ARGGG!!!! Fire ants have taken over my compost pile

[mythkat]

This might help:

http://www.fireant.net/Control/

Good luck:/

 

[obsessed]

I added blood meal to the pile last week along with some grass shavings watered and this week no fire ant. So I guess I burned them out. Yay it is now safe to walk in the garden.

 

[iluvamustang]

Try 1/2 H2O and 1/2 vinegar - It worked on mine earlier this spring and they haven't returned.

 

[Texan]

I added blood meal to the pile last week along with some grass shavings watered and this week no fire ant. So I guess I burned them out. Yay it is now safe to walk in the garden.

I didnt even know what blood meal was until I read that and googled it. One spot even said that it makes your compost pile compost faster. Any experiance there?

Try 1/2 H2O and 1/2 vinegar - It worked on mine earlier this spring and they haven't returned.

Interesting, the vinegar didnt give any adverse affects to your plants? That justs sounds to easy to get rid of ants. Ima hafta try that.

 

[obsessed]

I think it did heat up the pile. I had let the rain get to the pile and it was cold. I added the blood meal and there were no ants and there was seam. The heating up is what is causing it to compost faster so I guess yes it composting faster
I also haven't had to add it again.

 

[jamespm_98]

I have the same problem and use Safer Brand fire ant bait. It has Spinosad in it and is states it is safe for use in gardens and is ORMI listed for use in organic gardening. I also get mounds in my garden every year and this helps keep them under control. I never completely get rid of them since new mounds pop up in different places just battle them all year until cooler weather.

 

[Dennis1979]

There have been a lot of suggestions here, guess I'll add mine. I too HATE fireants.

For me DE works sometimes but not always. I don't know why but I would say DE works only 20% of the time, for me. I have tried that Spinosad stuff also but it didn't work for me. Boiling water definitely works but you have to concentrate it on the mound so as not to kill other things and in a big compost pile you really don't know where or how deep the mound goes, But usually hot water will make the mound go away. Also be careful walking around with a potfull of boiling hot water. Someone could get hurt.

I found that alcohol will get rid of them. I have no idea if it's bad to put alcohol on your compost pile. I discovered this by accident. I brew my own beer and the last time I brewed I had some trub left at the bottom of my fermenter. I decided to pour it on the ant bed in my compost pile because nothing I tried previously would kill it. I figured if I couldn't kill them I would get then real drunk. The mound was gone the next day.

Dennis

 

[halo]

I use Amdro and it works quite well. Grits, or corn meal doesnt, nor have ever worked. Its an old wives tale.

 

[Texan]

I use boiling water.