New Member Hello From Alabama

Great to have found you all. Maybe someone can tell me how to kill these ants in my garden. LOL

 

Welcome from the Gunshine State.

 

Good morning Whisper,

Welcome to MSF.COM.

Likewise, we're glad you found the place.

I can't help with an ant solution but others here are as knowledgeable, or more so, than the various state ag services departments.

Like that picture of pet !

Transmitting from coastal Virginia.

 

Welcome to this forum. Anteaters might work........

 

I am originally from south Mississippi so I am well aware of the fire ant problem . I used gasoline in the yard but I know that is not a solution for the garden . I finally just moved away from the fire ants and hedge bushes , " problem solved " . Welcome to the forum .

 

I actually considered that! heh

 

Welcome to here! I was originally from your neighboring state of Louisiana, so I know about dem far ants, cher!

If fire ants are your nemesis, here are good garden-friendly ways to eliminate them without harmful chemicals: https://www.arbico-organics.com/category/fire-ants

If you are fighting any other kinds of ants try this: https://www.arbico-organics.com/product/monterey-ant-control/pest-solver-guide-ants

I am going to order some of the Monterey stuff to do battle with the "crazy ants" that I accidentally transported hundreds of miles from New Orleans after my last visit home. They are wild thangs, and you better hope you never get these near your home or vehicle. Hard to kill (impossible, maybe?) and they love electrical wiring more than any other ant ever did... I've never seen anything like this before; they live up to their name because they act like little crazy-drunk people on meth or speed.

Looking forward to your posts!


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These ants are anything but beneficial. They are in a huge colony that spans hundreds and hundreds of feet in the area where I have about a dozen pecan trees. The area is cleared except the pecans and one tree that is rotting and hollowed out. My garden is in front of all that area, about 1 acre of trees. They are farming the aphids, protecting them and running off all the beneficial insects. They overran my Asian long beans and I pulled them out yesterday. Once I got rid of the aphids the ants began attacking the stems where the beans grow and causing deformities on the beans. I had ants before but not like these. They are not fire ants, but will bite if you get one trapped in the crook of your arm or they get under your clothing.

I've never seen a colony this big. The soil is extremely rich and black here and very soft. The trails they make are HUGE. I've watched a lot of ants and they usually have 2 trails together, one coming and one going. These are so thick that they are making ditches (ant sized) and have trails that are 8 ants wide and some even wider.

I've used orange oil, neem and insecticial soap. As soon as it dries from being sprayed, they are right back on it. I really don't want to pollute this place. I just moved here 5 months ago and I have yet to use anything non organic on the garden. I am going to order 2 of the big containers of ant killer from your link, thanks for that info! @grizzleyetteadam

 

You're welcome. Its active ingredient is spinosad, which is potent against ants and any insect that chews.

What in the world are y'all fighting down there in Alabama that are colonizing like fire ants but are something else?


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Welcome to the forum! I hate fire ants, so good luck with them!

 

Welcome from Missouri. Good to have you with us. I can't help you with ants, but I would listen to Grizz with both ears. She has done everything once, and most things twice. If there is a way to get rid of them Grizz will know.

 

I called up the county extension office and they said probably Argentine ants. I've been doing a lot of reading on ants and one thing that worries me is that when you off one type of ant, it opens up the door for the fire ants to take over. I've got some in the front yard that are real meanies. When I was spraying all the time (almost daily) it would give the plants a slight break and the beans could produce pretty well, but only because they grow so fast. I went out there this morning and now they are putting aphids on my tomatoes. I never had aphids on tomatoes before this. Grrrrrrrrrrr

 

Welcome from north of the 49th. Some great folks here.

It doesn’t fit your chemical free plan,but I would use a judicious amount of diesel fuel on hills and trails followed by a match.

 

I saw a guy doing this on his yard on youtube... I can see me doing that.

 

I just ordered the 2.5 lb Monterey granules. Fingers crossed that it works. I got enough to do the garden space a few times because I think you have to keep reapplying it. Thanks again for the info I can't wait to try it.

 

Let us know how it works for you!


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Thank you, but you overestimate me, Morg. It's just that I am dumb enough to try stuff that most folks with common sense would not do, so there's that.

It also helps that I have a sombrero-sized GoogleFu hat to go along with my dumb luck, lol.
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Folks in these parts just set them on fire with gasoline, but I have seen vinegar and orange dish soap work great, too.