Laura wrote.
Still drowning in a major ant problem and I'm holding out for DE to help.
Nothing anyone has mentioned on the list or anything else I've tried
has helped. Thanks much folks!
I read in one book that blending citrus peel with some water, and pouring it
over the nest will chase off the ants. But - I am curious, the philosophy of
develop a healthy system, and it can be left alone - does that apply to ants,
or do most people have to intervene with our little aphid herders? I have
numerous ants nests around my property, and am wondering if I will be ok to
leave them alone when I plant the garden in the spring. A local entomologists
who works at Oklahoma State University did say that there is evidence that
fire ants are less likely to occupy an area where there are already non fire
ant colonies.
I always seem to be able to answer one question with at least two more.
Dave
David, I had thought of the fire ant question. We have none but live in
an area where they abound. I certainly would hate to have those come
in as my little one is severly allergic to them. But I just don't
think I can put up with the guys much longer. They get into my
dishwasher, climb into my sink drains in columns 6 wide, cover my
kitchen floor in the morning (cover) and even climb into bed with us.
As hard as I try to keep things spotless, I do have a three year old
and a 10 year old and a 13 year old (all boys) and those ants find
everything everywhere in our house. They also bite but not as bad as
fire ants. They especially bite when I pull weeds everywhere in the
yard. These ants keep my neighbors just as miserable and they have
pest control companies coming out. I won't.
Thanks for your note. Laura
----------
help.
> Nothing anyone has mentioned on the list or anything else I've tried
> has helped. Thanks much folks!
> I read in one book that blending citrus peel with some water, and
pouring it
> over the nest will chase off the ants. But - I am curious, the
philosophy of
> develop a healthy system, and it can be left alone - does that apply
to ants,
> or do most people have to intervene with our little aphid herders? I
have
> numerous ants nests around my property, and am wondering if I will be
ok to
> leave them alone when I plant the garden in the spring. A local
entomologists
> who works at Oklahoma State University did say that there is evidence
that
> fire ants are less likely to occupy an area where there are already
non fire
> ant colonies.
> I always seem to be able to answer one question with at least two
more.
I usually don't mess with ants in my yard, but I don't like them sharing my
house with me. I've noticed that ants seem to be attracted to roman
chamomile, so I plant that in my yard and encourage the ants to live there.
When I put down cardboard to build my compost-over-cardboard raised beds,
I totally ignored the ants. Cardboarded right over them. Either they
moved or they stay beneath the cardboard. They don't seem to be causing me
any problems outdoors, and the Bi-O-Kleen citrus based "Spray & Wipe
Cleaner" (all-natural and nontoxic, of course) that I use seems to repel
them indoors. When we moved into a house infested with two species of
ants, I did bring out the DE for a few weeks.
Carol -- who does not miss fire ants even a little -- (and Brodie)
zone 8 in the Pacific Northwest
pouring it
over the nest will chase off the ants. But - I am curious, the philosophy
of
develop a healthy system, and it can be left alone - does that apply to
ants,
or do most people have to intervene with our little aphid herders? I have
numerous ants nests around my property, and am wondering if I will be ok to
leave them alone when I plant the garden in the spring. A local
entomologists
who works at Oklahoma State University did say that there is evidence that
fire ants are less likely to occupy an area where there are already non
fire
ant colonies.
I always seem to be able to answer one question with at least two more.
Dave
You should listen to the man in Texas on radio/TV there: Howard Garrett. as he
could answer.
David Rushton wrote:
