Ants, Wasp and Everything Else

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timlab

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Jul 11, 2015
35
Aiken SC
I live down here in SC., and really didn't know the population of Ant Village. I know we have ants, but not this many. What does everyone use for ants moving all over their pools? I've read somewhere that DE Food Grade does the trick. If anyone use this, let me know how you apply it. Also, wasp an beetles.

Thanks.
 
timlab said:
I live down here in SC., and really didn't know the population of Ant Village. I know we have ants, but not this many. What does everyone use for ants moving all over their pools? I've read somewhere that DE Food Grade does the trick. If anyone use this, let me know how you apply it. Also, wasp an beetles.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

SC here too and in the country as well so our critter/insect problem is likely far worse than yours. There are certain days where up to hundreds of flying ants will enter the pool. I either skim them with a net or push them toward the skimmers. We don't have an issue with fire ants on the concrete decking but treat the mounds when we see them.

For the flying things (dragon flies, horse flies, wasps, etc) I have found that using my sprinkler, pool cooler over center of pool seems to keep them farther from us. The wasps are annoying but not aggressive. Our worst pest to deal with are the horse flies as they aggressively try to feed off of us. The tend to appear after 3:30pm as a general rule. Sprinkler helps a good bit.
 
I keep my yard heavily treated with Bug B Gone and lots of Terro. I have a huge ant problem, my neighbors don't treat and I constantly patrol my fence and drop Terro if I see any coming over the fence. It is not a one time treatment. I will drop Terro and check it for a few days. You may get a second or third wave over the course of a couple of weeks.

When I moved in last year my landscaper told me I would never get it under control. Well I have! Ants are most active at night so in the evening I patrol my yard pretty much daily and look for them I can find the trail pretty easily now. After a rain they tend to come out in full force so it is important to keep on top of them. The secret is to get one ant to take it and then they will come. I buy the clear plastic ones and just pour it right on the concrete in multiple spots around the infested areas. If I hit a big infestation I lay the whole packet down. I had an colony coming over the fence that I had to keep replacing two packets at a time for over a month.

I treat my house twice a year with Ortho Defense and my yard every six weeks with Bug B Gone. I go really heavy around the house and pool do it right before a rain since it needs water to activate it.

Once you get them under control it's pretty easy to spot any pop ups that occur.
 
I wouldn't bet on it, as I live in the country as well. I would agree with you that our critter/insects are far worst then in the city. I also agree with you about the wasps, and haven't seen a horse flies. I should try that sprinkler tho, as it might do the trick.

Thanks.
 
FYI

Terro (which works great) is nothing more than borax (which we all have, right) in a sugar bait solution.

There are two kinds of ants, sugar and fat feeding. May sure the bait you are using is targeting the kind of ants you have.

-dave
 
Dave - I have been putting off buying some DE food grade (sorry can't spell this long word, but I'm sure you know what I'm mean). On Wednesday, the bug man is coming to spray under the tarp. Wednesday and Thursday I plan on leveling the pool and filling it back up again on Friday for the weekend (if I know what's best for my butt) with the wife. I want to put some of the DE down, but I'm really wondering how to do this. How much do I spiking around the pool and how do I do it? Any suggestions?

Thanks
 

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timlab said:
Dave - I have been putting off buying some DE food grade (sorry can't spell this long word, but I'm sure you know what I'm mean). On Wednesday, the bug man is coming to spray under the tarp. Wednesday and Thursday I plan on leveling the pool and filling it back up again on Friday for the weekend (if I know what's best for my butt) with the wife. I want to put some of the DE down, but I'm really wondering how to do this. How much do I spiking around the pool and how do I do it? Any suggestions?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I am not a exterminator, so take my advice with a grain of salt (or DE)

I grew up next to a public greenhouse - they used DE all of the time in there, as a dusting powder. You also wore a mask when dusting with it. To the best of my knowledge it was not food grade (nobody was eating it - even on vegetables it would get washed off). My understanding was, it had to be dry to work. It sorts of "cuts up" the bugs as they crawl through it. Once it is wet, it stops "cutting". I assume food grade is safe to eat, while non food grade has "stuff" in it - dirt and other things I would think. I don't see how that would make a difference to a bug you are trying to kill in your yard.

Since I believe it has to be dry to work, then putting it under your pool bottom is not going to do anything. As I said, we used to dust it on plants.

As far a borax, that does kill ants, but you have to get them to eat it first. So you mix it into things they like to eat - sugar syrup, grease, etc. and leave it out where they can get to it.

-dave
 
I'm near the OP and sometimes the ants are worse here than other times. Rains make it worse. I like the idea of using a product that kills the ants walking over it (tearing them down) like DE. I am concerned about the wide spread over use of chemicals which have longer lasting effects. Think Silent Spring, y'know? So does Pool DE work this way the same as Food Grade DE? I've got the former so would rather not buy something more....

I've read that ants are attracted to the hum of pool pumps-not sure if that's true?
 
YippeeSkippy said:
I'm near the OP and sometimes the ants are worse here than other times. Rains make it worse. I like the idea of using a product that kills the ants walking over it (tearing them down) like DE. I am concerned about the wide spread over use of chemicals which have longer lasting effects. Think Silent Spring, y'know? So does Pool DE work this way the same as Food Grade DE? I've got the former so would rather not buy something more....

I've read that ants are attracted to the hum of pool pumps-not sure if that's true?
Click to expand...

Here's the truth about DE. There are two types. Food grade and non-food grade. The makers of DE state that if you have children or pets purchase food grade. If DE gets wet, it will not work until it's dry. Other than that, it's war on the ants.
 
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