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ant hills killing question

JimVT

JimVT

Bronze Member
I understand ants don't care for the cold. It is below freezing if I level out my ant hills will it kill them?
jim
 
Probably, I found drowning the mounds in gasoline works great. Having chickens works even better. I rarely see an ant anymore.
 
I just got done grading about 9 large hills . we'll see if it keeps them under control.
I notices some were dug up. maybe coons or coyotes looking for larva??
 
A lot of the stuff that you spray on and dust over the mounds kills a bunch of them ... but not all of them. If you don't get the queen then you are pretty much wasting your time and money. In many cases you just end up chasing them around the yard. Baits work well but are slow. If you are using sprays and drenches, you really have to soak the mound to get it down, about 2 feet, to where the queen is.

Just flattening out the mound in freezing weather won't do it.

Around here, an ant hill dug up like you describe means armadillos.
 
Got any 12 ga shot shells and a shotgun? Put about a half dozen rounds into each of the leveled off mounds to loosen them up a little. (actually alot) Next it is time for the gasoline. Be liberal and let them have it with a match. Classic battle tactics, shell the livin' hell out of them and then bring in the napalm to burn out what is left. For me it works every time....:biggrin:

Regards, Kirk
 
My brother driled a hole about 24 in. deep..and droped a half stick with a long fuse and walked off.....seemed to do away with the ant hill........although it did ster the old man from his sunday nap!!!!!!:yum:

My but still sort of burns just thinking about it!!!!!!!!
 
I'm not sure what kind but red ants could be the name of them . they have trails going to my large fir trees . some of the ant hills are right at the base of my old 5+ft trees.
they don't bother and seem to stay away from any buildings. They are bad for the honey bee hives.
thanks for the ideas.
 
JimVT said:
I'm not sure what kind but red ants could be the name of them . they have trails going to my large fir trees . some of the ant hills are right at the base of my old 5+ft trees.
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Can't speak for your fir trees but ants seem to be the #1 killer of trees around here.
 
They're probably some kind of carpenter ant. It's not something that I've seen too often around here but a couple of months ago, when I was mowing, I noticed that some bark had started to fall off of one of the pine trees in the yard. When I looked real close and pulled off some more loose bark I saw the little buggers, thousands of them. I traced them back to a little, low mound that was almost hidden in the grass. I sprayed the tree and drenched the mound. I hope I got the little buggers because it's a BIG pine tree that's real close to the back deck.
 
Given the way gasoline evaporates, I've had better luck with something a bit oilier, say kerosene or #2 diesel. It truly contaminates the soil and gets on the little buggers legs and thorax. Makes 'em miserable.

But don't expect grass to grow back anytime soon.
 
In dry areas, I use Borax (the laundry detergent, e.g. 20 Mule Team).

It kills every insect that walks through it.

I use it in the walls in new construction, basement sill plates and other places insects try to get into. The boric acid burns their feet so they lick them off. When they do, the boric acid kills them.

Not ideal for outside in a Vermont winter but an option for a dry summer period. Spread it on the hill and any ant that walks through it will carry it into the mound thus killing them.
 
Poisons and chemicals have their own secondary effects that I might not like.
Natural methods are for me but .........
Chickens would be my first choice to transform ants into tasty and beautiful eggs.
 
Andrei said:
Poisons and chemicals have their own secondary effects that I might not like.
Natural methods are for me but .........
Chickens would be my first choice to transform ants into tasty and beautiful eggs.
Click to expand...

Generally I am in agreement with you.

Guinea Fowl do a great job on bugs too.

But sometimes its not practical (depends on location, zoning laws, etc).
 
I understand that Guinea Fowl loves to eat fleas and ticks.
Never had any.
When I let the chickens out they go hunting for ants and insects right away.
But, I do spray ant control around my bee hives when needed.
 
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