The ants have started nesting under our walkways to the point that we cant walk on them without turning a swarm. To eliminate these pests, I have one of two attacks in mind. Ant bait poured in the cracks of our walkways or possibly cyanne pepper poured thick if the bait could affect our plants. Your thoughts and any suggestions please. I have to do something tomorrow. Thanks

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 10, 2001

Answers

how about a large boot?? if they come out anyways. For real large ant problems,,, Ive used a shovel and a blowtorch

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), April 10, 2001.

Pour boiling on the nest.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), April 11, 2001.

Sprinkle DE on the area, will not harm the plants at all or children or pets. Will kill the ants, just need to be reapplied if rain. Craig

-- craig swasnon (craig@rswcorp.com), April 11, 2001.

I never thought about boiling or DE. Thanks

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 11, 2001.

Jay, I have the same problem. Hills of them everywhere. What is DE? Thanks for the help.

-- Greenthumbelina (sck8107@aol.com), April 11, 2001.

DE is diatomaceous earth. The dried exoskeletons of diatoms (like what make reefs if I recall) Its harmless to us large animals, but like razor blades to insects. Learned everything I know her at CS Forum. There are threads on this in the archives. A couple are titled DE 101 and read like a school text, very informative. It comes in different grades and is great for organic gardening.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 11, 2001.

In the past I have waged war on ants and nothing beats DE.

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), April 12, 2001.

I have heard if you take a shovel of one ant hill and a shovel out of another ant hill you switch them the ants will fight each other and kill each other off. I don't know if it works or not. I just thought it was interesting when I heard somone talk about it.

-- Teresa Bourgoin (c3ranch@socket.net), April 12, 2001.

I recently used this method on hills of ant "hills". Wet the hill first, wait a few minutes, then sprinkle the hill with Baking Soda. Theory the "workers" will carry the Baking Soda to the Queen and she will eat it. Wait about 15 minutes, then pour vinegar on the hill, and stand back. That hill will fizz and emplode, and I quess the "Queen" does also. I did this a week ago to three mounds and they have not returned to my eye knowledge. Fair warning, the grass did turn slightly yellow. P.S. This method is credited to Mr. Jerry Baker who is a master gardener at using common household things (like beer, dish soap and molasses) to cure lawn and plant problems. He has books on the market. I have no financial gain from the sale (or non-sale) of his books. I would just prefer to use something non-toxic when it is available. Good Luck!

-- My Story (andIam@sticking.com), April 12, 2001.

My wife may have found something purely by accident last Friday. A walkway section needed repair for a split plank and she used a ceder limb from an ice felled tree here as a connecting foot. It was layed back so the ceder went into the nest mound. I went and dug at the mound yesterday, no invasion swarm. Maybe the aroma of the ceder moved em on. I figure to try a few more mounds to see if it works on them too.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 17, 2001.

Hey Jay, 20 Mule Team Borax, mixed with a little sugar in a saturated solution is the same as Fatsco (sp?) or any of the "Ant Poisons" you can buy. You can just sprinkle the borax where you don't want the ants.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 17, 2001.

Thanks for the hint.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 17, 2001.