I just got a new Blue Heeler pup to train to bring in the cows. He gets excess people food as well as dry food rediley available at all time. The problem is fire ants track in to the dry food; knowing that all creatures are allways looking for ways to eat without work, the idea did appear. Knowing that grits would kill fire ants, I placed a teaspoon in the dry food bowl; the ants being lazy took out the grits because they are allready small enought to transport leaving the larger dog food nuggets alone; it worked for me, it worked for the dog, and it worked on the ants. That is the uncooked grits in the brown bag, not the instant kind.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), June 24, 2001

Answers

Bond his food dish to the inside of a larger pan with hot glue or non toxic adhesive. Put the food in the inside dish and fill the pan with water so that the food dish is surrounded by a moat of water. Food and water in one unit and no ants ( unless they're carpenter ants and can build a raft :>). Sometimes you can find these of molded plastic, but its just as easy to make one.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), June 24, 2001.

"unless they're carpenter ants and can build a raft"

A HA HA HA HA HA! Riiight! Wish I had some of those carpenter ants down my way. I sure am getting tired of building this #*$@*#) house all by myself.

-- Sojourner (notime4@summer.spam), June 24, 2001.

I've tried every kind of grits there are including milling my own and I've yet to have them deter fire ants.

Diatomaceous earth worked pretty well for me if the area can be kept dry and the "moat around the dog's bowl" worked very well if you remember to keep it filled.

={(Oak)-

-- Live Oak (oneliveoak@yahoo.com), June 25, 2001.

The grits work for me but I also remove any other type of more desirable food stuff from the area.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), June 25, 2001.

I have learned that planting peppermint in the feeding area, either around the bowls or around the storage of the animal feed, deters ants of all kinds! It is wonderful! Plus, you get the added bonus of peppermint tea! Sissy

-- Sissy Sylvester-Barth (jerreleene@hotmail.com), June 25, 2001.