Attack Of The Killer Ants!!! Heeelp!

[redhen]

So we have a big..no i mean BIG ant problem here in my yard.
Ant hills everywhere... even today they were swarming in my GARDEN planters and got all over me when i was trying to plant seeds..... they kill things that i plant...
Its WAR!
But heres my problem.. i have pigs/ chickens/ geese and dogs that use my yard.....
WHAT can i use that wont kill my pets.. but will WORK?
I have no clue what to try thats safe.... and no.. DE does NOT work for these ants.... i have sprinkled DE all over their mounds... and even on them walking around...
They just flipped me the bird and kept on trucking along...

 

[geebs]

Cinnamon oil or Orange oil... yep... that will do the trick... and sprinkle FRESH dry cinnamon around.... Won't hurt chickens... Cats don't like the orange oil though...

 

[geebs]

oh and lets see pictures.... sounds like a cool problem....NOT!!

 

[KristyHall]

hot soapy water with dish soap.

pour it on their hills early morning. get it boiling if you can.

also stir their hills every chance you get. the more you annoy them the more they'll leave.

also try orange peal or any sort of citrus essence around your garden to protect the plants.

set the potted plants into bowls of water to keep the ants out.

mix a shovel full from each ant hill into each other and they will be so busy fighting each other they won't bother your plants. if you keep doing it eventually the hills will collapse and die, or leave.

I do all of these with fire ants and those weird aggressive black and red ants that are now moving in since I don't use chemicals in my garden.

Be warned, soapy water especially boiling soapy water, can damage your plants so only do it away form the garden. It is not toxic, but garden plants don't like it. Grass may sulk a while but it usually gets over it quickly.

 

[bgelber]

mint will also work.

 

[benjoycei]

Black pepper will make them move

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

We have red fire ants here. I have tried most everything listed plus corn meal - nothing works for us except one thing and it is a poison.



It is called Amdro - I sprinkle it on the mound, right near/over the opening. Ants take it into the mound and feed it to their queen, plus eat it themselves. They start to die within an hour or so.


To keep the other critters away (now I do not have pigs) I put a bucket over the mound with a rock/brick on top. Remove the bucket when the ants have taken all the Amdro.