Killing Fire Ants?

[slcskihorn2]

Anyone have a good recommendation for fire ant killer? I was thinking of getting a big bag and spreading throughout my yard as a preventative later this spring. The granulated bait kind. Anyone have any success with a particular brand?

 

[autohorn]

I've had pretty good success with the Amdro yard treatment the last few years.

 

[zzzz]

 

[Campus Loop(y)]

If you would like a product that is natural, not a chemical and easy to put on and maintain for two years that will also get rid of fleas and grub worm...do a goodle search for:

beneficial nematodes.

Twenty bucks gets you the two doses you mix w/ water to spread and cover 8,000 sq. feet if need be. Water your yard once a year and your fire ants are gone as well as the rest.

If you are in Austin, go toThe Link That is John Dromgoole's (The Natural Gardener from radio and TV) shop. It is located near the Y at Oak Hill. They will have all your answers as well. Enjoy and F chemicals.

 

[ctrl+alt+del]

Do yourself a BIG favor and purchase a bag of this:

I got this year's bag for about $19. You only have to apply it to your yard once a year and it works wonderfully. Be sure to water it in when you're done or apply it just prior to a rain. Here is some info on the product:The Link

 

[eflow24]

This may be folklore, but it worked for me. I had three mounds in my back yard and my grandpa told me to take some of each of the mounds and put them on top of another mound.

The theory is that the rival ants will kill each other off. I didn't believe it but figured I would try it since nothing else worked. Three days later, all three mounds were deserted. Some say they just moved, but they must have moved onto someone elses property.

 

[Mrmyke709]

I used the Over and Out and had fire ants come back with a vengeance within 3 months.
I'm going with the nematodes, Loopy.

 

[TheRealBizHorn]

I try to stay away from chemicals. The simplest solution is to simply pour a large pot of boiling water on the mound. That kills it around 60% of the time - not a bad success rate when you consider the non-toxic tradeoff. The City of Austin's Grow Green program offers a nice recap of fire ant remedies here: Grow Green

 

[jmrob93]

In reply to:

---

---

 

[Z06]

Gas and a match?

 

[Campus Loop(y)]

A problem with boiling water and even the "Compost Tea" mixtures that are natural (and smell like Teriyaki sauce, mmmm) is that they can and do kill the area of grass around. it scorches the roots. It will grow back but you may have a brown spot.

Nematodes.

 

[mishatx]

The problem with boiling water is you're carrying around a pot of boiling water.

 

[midtown]

When i had a house/yard id put spread amdro about once every 3-4 months like fertilizer. no problems

 

[MisterBevo]

"OVER and OUT" did NOT work for me. I spent the $20 and in 2 months, the ants were back.

They did offer a full refund, but I had already thrown away the receipt.

It was just too good to be true.

 

[Campus Loop(y)]

One thing about the Todes is that yes, ants will come back to the yard, this is with any product. They seek pristine land to set up a home. The thing is that within two weeks, the Todes will eat the queen and other ants below ground. No queen, no survival. I enjoy seeing a mound pop up and watching the movement slow within a few days, numbers lessen bigtime. About 9 days later, virtually no movement. A day or so later...deadsville daddy-o. I give a celebratory kick of the now dead mound and watch as nothing comes out.

 

[TxStHorn]

Please correct me if I'm wrong - But wasn't there some discussion on a thread a while back that the nematodes were like hook-worms or something, and you wouldn't want to walk around barefoot in the yard if you used them?

Or am I making that up??

 

[Campus Loop(y)]

They don't interact with humans at all. They don't do that. So no, that is not correct. Safe for animals. Just stay out from underground for a long time. Don't bury your leg down there for a week.

 

[TxStHorn]

Thanks.

Where can you find them? Home Depot have it?

 

[stupidgringo]

I have heard that you have to keep the ground from drying out for the nematodes to survive.

Loop(y), do you water regularly during the summer to keep them alive? My biggest fire ant problems are on the buffalo/muhly/bluestem back half of my yard that needs no watering. I'm afraid the 'todes would croak out there...

 

[Campus Loop(y)]

You only have to water once a week, not like for a normal lawn.

Get them fromThe Link or any good nursery. Depot prob. does not have them since they are not a chemical. Don't get me wrong, I love the Depot, but as of last year, they did not even know what they were. At least the one I go to here in Austin.

 

[TheRealBizHorn]

I ******* hate Home Depot, at least the 'nursery'. As you said, a paucity of organic selections, not to mention the fact that they obstinately continue to carry invasive species like ligustrums, etc.

 

[Hornin' In]

I live on an acreage lot (2+ acres) west of Austin, and use a product Self-Chem sells called Ascend. It is biodegradable, and can be applied like any lawn treatment. It is not a pesticide, so it does not kill ants. Rather, it sterlizes the queen, so within a few weeks (the ants' life cycle), the ants are substantially or completely gone. Another week or two and they are gone completely. The benefit of this approach is that by evenly applying the product, you get the ant mounds you don't see. I apply is twice a year and have no fire ants.

 

[TheRealBizHorn]

Hornin,

Check out the link to Grow Green I posted earlier on this thread. It has a nice breakdown of fire ant control products on the low to high-toxic continuum. It appears that ascend is the 2nd most toxic product they rate, namely for its toxicity to acquatic life, birds, bees, and pets. Just FYI.