I live on the NC Piedmont. My yard gets tiny red ants with low mounds
about a foot in diameter. They swarm when disturbed. I understand it
takes an expert to see the difference between native fire ants and those
from Brazil.

I understand a 4% mixture of borax in sugar will kill fire ants if the
syrup is thin enough for them to suck. When I put some in a lid on the
mound, I discovered big red ants, that probably weigh ten times more
than the little ones, peacefully among the fire ants on their mound.

I thought fire ants didn't tolerate other ants. Was I wrong?

sawney beane wrote:

> I live on the NC Piedmont. My yard gets tiny red ants with low mounds
> about a foot in diameter. They swarm when disturbed. I understand it
> takes an expert to see the difference between native fire ants and those
> from Brazil.
>
> I understand a 4% mixture of borax in sugar will kill fire ants if the
> syrup is thin enough for them to suck. When I put some in a lid on the
> mound, I discovered big red ants, that probably weigh ten times more
> than the little ones, peacefully among the fire ants on their mound.
>
> I thought fire ants didn't tolerate other ants. Was I wrong?

Try Amdro - it about the most effective here in Texas. The workers take
the bait to the queen and the nest dies. There are other
remedies/poisons of course.
I dunno about other ant species, but if you have Fire ants near your
house, you won't have termites.

Carl


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

Did you know fire ants kill termites?

Sincerely,

John A. Keslick, Jr.
Beware of so-called TREE EXPERTS who do not understand TREE BIOLOGY!
www.treedictionary.com
http://mercury.ccil.org/~treeman/
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.
Some people will buy products they do not understand and not buy books that
will give them understanding.


"sawney beane" <beadle1833 [at] fmail.co.uk> wrote in message
news:TuadncKcoM5UPfLZRVn-rQ [at] flxtek.net...
> I live on the NC Piedmont. My yard gets tiny red ants with low mounds
> about a foot in diameter. They swarm when disturbed. I understand it
> takes an expert to see the difference between native fire ants and those
> from Brazil.
>
> I understand a 4% mixture of borax in sugar will kill fire ants if the
> syrup is thin enough for them to suck. When I put some in a lid on the
> mound, I discovered big red ants, that probably weigh ten times more
> than the little ones, peacefully among the fire ants on their mound.
>
> I thought fire ants didn't tolerate other ants. Was I wrong?

John A. Keslick, Jr. wrote:

> Did you know fire ants kill termites?
>
> Sincerely,
>
> John A. Keslick, Jr.
> Beware of so-called TREE EXPERTS who do not understand TREE BIOLOGY!
> www.treedictionary.com
> http://mercury.ccil.org/~treeman/
> Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
> that we are not the boss.
> Some people will buy products they do not understand and not buy books that
> will give them understanding.
>
>
> "sawney beane" <beadle1833 [at] fmail.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:TuadncKcoM5UPfLZRVn-rQ [at] flxtek.net...
>
>>I live on the NC Piedmont. My yard gets tiny red ants with low mounds
>>about a foot in diameter. They swarm when disturbed. I understand it
>>takes an expert to see the difference between native fire ants and those
>>from Brazil.
>>
>>I understand a 4% mixture of borax in sugar will kill fire ants if the
>>syrup is thin enough for them to suck. When I put some in a lid on the
>>mound, I discovered big red ants, that probably weigh ten times more
>>than the little ones, peacefully among the fire ants on their mound.
>>
>>I thought fire ants didn't tolerate other ants. Was I wrong?
>
>
>

Walter R. Tschinkel from Florida State claims Fire ants eat termites.
But I admit I first heard it as a rumor.

http://www.bio.fsu.edu/faculty-tschinkel.php


Carl


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:

>>
>
> Walter R. Tschinkel from Florida State claims Fire ants eat termites.
> But I admit I first heard it as a rumor.
>
> http://www.bio.fsu.edu/faculty-tschinkel.php
>
>
> Carl
>
>

http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/communications/highlights/summ er99/ants.html

This one says fire ants help termites.

