OT: Killing a Metric Fudgeton of Ants

[UberNoober]

I've got the giant anthills popping up all over my backyard, in the dirt, on the lawn..I've read a few ways to get rid of them, borax/sugar..seems to work in some states and not in others...i dunno. Wondering if any Arizonians have battled the mighty ant hills and have been triumphant. Lemme know what u did.

Thanks

 

[slumlord]

a few beers and some WD-40 and a lighter. It's hillbilly fun at it's finest.

 

[UberNoober]

Fantastic idea, unless i want to keep my eyebrows. Did i forget to mention I've got a 3 year old child. and 2 dogs..so it has to be a relatively safe method. I dont care for chemicals and things like that, natural method preferred.

 

[frontosa_man80]

corn meal or corn starch.

HTH

-jesse

 

[SparseReef]

Those are southern fire ants (Solenopsis xyleni). They're pretty tough buggers, just like their imported cousins found all over the southeast. Borax and/or diatomaceous earth work pretty well, since the tiny particles get caught in the joints of their exoskeleton. I would think that this actually works better in AZ than some other states since it is unlikely to get washed away by rain (except recently). I tend to just let them be unless they're getting into the house or are somewhere that I am sitting a lot. Then I just put the borax/earth in their path (or make a border by the door/window) and it keeps them out.

They won't be quite as crazy onces the rains are over, they're just in the middle of ant mating season. Although most of the colony is asexual (workers), the workers go kinda crazy when the sexuals are ready to fly (right after monsoons around here). Check out your porch light at night and you'll probably find some winged ants.

Okay, that was more than you were asking for. Sorry, I'm working on a degree in insect genetics.

 

[khaosinc]

M80's beer and gasoline... all sorts of fun.

 

[dalston]

natural method preferred.

 

[GustavoAZ]

LOL! Amdro works for me, Lowes or home depot

 

[OwenInAZ]

D now all the people on the bus are looking at me funny. Thanks.

And yes, genetics does rule the world

 

[UberNoober]

Rofl, this has been a good read

 

[UberNoober]

I would lov an anteater btw.

 

[Arizonah13]

My step dad used to dig a small hole in the ground near the hill, and put a beer bottle in it - (any type of long-neck bottle will do - gotta be glass though), then fill the dirt in all around the hole - taking extra care that none gets in the bottle (so the inside of the bottle neck stays nice and slippery-smooth). If you leave just a half inch or so of liquid in there (beer, soda, etc...), it will attract the ants, they go in, and are trapped.

I'm pulling this from memory from when I was like 10-12 years old so some of my details may not be spot on, but I do remember it being so fascinating and effective.

 

[OwenInAZ]

The best part of that plan is the consume all but a small amount of the beer

 

[UberNoober]

My step dad used to dig a small hole in the ground near the hill, and put a beer bottle in it - (any type of long-neck bottle will do - gotta be glass though), then fill the dirt in all around the hole - taking extra care that none gets in the bottle (so the inside of the bottle neck stays nice and slippery-smooth). If you leave just a half inch or so of liquid in there (beer, soda, etc...), it will attract the ants, they go in, and are trapped.

I'm pulling this from memory from when I was like 10-12 years old so some of my details may not be spot on, but I do remember it being so fascinating and effective.

wow, that would be a little trippy seeing a beer bottle full of ant carcasses.

 

[dublo8]

Those are southern fire ants (Solenopsis xyleni). They're pretty tough buggers, just like their imported cousins found all over the southeast. Borax and/or diatomaceous earth work pretty well, since the tiny particles get caught in the joints of their exoskeleton. I would think that this actually works better in AZ than some other states since it is unlikely to get washed away by rain (except recently). I tend to just let them be unless they're getting into the house or are somewhere that I am sitting a lot. Then I just put the borax/earth in their path (or make a border by the door/window) and it keeps them out.

They won't be quite as crazy onces the rains are over, they're just in the middle of ant mating season. Although most of the colony is asexual (workers), the workers go kinda crazy when the sexuals are ready to fly (right after monsoons around here). Check out your porch light at night and you'll probably find some winged ants.

Okay, that was more than you were asking for. Sorry, I'm working on a degree in insect genetics.

I second the DE also keeps tons of other little critters away from your house. Works for spiders, scorpions etc. very effective deterrent but will not kill them. I know you dont want to use the chemical stuff but I would use it around the exterior perimeter of your home in small amounts like cracks and holes and such. then the DE in trouble areas where the ants are. I have used it around my fence line for many years. I just use left over from my parents pool filter. :thumbsup:

 

[tcamos]

I've got the giant anthills popping up all over my backyard, in the dirt, on the lawn..I've read a few ways to get rid of them, borax/sugar..seems to work in some states and not in others...i dunno. Wondering if any Arizonians have battled the mighty ant hills and have been triumphant. Lemme know what u did.

Thanks

Amdro. By far the best ant killer out there. They take it back to the next, feed it to the queen. She dies, and without her the entire hive dies. You can get it at Home Depot. They sell traps etc. but they don't work, just the good old fashioned granules.

I used to work for Truly Nolen...

 

[kbarnett63]

Amdro. By far the best ant killer out there. They take it back to the next, feed it to the queen. She dies, and without her the entire hive dies. You can get it at Home Depot.

+2 on the Amdro.


Or if you are really persistent, use a hammer and whack the little buggers. Hammer time :hammer:

 

[jgrog76]

I have tried everything and the best I have found is terminex. The same stuff they use to kill termites will kill any insect that goes from larvea to adult. The chemical stops them from being able to shed their exoskeleton. It will not kill them right away but as the workers die they will not be replaced and the colony will die out. I put the extra out 2 years ago on any ant hill I could find after doing a termite treatment. I have not had an and colony in my yard since.

 

[tcamos]

Problem with terminex is that it has a half life of like a billion years (yes that's an exaggeration)! That spot will be poisoned for a long long time.

 

[sardonicscorpio]

a few beers and some WD-40 and a lighter. It's hillbilly fun at it's finest.

now I wish I had some ants...