less fireants...could it be?

[SweetMissDaisy]

.... The hellions ....

Haaa! we call them "Little Bass-turds"
We're finally getting rain here too -- it's been too long since our last rain.

 

[elf]

We're noticing black/red ants that we haven't seen before ... wondering if they're effecting the fire ant population?

When fireants decided Texas wasn't big enough, and branched out to our neck of the woods( I guess 15 yrs. ago or so), just about all our other types of ants disappeared. Since then I don't remember seeing any others except carpenter ants. You'll be pleased to find you can pick up a handful of your new ants, and you won't get bitten. I always assumed that the fireants killed them, so I don't think they are to be thanked for the defeat of the devil's ants. Satan's pets are probably just at an underground conference making plans to take over the rest of the world.

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

Interesting info about a fire ant decapitating fly:
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/fireant.html

 

[elf]

Cool! I just love decapitating flies (as long as they don't mutate into a giant one that likes humans)!

 

[obsessed]

Argh! I picked up a bag of mulch the other day and carried it across the yard. Before I knew it I was covered in fire ants. I never never got naked so fast! I was still bit up all over my legs and arms.

 

[cwhit590]

Argh! I picked up a bag of mulch the other day and carried it across the yard. Before I knew it I was covered in fire ants. I never never got naked so fast! I was still bit up all over my legs and arms.

:/ Sorry obsessed...those bites are awful! and those little things swarm fast!

I went to college in SC and they sure had them down there. Not fun...

Up here in MI this season we have a healthy mosquito crop due to lots of rain....no fire ants tho.....guess that's one reason to be thankful for our long cold winters...

 

[elf]

Interesting info about a fire ant decapitating fly:
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/fireant.html

I see this article says that millipedes eat fireants. We have lots of centipedes this yr. Not much fun to find in my bathtub, but maybe they could be helping with the f.ants. Also, the amount of spiders on the outside and inside of my house has greatly dwindled, but I'm assuming the chickens are helping with that. I'm reading three good things about f.ants; they kill ticks, flea & roach eggs/larvae. But if I could have a few million less, I'll be happy. The article states that the multiple queen colonies like we have produce 200-700 mounds per acre. I remember counting 100 mounds on my trail around the edge of a pasture where I last lived.

 

[fl_deb]

look to see if you are in an area where the pot snake has possibly moved into lately, they are mostly in port areas and any area heavy into horticultural businesses

pot snakes are about the size of red wriggerlers worms are blind, need only one to multiply(self fertilizing), are harmless and eat ant eggs and termite eggs

they get their name because you often find them in your flower pots and many people think they are just a worm

if you pick one up it will beat you with the end of its tail for all its worth trying to convince you to drop it LOL

 

[elf]

Creepy! Eek! I have a couple hundred or so potted plants! But I'll take them if they do in fireants and termites.

 

[obsessed]

My first year in the south I struggled with fire ants in my compost and across my yard. Now I just don't turn my compost as often or worry about the ants. It will eventually rain and they will move to another spot. I am lucky though me and the kids are not allergic.