In article <lhObg.13011$fb2.1967 [at] newssvr27.news.prodigy.net>,
alckytxn [at] swbell.not says...
:) I dunno about other ant species, but if you have Fire ants near your
:) house, you won't have termites.
:)
:)

Actually not true, fire ants and especially carpenter ants will eat all
the termites they can get to, but they usually have no way of getting to
the termites. A key inspection point when looking for termites is in a
corner of a foundation with a fire ant mound built up. Wipe away the
fire ant mound and you might find a termite tube. Probably a constant
battle between fire ants trying to break open the tube and termites
keeping it sealed shut. Now with ticks, an heavy infested yard with fire
ants is supposed to be clear of ticks and fleas.

Lar

Try posting here:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.consumers.pest-control?ln k=li

sawney beane wrote:

> Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
>
>>>
>>
>> Walter R. Tschinkel from Florida State claims Fire ants eat termites.
>> But I admit I first heard it as a rumor.
>>
>> http://www.bio.fsu.edu/faculty-tschinkel.php
>>
>>
>> Carl
>>
>>
>
> http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/communications/highlights/summ er99/ants.html
>
> This one says fire ants help termites.

It still refers to them as 'foes' but, evidently, there can be
exceptional circumstances.

(interesting screen name by the way - hope you don't also share dietary
habits!)

Carl


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
> sawney beane wrote:
>
>> Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> Walter R. Tschinkel from Florida State claims Fire ants eat termites.
>>> But I admit I first heard it as a rumor.
>>>
>>> http://www.bio.fsu.edu/faculty-tschinkel.php
>>>
>>>
>>> Carl
>>>
>>>
>>
>> http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/communications/highlights/summ er99/ants.html
>>
>>
>> This one says fire ants help termites.
>
> It still refers to them as 'foes' but, evidently, there can be
> exceptional circumstances.
>
> (interesting screen name by the way - hope you don't also share dietary
> habits!)
>
> Carl
>
>
I wanted to be Sweeney Todd in honor of Tod Slaughter's performance in
the 1936 film, but I was afraid I wouldn't be taken seriously discussing
meat pies in alt.cooking-chat.

"Tell me boy, are you afraid of me?"
"N-n-n-n-n-n-no sir."
"Well take care you don't give me cause to make you afraid of me."

Happybattles wrote:
> Try posting here:
> http://groups.google.com/group/alt.consumers.pest-control?ln k=li
>
Thanks. It sounds like what I was looking for.

sawney beane wrote:

> Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
>
>> sawney beane wrote:
>>
>>> Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Walter R. Tschinkel from Florida State claims Fire ants eat
>>>> termites. But I admit I first heard it as a rumor.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.bio.fsu.edu/faculty-tschinkel.php
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Carl
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/communications/highlights/summ er99/ants.html
>>>
>>>
>>> This one says fire ants help termites.
>>
>>
>> It still refers to them as 'foes' but, evidently, there can be
>> exceptional circumstances.
>>
>> (interesting screen name by the way - hope you don't also share
>> dietary habits!)
>>
>> Carl
>>
>>
> I wanted to be Sweeney Todd in honor of Tod Slaughter's performance in
> the 1936 film, but I was afraid I wouldn't be taken seriously discussing
> meat pies in alt.cooking-chat.
>
> "Tell me boy, are you afraid of me?"
> "N-n-n-n-n-n-no sir."
> "Well take care you don't give me cause to make you afraid of me."

So SB was an improvement over that?

I'm reminded of the college that allowed the students to name portions
of the new student union building and, for a brief time, managed to have
an Alfred Packer Memorial Cafeteria!

lol!

