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I need help quickly please

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2005
by Storm on June 12, 2005 02:32 AM
I have just discovered a major ant hill in my yard. These appear to be small black ants. I have thousands of them to say the least. THey have built a hill against my cedar fence and it is at least a foot high and a foot to 2 feet wide.

What can I do to get rid of them short of an exterminator?

Help please.

[shocked]
by Storm on June 12, 2005 02:55 AM
Once again, I have double posts. Sorry.

But I don't care, cause I need triple help.

[scaredy]
by MaryReboakly on June 12, 2005 03:24 AM
Hi Storm, Im far from the expert, but someone once told me to pour boiling water on the hill. I guess that cooks em up [shocked]

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by pcgrav on June 12, 2005 04:47 AM
Get a VERY LARGE jug of bleach and pour the whole thing on it... That's the best advice I can offer unless you want to go to a place like Wal-Mart(do you have those in Canada??) or some place like that and buy pesticide and use it yourself. If you want to stay organic try www.gardensalive.com. I'm not sure if they ship to Canada or not but you can try...
GOOD LUCK!!!

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 - Each day is a new beginning...What you begin is your choice.
 - The pleasure you receive from life is equal only to the attitude you put into it.
by Fernie on June 12, 2005 05:16 AM
I had a huge ant hill one year with underground tunnels that came up nearly 20 feet away. Needless to say, bleach, boiling water, none of anything I tried worked to kill off this enormous hill. I finally gave up and called an exterminator.He told me to go to a good nursery and ask them for something should the ants come back in another spot but I can not for the life of me remember what he told me to ask for.

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by Storm on June 12, 2005 06:21 AM
I've heard some of you mention on other threads about Boric Acid. Would this work if I put it around the hill [dunno] or something?
by catlover on June 12, 2005 07:30 AM
Be careful with the boric acid if you have other animals....it is poisonous.

When I have an outbreak of ants in the house I spray around the base of the home with Diazinon....once again poisonous so be careful. It also comes in granular form which you can sprinkle or place around the hole....make sure to lightly dampen the area after applying.
Catlover

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by Storm on June 12, 2005 10:13 AM
Got ya. [Wink]

Thanks.

[Smile]
by BFVISION on June 12, 2005 03:52 PM
Are you sure they are not carpenter ants [devil] ?
You will do yourself a big favor to rid this from your yard ASAP. There may be buried wood/branches in the ground they are using as a nest. I would agree with the exterminator approach because with these chompers your best bet is to go with the professionals [teacher] , this way you are not over using pesticides and you will get some type of guarantee. Once you stir them up they go on the move and your home may be next on the list [shocked] .

Good Luck

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BFVISION

http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=2122269418&mode=guest
by Storm on June 12, 2005 07:47 PM
Carpenter ants are pretty big aren't they?

These are your everyday little black ant.

I agree with the stirring of the pot though. Little devils move fast.

I printed an article out about Boric Acid and it says it's safe for children and animals. [dunno]
by catlover on June 12, 2005 10:52 PM
Boric Acid
quote:
Under an OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, based on animal chronic toxicity studies of inorganic borate chemicals, boric acid and/or borates are Hazardous Materials. California has identified boric acid as a hazardous waste. The above information is taken from Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) 25-80-2320 (Section 2 and 13) supplied by U.S. Borax Inc. (the major supplier of borax to many industries). [QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Boric acid is generally known as a desiccant; in other words, it kills by removing the moisture from the body of the target pests, causing severe dehydration which will affect electrolyte metabolism with the potential of metabolic acidosis. In fact, boric acid is a stomach poison normally ingested, along with the fact that it can also enter the blood by inhalation. Boric acid is an acid. Acid will decrease the pH level with the possible side effects of renal, respiratory, and cardiovascular failure. Symptoms and signs of boric acid poisoning are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dysphagia, cold sweats, dyspnea, muscular debility, scarlatinal eruptions, subnormal temperature, cardiac weakness, cyanosis, coma, collapse, etc. Boric acid is 3 parts hydrogen, 1 part boron, and 3 parts oxygen. Recently U.S. Borax discovered that boric acid contains traces of arsenic. Before California Prop 65 there were few, if any, human studies on boric acid. When human studies were requested from U.S. Borax they said they were unable to supply us with any at that time. But in the late 1980's they had started doing new and extensive toxicity tests on rats and mice as a result of California Prop 65. As a result of these tests, they discovered a decrease in sperm count and the stopping of fetal and embryonic development in rats and mice. In early 1993, U.S. Borax had asked for, and has received, additional time to complete their laboratory studies from the State of California.
quote:
Boric acid contained traces of arsenic, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer. U.S. Borax was able to use the EPA de minimus policy, which accepts that zero is not absolute, but very, very small to remove arsenic from its Material Safety Data Sheet. I personally do not see any risk with the trace amount of arsenic at 1 part per million in boric acid and/or borates if used in an appropriate application method. But, not where there will be constant direct contact.
quote:
Boric Acid is one of the safest pesticides if used correctly.

quote:
By Michael R. Cartwright, Sr.
Just be careful! [kitty]

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by Storm on June 13, 2005 06:51 AM
Whew!! Alrighty then.

Thanks for the heads up. [muggs]
by DaisyM on June 23, 2005 02:18 PM
I used the boiling water, and it worked, no more ants, but it did kill my grass in the area as well.

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