 2-3 gallons of tap water to
take it as deep as possible. I did not stay long enough to see if they
relocated or not. I do know that the number of mounds were
significantly less so some probably did. I don't think you can purchase
diazanon now. I still have a large bag I bought at least 5 years ago
and use it on wood ants in a sprinkler can now.

The county extension office or NCSU may have some ideas for the home
owner. You can purchase a poison specifically for fireants these days,
but I don't know the application details. I think it is a bait that
they carry in them selves like little trojan IED's. Unless you are
really environmentally correct then this bait would be the best if you
only have a few mounds.

GOOD LUCK




--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

On 2007-05-16, ncstockguy wrote:
Where are you located? We haven't seen any fire ants here immediately
south of Raleigh yet.. knock on wood...


You will. The closer you are to housing developments the more likely
your are to get them. They come in on straw and plants, though efforts
to stop them has some success in slowing the infestations.

On May 15, 10:32 am, "Hey, It's Me!"
wrote:
I've got fire ants. Who doesn't, right?
I've noticed more mounds after our most recent rains. So....what's
the best way to get rid of these, and to help prevent future mounds
from appearing? I know I won't get rid of all of them, all the time,
but I'd like to keep them at bay as much as possible.

Any (sensible) suggestions?

Thanks!




--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

On May 16, 7:43 am, ncstockguy wrote:
Where are you located? We haven't seen any fire ants here immediately
south of Raleigh yet.. knock on wood...

On May 15, 10:32 am, "Hey, It's Me!"

wrote:
I've got fire ants. Who doesn't, right?
I've noticed more mounds after our most recent rains. So....what's
the best way to get rid of these, and to help prevent future mounds
from appearing? I know I won't get rid of all of them, all the time,
but I'd like to keep them at bay as much as possible.

Any (sensible) suggestions?

Thanks!

Durham. Plenty of fireants. We're on the SE side of Durham.

On May 16, 9:46 am, wrote:
On 16 May 2007 04:43:04 -0700 in . wrote:

Where are you located? We haven't seen any fire ants here immediately
Fire ants that close? Well that's just peachy. None of the neighbors
have spotted them yet, but we will certainly keep an eye out. I
notice lots of fire ant-fighting stuff at Lowes, I suppose that's a
pretty good tip off that they're around.


south of Raleigh yet.. knock on wood...

Your part south of Raleigh.

There have been fire ant mounds in the walmart parking lot at the intersection
of tryon and kildaire farms for most, if not all of this century.
I'm in wake forest and get infestations (ALthough, looking at the distribution
the neighbor has them hitching a ride on his earth moving equipment).
I've seen well established mounds at the RTP campus I currently work at.
And IBM was starting to get mounds on their campus back in 2005.
--
Chris Dukes
elfick willg: you can't use dell to beat people, it wouldn't stand up
to the strain... much like attacking a tank with a wiffle bat

On May 15, 10:32 am, "Hey, It's Me!"
wrote:
I've got fire ants. Who doesn't, right?
I've noticed more mounds after our most recent rains. So....what's
the best way to get rid of these, and to help prevent future mounds
from appearing? I know I won't get rid of all of them, all the time,
but I'd like to keep them at bay as much as possible.

Any (sensible) suggestions?

Thanks!

I have had great success with DE. I know it sounds too simple, but I
seem to be free from Fire Ants and other yard pests.

Everyone I have told to do this has had great success.

http://www.malcolmbeck.com/articles/...eous-earth.htm


That guy did a test run with it.

Jo