We have large red ants and mounds all over our property, and all through our vegetable garden. Does anyone know a good way to totally get rid of them? We want them out of our garden for good, and obviously we need something that will not harm the plants, vegetables or us when we eat them. Can someone help please?
I have fount only one way to insure ants dont return. I locate the ant hill spray the snot out of em then grab my shovel n dig up the rest. Make sure they dont have a home to come back to. Oh and dont forget they have at least 2 exits get em both
I have heard though have not tried it. Place grits (for red ants) or, corn meal (for black ants) around the mound. The ants will carry it back into the mound, feed the queen and when the grits rehydrate inside the stomach of the ant, say bye bye to your ant problem. HTH Phyllis
I use epsom salts mixed with ground up orange peel that have been left in a jar overnight so the orange oil can soak into the epsom salts. Sprinkle it around any place you see ants and in ant mounds and they will move away quick. Here is the website I first found this on.
I use the ORTHO fireant killer too. Just be sure to get the powder ,not the granules. I take a stick and stir the mound up to get alot of ants out then sprinkle the powder all over them and around the mound.
I just recently read that cornmeal sprinkled all over the area is good. I tried it and can tell you many of the little pest in the garden are gone, including the red ants. They also don't like vinegar or ammonia. I use them around the house and door and stairways at home so they don't come in. Good luck!
Ortho Fire-ant Killer is the best & fastest way to get rid of fireants. I've tried everything on the market and every homemade remedy I knew of. This is the BEST ever I sprinkle just a little on the mound. Within a few hours the ants are gone (and they don't come back).
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Request: Getting Rid of Red Ants
Archived on 07/06/2008
I have a yard full of red ants; what can I do? I hate to have to pay the high for the cost of most commercial insecticides.
Nelwyn from Bunkie, LA
Answers:
RE: Getting Rid of Red Ants
Hi Nelwyn! I am here on the other side of the state in Slidell and we have had a terrible time with ants since Katrina. I have found that if you pour liquid Citronella into the mounds until they are saturated it kills them and it is not harmful to the pets. You can also make bait traps with 3 tablespoons of boric acid and 1/4 cup of sugar dissolved into a cup of hot water. Press a disposable pie plate into the mound then pour that mixture into it. Within 2 or 3 days the mound is dead. (This method is better in my opinion, but the dogs were too curious.) (05/03/2006)
Bleach also works, pour about a cap full on top of the ant hill. It will kills those in the hive and run off the others. (05/04/2006)
By Mary
RE: Getting Rid of Red Ants
Hi! To kill ants without using chemicals, take a bucket and fill with warm tap water. Pour the warm water into the ant mound. Usually it takes one or two applications, but it works! We use this all the time for fire ants in Georgia.
Cathy G. (05/04/2006)
Control
Natural enemies of fire ants have been tested for mass releases that would control the ants in large areas, and progress is being made. Biological control agents include Beauvaria basisanna, a natural fungus disease that attacks fire ants, and beneficial nematodes. Pouring boiling water on individual mounds is effective in small areas.
...Found on this website:http://www.garden.org/pestlibrary/bugs.php?q=show&id=1612 (05/04/2006)
By Mary
RE: Getting Rid of Red Ants
Grits. The ant eats it and it expands and kills them. Works GREAT for fire ants. I will never use anything else! (05/14/2007)
