Organic Fire Ant Control that Works
 

The D-limonene (citrus) oil and hot water mound drench was not working. I
had over ten mounds in my yard now. The ants were coming into the house
looking for cat food, so the food bowl has to be placed in a plate of water
to keep them away! Luckily, there are some new organic methods for
broadcast fire ant bait that need to be applied IN THE FALL (temperatures
are cooler, but above 65* F) to be effective.

The products of fermentation of soil actionmycete Saccaropolyspora spinosa
(spinosads) is a fast acting fire ant bait. Brands include Eliminator,
Justice, Penn-Kill, Strike, Maxide. Ortho has a product with .15% spinosads
called Ortho Fire Ant Killer Bait Granules available at Wal-Mart. Read the
label to make sure you get the right one...remember the word SPIN.

I applied four tablespoons per mound and the ants died within three days!

Three gallons of boiling water is good for individual mounds. I suspect
using the D-limonene (brand name Citrex) with boiling water would be even
more effective. I was just using hot water and only one gallon per mound.

Organic Fire Ant Control that Works
 

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 21:15:52 GMT, "Aisha"
wrote:
The products of fermentation of soil actionmycete Saccaropolyspora spinosa
(spinosads) is a fast acting fire ant bait. Brands include Eliminator,
Justice, Penn-Kill, Strike, Maxide. Ortho has a product with .15% spinosads
called Ortho Fire Ant Killer Bait Granules available at Wal-Mart. Read the
label to make sure you get the right one...remember the word SPIN.

This is probably good stuff. A&M should know, and being an Aggie Ex, I
tend to trust 'em. Nevertheless, the use, over use, and misuse of the
word "organic" drives me crazy. What does organic mean used in this
context? The stuff is a toxic chemical, for pete's sake. By the same
logic as is presented on the website, botulin is organic.

This reminds me of something I heard on television the other day
"contains no chemicals, only natural ingredients."

By the way, since this is a bait, I think the treatment described in
this original post was incorrect. The correct application of bait type
controls is to broadcast it (as is suggested on the website) or to
sprinkle it *around* (not on) the mound. Sprinkled around or
broadcast, the ants will come out and pick up the bait. This
preferentially targets imported fire ants, because they are aggressive
foragers. Substances sprinkled on the mound are not recognized as
potential food source by the ants. Instead, they just abandon the
mound and move to one of their other mounds.

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

Organic Fire Ant Control that Works
 

On Thu, 25 Sep 2003 05:20:51 GMT, Elliot Richmond
opined:

This is probably good stuff. A&M should know, and being an Aggie Ex, I
tend to trust 'em. Nevertheless, the use, over use, and misuse of the
word "organic" drives me crazy. What does organic mean used in this
context? The stuff is a toxic chemical, for pete's sake. By the same
logic as is presented on the website, botulin is organic.

Organic is anything carbon containing. The term organic when used in gardening
situations means natural, not a synthetic. Because something is natural does
not mean it is non-toxic, it means it is naturally occurring in the land, water,
air...

This reminds me of something I heard on television the other day
"contains no chemicals, only natural ingredients."

They should have said no synthetic ingredients. There are very strong natural
pesticides, I've used them. Pyrethrum, d-limonine, Neem, and many of the
smothering, contact poisons like insecticidal soap. These are also toxic to all
insects, for the most part, but are virtually non toxic to humans and break down
so quickly they have a great deal less of an impact on the soil biota.

By the way, since this is a bait, I think the treatment described in
this original post was incorrect. The correct application of bait type
controls is to broadcast it (as is suggested on the website) or to
sprinkle it *around* (not on) the mound. Sprinkled around or
broadcast, the ants will come out and pick up the bait. This
preferentially targets imported fire ants, because they are aggressive
foragers. Substances sprinkled on the mound are not recognized as
potential food source by the ants. Instead, they just abandon the
mound and move to one of their other mounds.

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

You are correct, and these baits have either a slow acting growth hormone which
prevents the ants from reproduction when eventually reaching the queen(s) in a
nest. The outer bait is generally a soy product which ants enjoy. The ingest
it, and literally regurgitate it on down into the nest where it is eventually
fed to the queen. When she dies, all the other ants in the nest perish. Eggs
are not tended to and those die as well. That's why the baits take time to kill
the mound. It's my preferred method. In the house is a different story. I
vacuum as many as I can see and put boric acid in the carpet using D.E. to carry
it and make it a bit more effective.

Victoria

Organic Fire Ant Control that Works
 

On Thu, 25 Sep 2003 12:51:47 GMT, animaux
wrote:

On Thu, 25 Sep 2003 05:20:51 GMT, Elliot Richmond
opined:

This is probably good stuff. A&M should know, and being an Aggie Ex, I
tend to trust 'em. Nevertheless, the use, over use, and misuse of the
word "organic" drives me crazy. What does organic mean used in this
context? The stuff is a toxic chemical, for pete's sake. By the same
logic as is presented on the website, botulin is organic.

Organic is anything carbon containing. The term organic when used in gardening
situations means natural, not a synthetic. Because something is natural does
not mean it is non-toxic, it means it is naturally occurring in the land, water,
air...

This is almost exactly correct (calcium carbonate, limestone, is not
considered an organic compound). However, used in the context of the
website, "organic" would seem to imply that an organic farm (certified
organic by the state department of agriculture) would be able to use
this stuff without losing certification. That is what I was asking and
I did not see the answer on the A&M page. Maybe it is too new to be
classified yet.

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

Organic Fire Ant Control that Works
 

On Thu, 25 Sep 2003 15:45:48 GMT, Elliot Richmond
opined:

This is almost exactly correct (calcium carbonate, limestone, is not
considered an organic compound). However, used in the context of the
website, "organic" would seem to imply that an organic farm (certified
organic by the state department of agriculture) would be able to use
this stuff without losing certification. That is what I was asking and
I did not see the answer on the A&M page. Maybe it is too new to be
classified yet.

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

Good question. I haven't been certified since I left the trade, but I don't
recall ever seeing calcium carbonate or what it would be used for??

Organic compound, meaning not containing carbon?

I can dig out my Texas Certified Pesticides and Fertilizer use lists. I know
they're here somewhere. It may take a few days, but I know I have them from
about 5 years back. There have been changes with all the national attention to
a standards act for national reference. I haven't been following it tightly.

Victoria