Carl (sorry - back on topic now)


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

sawney beane wrote:
> I live on the NC Piedmont. My yard gets tiny red ants with low mounds
> about a foot in diameter. They swarm when disturbed. I understand it
> takes an expert to see the difference between native fire ants and those
> from Brazil.
>
> I understand a 4% mixture of borax in sugar will kill fire ants if the
> syrup is thin enough for them to suck. When I put some in a lid on the
> mound, I discovered big red ants, that probably weigh ten times more
> than the little ones, peacefully among the fire ants on their mound.
>
> I thought fire ants didn't tolerate other ants. Was I wrong?

That is great that you're using borax. I recently started working for
a company that has a lot of experience in solving building problems
with the least toxic method. It was an eye opener to me how many of
the commonly used products contaminate our air.

I work on the Dear Sammi SaferBuilder column, so I get to learn about
all sorts of non toxic solutions. Borax is one of their top suggestions
for ants.

Another thing that they've suggested with ants is boiling water. Boil
a huge pot of boiling water. With fire ants, this is a two person job.
The reason is that when you start to pour the boiling water over the
nest, they sometimes run towards you and try to bite.

One person pours the boiling water over the nest, the second person
stands nearby with a hose and hoses the ants off of the first person.

If there are multiple queens, you may have to do this for a few days in
a row.

Gazelle

------------------------------------------------------------ ------------

http://SaferBuilding.com/
New Building Methods to Protect your Air.

How-To Sheets, Environmental Disclosures, Certificates,
Put Dear Sammi SaferBuilder on your website for Free !

------------------------------------------------------------ ------------

gSimmons [at] SaferBuilding.com wrote:
> sawney beane wrote:
>> I live on the NC Piedmont. My yard gets tiny red ants with low mounds
>> about a foot in diameter. They swarm when disturbed. I understand it
>> takes an expert to see the difference between native fire ants and those
>> from Brazil.
>>
>> I understand a 4% mixture of borax in sugar will kill fire ants if the
>> syrup is thin enough for them to suck. When I put some in a lid on the
>> mound, I discovered big red ants, that probably weigh ten times more
>> than the little ones, peacefully among the fire ants on their mound.
>>
>> I thought fire ants didn't tolerate other ants. Was I wrong?
>
> That is great that you're using borax. I recently started working for
> a company that has a lot of experience in solving building problems
> with the least toxic method. It was an eye opener to me how many of
> the commonly used products contaminate our air.
>
> I work on the Dear Sammi SaferBuilder column, so I get to learn about
> all sorts of non toxic solutions. Borax is one of their top suggestions
> for ants.
>
> Another thing that they've suggested with ants is boiling water. Boil
> a huge pot of boiling water. With fire ants, this is a two person job.
> The reason is that when you start to pour the boiling water over the
> nest, they sometimes run towards you and try to bite.
>
> One person pours the boiling water over the nest, the second person
> stands nearby with a hose and hoses the ants off of the first person.
>
> If there are multiple queens, you may have to do this for a few days in
> a row.
>
> Gazelle
>



You do know that this kills the grass and it doesn't grow back for *months*?

When I lived in central Texas, I had the best luck with fire ants using
a product called "Logic" (active ingredient is fenoxycarb). I think
it's a synthetic juvenile hormone, or maybe it sterilizes the queen.
One little jar treated my whole 3/4 acre yard for 6 to 8 months, until
more ants moved in from my neighbors' yards. It is slow-acting, so if
there are any mounds in high-traffic areas near your house, you'll want
to use boiling water or Orthene 75S or diazinon (etc.) on those -- but
it's best to just wait and let the Logic work.

Best regards,
Bob

TalStar is the best product for fireant, or go generic and look for
"Bifen" (sp?) as the main ingredient. Bayer makes it with Bifen, as do
a few others. Its devastating to fireants....

Talstar is available in different mesh sizes of granulated, for
broadcst by spreader, or just mound applicaition etc......or in a
water emulsion trype powder for spray.....Some great stuff