Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Georgia Boy on April 26, 2013, 10:02:53 pm

Title: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: Georgia Boy on April 26, 2013, 10:02:53 pm
Did I ever mention that I don't hate much in this here world. Hate is such a strong word I really don't like using it at all. However when it comes to FIRE ANTS I will make the exception. I HATE fire ants.

Yesterday there were fire ants climbing around on the hive stand. So I spread globs of vaseline on the legs. That works for our hummingbird feeder. Then I sprinkled cinnamon heavily around each of the legs. I mean totally covered the ground.

Came home today and the fire ants have decided they really don't mind cinnamon because it didn't stop them. They had also sacrificed enough ants to build a bridge across the vaseline and were in the hive top feeder enjoying the syrup buffet that was meant for my girls.

I don't think they went through the hive just up the outside because the bees didn't seem too upset.

Next I will try the leg in oil method but it is going to rain for the next two days so I don't know how that will work.

Help me please with any other ideas you have.

Would love to poison them but afraid it will hurt the bees.

Thanks

David
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: don2 on April 26, 2013, 10:50:40 pm
late in the evening after all bees have got home, spray the stand legs with Malathon-50. use a weak mixture.d2
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: GeezLouise on April 26, 2013, 10:52:42 pm
I've read that soapy water kills bees; maybe it will get the ants on the ground, where bees aren't likely found.  Soap is cheap, reapply after the rain stops?
Fire ants, I remember my little brother getting into some when we were about 4 & 5 in the Slidell LA area decades ago.
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: 10framer on April 26, 2013, 11:20:13 pm
can you see the fire ant mound?  if so (some people won't like this) kick the top off of it and pour about an ounce of gasoline in the middle of the nest.  problem solved.
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: Nonprophet on April 26, 2013, 11:43:51 pm
A large pot of boiling water poured on the fire ant mound takes care of them--it's free and it won't hurt the bees!
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: Intheswamp on April 27, 2013, 02:15:24 am
A large pot of boiling water poured on the fire ant mound takes care of them--it's free and it won't hurt the bees!

<chuckle> Have ya'll got fire ants up there?  I tried the big pot of boiling water trick...even added a bunch of some really hot peppers and what-not that folks said would run them off or kill them.  I poured the water into the mound...it never puddled up but just ran straight on down into the ant colony.  I'd say it was about 3 gallons of some really HOT water.  When I finished pouring I stood there and about probably 30 seconds later (no kiddin'!!!) I heard the water gurgle *down* in the ground!!!  I have no idea what that was all about, but I feel like their tunneling was rather deep.  The next morning there was a big pile (1/2 gallon?) of dead ants laying on top of the washed out ant mound....those ants didn't float up....the still living ants hauled them up there!!

Those suckers are tough and hard to kill!  Poisoning the colony with a bait is about the only thing that will kill them...or DDT.  :shock:

Ed
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: sterling on April 27, 2013, 12:01:28 pm
aspartame: the fake sweetener people use in their coffee, in the little packs, was originally an ant poison. Mix four to five packs in a plastic bottle with some sugar syrup put a screen on the opening that the ants can get through but the bees can't and put it on the ant trail. works for some ants I don't know about fire ants. But worth a try.
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: Intheswamp on April 27, 2013, 12:39:13 pm
Apparently not poisonous to just ants... Aspartame Articles (http://aspartame.mercola.com/)

I can't stand the taste of the stuff...just too "chemically" tasting for my likes.  I may try some for ant poison, though.  ;)

Ed
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: duck on April 27, 2013, 08:41:18 pm
i crank my hot water heater to 140 and let the hose run into their pile for a while.
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: dfizer on April 27, 2013, 09:00:58 pm
Although annoying and a pain in the kuester - the bright side of this is that once your done feeding your problem goes away!  Hang in there and keep fighting the good fight!

David
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: Michael Bush on April 29, 2013, 03:07:37 pm
I've wiped out ant hills with a hose and a shovel.  Keep pushing the hose down into the ground, digging and stirring until I don't find ants anymore...

But equal parts borax, grape jelly and water work well as bait that will kill them...
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: Intheswamp on April 30, 2013, 11:21:03 pm
Have you done that to fire ants, Michael?

Ed
Title: Re: Day 6 Fire Ants
Post by: rober on May 01, 2013, 09:57:20 am
when i lived in nawlins' there was a lumpy cheese looking bait that you put on the mound. the ants carried into the nest, fed it to the queen, killing the colony. i forget what it was called but every lawn supply & feed store carried it. i had a 70 % success rate with it. the other 30% got a 2nd & sometimes a 3rd treatment. that was 25 years ago so they may be immune to it by now. on my 1st encounter with them i stood on a mound while talking to some neighbors. they were all surprised & then amused when i suddenly came out of my boots & jeans right there in the yard. i was covered with ants to my knees & had over 200 stings. those buggers are brutal. this is one accidental import that will literally bite you on the *ss. as far as i know they've not made any further north than mid arkansas. i'm not sure whether they's survive real winters. that could have changed. we now have armidiilos as far north as st louis, the ants could be next.