[Barry J]

I have huge ant hills throughout my lawn, probably about 100-200 of them, some about 12inches wide.
I can't use pesticides because of my little dog and kids.
I tried boiling water, but that kills my lawn, I tried ground pepper bit that does not work. I tried instant grits, supposily, the worker ants will bring the grit down to the queen, she will eat it, and when she drinks water, it expands and "explodes" her...has anyone tried this????
I sprinkled grits all over the hills, but after a while seen ants carring the grits away from the mounds...are they just bringing them to another hill or are they smarter then me???
Any other ideas???
Thanks Barry

 

[hyunelan2]

I would go with poison, and keep the kids and dog off the lawn while it settles. It's likely they aren't out there much covered in ants anyway?

Ortho Bug-B-Gon is supposed to work for an entire season. If it's like most Scotts products, it's safe for kids/pets as soon as the dust settles.

http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/productTemplate.jsp?proId=prod180004&itemId=cat50078

 

[user1007]

Mentioned this on another post but something like diatemaceous earth (sp?) used for swimming pool filters might work for you. I would get a soil auger and just stuff the holes full of the stuff. It is not expensive. The glass like crystals will raise havoc and carve up the exoskeletons of the ants when they return home.

Boron is the age old insectiside but it can render soil sterile for a long time.

Also as mentioned, just use a chemical insectiside wisely. And not it may be cheaper to call an exterminator than paying for over the counter retail stuff.

 

[PAbugman]

Find a product that has the active ingredient: Bifenthrin. Spot treat each ant hill and surrounding area. When it is dry it will be safe to let kids and pets on it.

Did you really think that grits would work? If these "too good to be true" remedies worked, then they would be used widely and successfully as opposed to passed around like they are a secret.

 

[Bud Cline]

Isn't there some way to inject each hill with insecticide? Would that kill the ants or just move them to another location?

 

[user1007]

Isn't there some way to inject each hill with insecticide? Would that kill the ants or just move them to another location?

Of course but for most such things you need a license. There are no such over the counter retail products. And, again, I think you will find an exterminator on contract much cheaper and safer in the long run.

 

[Bud Cline]

In Texas we had plenty of fire ants. I used to burn them out using gasoline. It's hard on the turf but hey it was Texas. Of course they would pop back up a few days later and just a few feet away from the burn-sites.

 

[user1007]

In Texas we had plenty of fire ants. I used to burn them out using gasoline. It's hard on the turf but hey it was Texas. Of course they would pop back up a few days later and just a few feet away from the burn-sites.

Typical Texas wimps. Since you all carry concealed weapons, why did you not just shoot the ants?

In my stay in Wyoming I learned the true solution to any problem whether insect pest or significant other, clearing land, or even cleaning windows (insurance will cover most blown out windows and replace them clean and clear glass)?

Dynamite and lots of it. Dynamite can also be hard on turf though. :thumbup:

 

[bubbler]

Find a product that has the active ingredient: Bifenthrin. Spot treat each ant hill and surrounding area. When it is dry it will be safe to let kids and pets on it.

FYI: That is the active in Ortho Bug B Gone granules... I used it around my yard where I had a 20' diameter patch of sand/dust and a million active ant hills... the ants are gone now (3-4 weeks later).

Of course, I started seeing them in my house after that, so maybe I just made them angry! :laughing:

See my other thread, I ended up calling a pro to get a Termidor (Fipronil) perimeter treatment due to carpenter ants ending up in the house, but I think it's just a coincidence... we just moved in and the neighbor says that carpenter ants in the house are a problem for everyone in the neighborhood... but I do intend to use the Bug-B-Gone yearly to keep the yard population in check, of course I don't have pets/kids to worry about...

 

[havalife]

Try using Clorox at night, It works very well. I was told about this years ago but you have to make sure you do in the evening so all the ants are in the hole, it works best if you hit both entry and air vent hole. It gases the little bastards and wipes out the whole colony most of the time:thumbup: Sounds like you have a lot of holes to hit so get a couple of bottles and you may have to do it a couple of times.