DE questions

[bluegiantsc]

I've used DE before, I used to sprinkle it around the base of my house, in the chicken coop, on the chickens, and around the edge of their run. I'm going tomorrow to get a new bag, and I'm going to sprinkle like usual.
My 2 questions are: can I pour a pile in where they like to dust bathe, for them to bathe in? Or would that be too much?
And second, will it kill ants if I pour on the mounds?

Thanks y'all.

 

[bargain]

I don't believe it will kill fire ants, never heard of that. I think the main concern I would have is that you are getting the DE Animal grade/plant grade.... The main thing about "bathing in it would be if it got into their respiratory systems. Other than that it should be fine!

 

[cdavis76]

I used this once but might have put too much inthe coop house or maybe not enough....can find no one who can tell me how much i need to sprinkle or lay on the ground

 

[7 Biddies]

I don't believe it will kill fire ants, never heard of that. I think the main concern I would have is that you are getting the DE Animal grade/plant grade.... The main thing about "bathing in it would be if it got into their respiratory systems. Other than that it should be fine!

It's supposed to kill any insects with an "exoskeleton".

From Wiki: "Like other insects, ants have an exoskeleton, an external covering that provides a protective casing around the body and a point of attachment for muscles, in contrast to the internal skeletons of humans and other vertebrates"

Sounds like it's worth a shot.

 

[bluegiantsc]

I do get the animal grade DE, I get it from an animal supply store. But it is dusty and I do worry a little about it getting in their respiratory system. But, I think I'll just put some in the spot they like to bathe in and let it be. Not like a huge pile or anything but just a little.
I think I will put it on the ant mounds. I don't know what kind of ants they are, but they aren't fire ants. I'll let you guys know if it kills them. I'm really hoping it will.

 

[JanetS]

DE isn't helping me with my ants here in Florida. I have sprinkled it around and in coop again and again but still have bad ant problems. Just went to TSC and picked up some poultry dust to try. Hope it works.

 

[mickey328]

How long has it been since you used the DE? It's not an "instant kill" product. It's not a chemical but works on a physical level. Under a microscope, it's composed of very sharp granules. As bugs get it on them, it works its way into their joints and as they move it cuts microscopic holes in the carapace which lets their moisture out and they dehydrate. As a consequence, it can take quite a bit of time for it to be effective. It also needs to be dry...if it gets damp then it won't cling to the little critters.

Can you find the mounds/nests? If so, spraying them with soapy water might well help too...the soap covers their tiny respiratory openings and they suffocate. You could also try some chemical type traps for them as long as they would be well away from any chickens or other pets that might eat them.

Personally, we find a multi-pronged attack is the way to go...In our part of Colorado, we don't have any really aggressive bugs, thank heavens, and can keep them mostly under control with DE and soap spray. It's an ongoing process, but not really difficult...the tricky part is the initial phase to cut down the infestation.

Good luck!

 

[bluegiantsc]

I haven't gotten any DE since last year, we didn't have an ant problem last year. Not a single ant to be found, and somehow this year they've come out of no where and are everywhere in the yard. So I was only using it on the chickens and in their coop, and around our house to keep our huge spiders out.
I don't want to use anything chemical because my chickens free range, so I would rather use DE. I know its not an instant kill thing, but as long as it doesn't rain it should stay on the ground. I knew that it let the moisture out of the bugs, but I didn't know if it would work on ants. I figured I would ask, then try it out.

@Mickey, are you talking dish soap? Because I would try that too.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[mickey328]

I've heard lots of folks say it's been a bad year for ants Most of the pesty things I've seen were mites. Just to keep things under control, I sprinkle some in the bedding and in their dust baths. That way, they get a little pretty much all the time as they scratch and wallow. The mites they had when we got them are all gone and so far anyway, they haven't come back.

Yep...plain old dish soap. Mix a few drops into a sprayer and spray it liberally on any bugs you want gone. It's friendly to the environment and won't hurt the critters you want to keep.

 

[bluegiantsc]

I've heard lots of folks say it's been a bad year for ants Most of the pesty things I've seen were mites. Just to keep things under control, I sprinkle some in the bedding and in their dust baths. That way, they get a little pretty much all the time as they scratch and wallow. The mites they had when we got them are all gone and so far anyway, they haven't come back.

Yep...plain old dish soap. Mix a few drops into a sprayer and spray it liberally on any bugs you want gone. It's friendly to the environment and won't hurt the critters you want to keep.

Thank you so much. We haven't had an issue with mites, thank god. Just the ants and fleas at the beginning of the year. We didn't have much of a winter here and I think that has a lot to do with it. But thank you so much for the helpful advice!