Ant poison options

[Berd Man]

Ok-I’m going to try the boiling water where I know my flock go for sure but will keep sevin dust in mind for outer ranges. Mounds are getting out of control for some reason so y’all are giving me plenty of options! If your chickens were fine, the sevin dust would be ok for ducks and geese I’m guessing?

My wife and I were talking and she reminded me that we had some success with concentrated orange oil (Doterra brand to be exact). It was not cheaper than Amdro, but we switched once we started seeing the fire ant mounds in the areas our kids and dogs were frequenting. The orange oil destroys their bodies and kills them. You would have to mix a large quantity and drown the mound. But if safety for other organisms in the vicinity is paramount it’s a good option.

 

[Ourgosling22]

My wife and I were talking and she reminded me that we had some success with concentrated orange oil (Doterra brand to be exact). It was not cheaper than Amdro, but we switched once we started seeing the fire ant mounds in the areas our kids and dogs were frequenting. The orange oil destroys their bodies and kills them. You would have to mix a large quantity and drown the mound. But if safety for other organisms in the vicinity is paramount it’s a good option.

Ok thank you! Will check it out.

 

[nikkers390]

Harvester Ants are almost as nasty and my property I bought was pledged with them. It took me a few years but I finally got them under control with boiling water. Still remember the 3-4 day bite of no sleep from the stinging pain. I bet fire ants feal the same way

The bite is painful and for the next few days turns into a small pussy blister. It hurts for days, like a wasp but not quite. They actually sting, not bite.

 

[nikkers390]

Ok-I’m going to try the boiling water where I know my flock go for sure but will keep sevin dust in mind for outer ranges. Mounds are getting out of control for some reason so y’all are giving me plenty of options! If your chickens were fine, the sevin dust would be ok for ducks and geese I’m guessing?

I don't like using poisons, but in some cases one needs to get out the big guns. When bugs get to the point where it affects your safety or your flock's safety, choices need to be made.

 

[Ryebi]

Borax mixed with syrup (sugar dissolved in warm water works just fine for this) has been the best killing bait I'd ever used with ants of all kinds. You have to really experiment to get the ratio right, if you aren't sure - try Terro Liquid Ant Baits which is exactly that but premixed with the correct ratios. You will suddenly see a LOT of ant activity at first - you know they're working then - but then just as suddenly the activity will disappear after a couple days or weeks. Do not let the liquid run out until they stop taking it (they will only stop taking it after they have all died, they love this stuff and swarm it as soon as they know it's there).

Do not ever put the bait stations touching any part of the mounds, rather near it. They can sense that stuff a good bit away but if it touches their hill at all, they'll view it as a threat and not something to eat and share with their queen or larvae. They make a version of the bait dispenser that can be staked to the ground but really it's as simple as keeping the stations anywhere birds wont reach them too, or just in a tupperware with holes drilled in just big enough for ants to get inside. It's pretty safe.

Do not spray insecticides of course. That's the biggest concern to avoid with poultry since sprays stay in the environment uncontrolled. It also makes it so baits wont work because the ants can smell/taste the spray instead. It will only make them move and become a problem to somewhere else in your pasture.

 

[Ourgosling22]

I don't like using poisons, but in some cases one needs to get out the big guns. When bugs get to the point where it affects your safety or your flock's safety, choices need to be made.

Unfortunately that’s what’s happening here.

 

[Ourgosling22]

Borax mixed with syrup (sugar dissolved in warm water works just fine for this) has been the best killing bait I'd ever used with ants of all kinds. You have to really experiment to get the ratio right, if you aren't sure - try Terro Liquid Ant Baits which is exactly that but premixed with the correct ratios. You will suddenly see a LOT of ant activity at first - you know they're working then - but then just as suddenly the activity will disappear after a couple days or weeks. Do not let the liquid run out until they stop taking it (they will only stop taking it after they have all died, they love this stuff and swarm it as soon as they know it's there).

Do not ever put the bait stations touching any part of the mounds, rather near it. They can sense that stuff a good bit away but if it touches their hill at all, they'll view it as a threat and not something to eat and share with their queen or larvae. They make a version of the bait dispenser that can be staked to the ground but really it's as simple as keeping the stations anywhere birds wont reach them too, or just in a tupperware with holes drilled in just big enough for ants to get inside. It's pretty safe.

Do not spray insecticides of course. That's the biggest concern to avoid with poultry since sprays stay in the environment uncontrolled. It also makes it so baits wont work because the ants can smell/taste the spray instead. It will only make them move and become a problem to somewhere else in your pasture.

Borax mixed with syrup (sugar dissolved in warm water works just fine for this) has been the best killing bait I'd ever used with ants of all kinds. You have to really experiment to get the ratio right, if you aren't sure - try Terro Liquid Ant Baits which is exactly that but premixed with the correct ratios. You will suddenly see a LOT of ant activity at first - you know they're working then - but then just as suddenly the activity will disappear after a couple days or weeks. Do not let the liquid run out until they stop taking it (they will only stop taking it after they have all died, they love this stuff and swarm it as soon as they know it's there).

Do not ever put the bait stations touching any part of the mounds, rather near it. They can sense that stuff a good bit away but if it touches their hill at all, they'll view it as a threat and not something to eat and share with their queen or larvae. They make a version of the bait dispenser that can be staked to the ground but really it's as simple as keeping the stations anywhere birds wont reach them too, or just in a tupperware with holes drilled in just big enough for ants to get inside. It's pretty safe.

Do not spray insecticides of course. That's the biggest concern to avoid with poultry since sprays stay in the environment uncontrolled. It also makes it so baits wont work because the ants can smell/taste the spray instead. It will only make them move and become a problem to somewhere else in your pasture.

I do have some Borax on hand. What ratio worked for you?

 

[Ryebi]

I do have some Borax on hand. What ratio worked for you?

A good video but unlike what he says, I would make the consistency more like syrup. In your case you have active and known ant activity and your bait shouldn't last long enough to dry out like he claims (it should be licked clean by ants within days). I like the syrup consistency better because it guarantees they're getting the proper ratio of borax to sugar. The dryer method he's talking about is fine prophylactically though, if you expect the bait to be ignored for long periods of time.

 

[Ourgosling22]

A good video but unlike what he says, I would make the consistency more like syrup. In your case you have active and known ant activity and your bait shouldn't last long enough to dry out like he claims (it should be licked clean by ants within days). I like the syrup consistency better because it guarantees they're getting the proper ratio of borax to sugar. The dryer method he's talking about is fine prophylactically though, if you expect the bait to be ignored for long periods of time.

Ok thank you.

 

[Ryebi]

Ok thank you.

Good luck!