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Black Ant Attack

Leni

Leni

Active member
I was at my garden weeding and disturbed a nest of black ants. Didn't feel them bitting me. I brushed them off. I ended up having to go to the doctor because both my feet and my right hand swelled up and turned bright red. A very strong allergic reaction. I was wearing sandles and will never make that mistake again. The nest is right next to my beets. Anyone have an idea of how to get rid of them without causing problems for the beets? I've heard that if you sprinkle cornmeal around they will eat it and die. Does anyone know if this actually works?
 
I'm going to check with the local nursery here and see what they suggest. Thanks for the idea.
 
leadarrows said:
Sevin insect control.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sevin-1-...en-Insect-Killer-Shaker-Bottle-7007/100662149
Click to expand...

That'll work but as the ants start to die they may move the queen to another location several feet away and you end up chasing the little buggers round the garden.

Leni, like you I am allergic to ant bites so I've tried just about anything and everything to kill them off. I got bit badly about two weeks ago while pruning a tree.

Baits work pretty well if you have patience. It can sometimes take a couple of weeks. They carry the bait back down into the nest, feed it to the queen and when she dies, they all die. It's just a question of matching the bait to the type of ant. It's much "cleaner" around the vegetable garden.
 
i got them none too many ago, leni. ant traps & bug spray- got 'em. they have to be placed well. find where they get in- gotta be strategic. avoid spraying near plants u wanna keep. yep.
 
As it turns out my instincts were right for once. I turned the hose on the nest and soaked the heck out of it for a couple of days in a row. The nursery staff told me that they don't like wet ground and to soak it which I had already done. Madam Queen didn't like that and moved her colony to another location.
 
Leni said:
As it turns out my instincts were right for once. I turned the hose on the nest and soaked the heck out of it for a couple of days in a row. The nursery staff told me that they don't like wet ground and to soak it which I had already done. Madam Queen didn't like that and moved her colony to another location.
Click to expand...

Great!!!! .... but you still got the ants only in a different location. :biggrin::biggrin:
 
Betcha they ain't gone!!!!!

After I cut the yard on Tuesday I'm going to hitch up the 55 gallon sprayer and mount another attack on the little buggers.
 
I soaked the garden again this morning. The ants may have moved to the neighboring garden. It is a mess. There was a lady there this morning clearing the weeds.
 
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