I didn't get too many ideas about little red ants (not fire ants) in the lawn,
flowers and brick patio. I checked the shelf at the store for anti ant stuff
and it was all toxic to other birds and animals. Since I have a dog and love my
wild birds, squirrels and chipmunks I really don't want to go this route. Any
non toxic ideas? I saw the thread on baby powder around the house - should I
try dumping baby powder on their hills?
Mary, zone 5
I don't know if it would work on the hills or be a great idea outside--you
might try it on the patio where it is less likely to harnm anything
growing...however, pouring boiling water is also a possible solution for
things growing/disturbing area between bricks.
Debbie in Williamsburg, VA
You can pour vinegar down their hole or Diatomaceous Earth. Boiling water is
effective too.
Julianne
On Sat, 22 May 1999 08:34:43 -0400, "marie i. schatz"
> I didn't get too many ideas about little red ants (not fire ants) in the lawn,
> flowers and brick patio.
Must have missed your first post. Why do you want to get rid of the
ants? I don't like them in my kitchen but in the garden they seem
pretty harmless to me. In fact, they clean up a lot of dead insects
and those snails you stepped on after catching them munching on your
favorite foliage plant.
--
Magda Plewinska mplewinska@mindspring.com
Miami, FL, USA
hi,
tansy is an herb that discourages ants. it can be invasive so you might
want to plant it in a pot in the garden or wherever you have the ant
problem. keep in mind that the ants outnumber us approximately 100 to 1
so you will probably only relocate the ones you have.
sincerely,
jtflash
They have built a rather hugish mound right in the middle of a small, now really
struggling candy tuft as well as a few other plants in the flower bed that borders
my patio. Really huge mounds in the lawn and smaller mounds in my brick patio. I
think the sand bed underlying the patio drew them to that area though I don't
appreciate the huge mounds in my yard either (I'm talking 2 x 3 feet across and an
inch or two high). I have never had a problem with slugs but I think thats my
area not the ants. And they seem to have no impact on my big problem - japenese
beetles (I live next to a big field) or to a lesser extent cutworms.
Mary, zone 5
Magdalena Cano Plewinska wrote:
On Mon, 24 May 1999 08:38:21 -0400, "marie i. schatz"
> They have built a rather hugish mound [...]
Yeah, the mounds are an annoyance. I have then too but not as large as
yours. I think my ants have run out of sand from underneath the patio.
All the bricks are collapsed by now :(
I've used insect growth regulators to get rid of fire ants. Not cheap
and take time to apply and a while to work but not toxic to you or
your pets or other animals. I don't know how they affect other insects
(other than ants, that is).
Good luck,
--
Magda Plewinska mplewinska@mindspring.com
Miami, FL, USA
In a message dated 5/24/99 8:27:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
marys100@NET-LINK.NET writes:
don'
> t
> appreciate the huge mounds in my yard either (I'm talking 2 x 3 feet
across
One way we got the fire ants to move, and it may work on your red ants too,
is to water at odd times. It may take a week or two of soaking the mounds,
but they will get tired of rebuilding from rain damage they have no time to
prepare for. You must water the entire yard as they will only move a few
feet if you only water the mounds.
Here I water the mound pushing the end of the hose from one spigot into the
mound as deeply as I can get it without getting bit. Then I turn on the
sprinkler from another spigot to keep the water coming. I can leave the hose
in the mound until the next day and do it again. The ants eventually leave
for dryer ground. This has worked for us pretty well and I no longer fear
walking outside barefoot in the grass.
Anne in FL
zone 9b
