Monday, March 14, 2011

Fireants!

Yesterday, nothing. Today, big anthills in between the cracks of the patio. When fireants swarm, they don't mess around.

By 6 pm, the 3 hills had increased to 4. How I dislike fireants...and this state...

And finally I was so excited to see that kinderGARDENS will be happening again this summer! I was on pins and needles. I transplanted out some seedlings today. We'll have to see how they do.

11 comments:

Angela said...

I'm sorry about the fireants, however, I can tell you that Methoprene bait is an effective relatively mammalian low toxicity insecticide that works really well against fireants.

Auntie said...

Ugh to the fire ants!
Glad the KinderGardens are going again this year. I know you two will be busy, wherever you are living.

Erin said...

Fire ants have made their way here to coastal VA, too... ick!

Maurine said...

Many years ago when we visited my brother and family in MS. I stood on a little fireant hill while I was hugging them hello. For days I was itching and in some pain around my toes. Lee poured gasoline on them and tossed on a match. It is a year round fight in southern MS.

Mom said...

Maurine, that sounds miserable! I hope no one gets bitten on the patio!

Laurie J said...

holy fire ants!

Katherines Corner said...

Ugh!!! Make lots of suds with dish soap or laundry detergent and pour it on the ants. It is reported to kill them in their tracks. Hope this helps.
Hugs

The author said...

Thank you everyone for your stories, cures and comments! Hello to my new visitors! We just came home from a little over a week visit back home and there is probably a foot big 4" tall hill with many other scattered around! So far not in the house and that's the best news.

Angela said...

I'm glad the fire ants have not moved into your home but I would like to see a picture of their tall mound. I'm sorry but it looks like you will have to resort to using pesticides to kill them; I can't find any botanical/organic ways to kill them. I will do some more checking and then blog about it- this is what a good entomologist does, right?

The author said...

Well, I would have taken a photo, not that they got tall, just wider and more of them, but a small boy went out in stocking feet and used his road paver to mow down the hills. He got no bites and declared he had to do it so the ants would move away.

Angela said...

LOL- I'm grateful he didn't get bitten; I looked up fireants and the effects of bites does not look enjoyable.