BonnieBlue
Songster
This is a problem I never would have anticipated. It seems ants like dried mealworms.
A couple of days ago, I scattered dried mealworms around the new run to encourage the girls to peck and explore, since it is a new big run, and just like with the new big coop, they are a bit shook by how big it is. This morning they were out, close to the coop, and i was out there with them, and notice ants. The more I looked, I realized they were congregating on the mealworms. Which are all over the run. I sprinkled permethrin on each pile of ants eating the mealworms, scattered in the areas, and found the trail where they were coming into the run and sprinkled along it. I got a lot of them, but not nearly enough. About 15 minutes later I walked around and kicked the dead ants, permithrin, and mealworms into the sand. I know there are a lot more mealworms I missed. So I need to go back this afternoon when I get home and really get after treating the areas. I also put ant bait stations outside the run where I saw the trail of them in the run.
I don't know if they were fire ants, but probably so, given they were so small, and we have fireants like crazy around here. I really don't want fire ants infesting the run.
So after I (hopefully) get this infestation due to mealworms cut down, what do I do about mealworms? That is their favorite treat, and clearly the protein is good for them, especially with molting hitting. Can I treat the entire perimeter of the run with something? Is there anything that works around the perimeter?
Thanks for any advice.
A couple of days ago, I scattered dried mealworms around the new run to encourage the girls to peck and explore, since it is a new big run, and just like with the new big coop, they are a bit shook by how big it is. This morning they were out, close to the coop, and i was out there with them, and notice ants. The more I looked, I realized they were congregating on the mealworms. Which are all over the run. I sprinkled permethrin on each pile of ants eating the mealworms, scattered in the areas, and found the trail where they were coming into the run and sprinkled along it. I got a lot of them, but not nearly enough. About 15 minutes later I walked around and kicked the dead ants, permithrin, and mealworms into the sand. I know there are a lot more mealworms I missed. So I need to go back this afternoon when I get home and really get after treating the areas. I also put ant bait stations outside the run where I saw the trail of them in the run.
I don't know if they were fire ants, but probably so, given they were so small, and we have fireants like crazy around here. I really don't want fire ants infesting the run.
So after I (hopefully) get this infestation due to mealworms cut down, what do I do about mealworms? That is their favorite treat, and clearly the protein is good for them, especially with molting hitting. Can I treat the entire perimeter of the run with something? Is there anything that works around the perimeter?
Thanks for any advice.
