I hate fire ants!!!

[AimeeH]

We are RIDDLED with fires ants. I am looking for suggestions for control around the pool. I'm quite certain they are nested under the concrete deck since I've now seen them coming up from under the mounted rails at the steps as well as a small crack where the swim out steps are installed in the deep end. I don't broadcast ant poison in the yard since we are on 26 arcres with a two acre pond where runoff goes (didn't want to pollute) the pond. We try to just treat individual mounds when the arise but what can safely be done in and around the concrete decking? BTW I have an allergy to at least one of the three species that live here in SC. I want to keep the pool area as safe as possible so I don't end up having a full reaction to an ant bite or worse in the hospital from several ( found a "raft" of them today clinging to a piece of debris) and don't want to poison the pool. Any suggestions?

 

[Bama Rambler]

I broadcast ant killer granules around the yard. It doesn't have to be very thickly applied. It doesn't kill all the ants, but it makes them move somewhere else. You may find a better treatment on the gardenweb site.

 

[257WbyMag]

Because you live on acreage a have a pond and are concerned about chemical runoff (I would be too), I would suggest that you contact your county extension agent and ask them about particular solutions. They exist for this very type of reason. Just look up the number for the county offices and you should find it there. You may also get lucky due to the fact that extension agents can often treat issues such as this for no cost to you.

 

[dafuzz]

Look into Tengard and a pump sprayer. That's what I'm doing for my similar issues.

 

[257WbyMag]

Look into Tengard and a pump sprayer. That's what I'm doing for my similar issues.

That would take care of the problem. Permethrin is pretty toxic to fish though so I would worry about runoff into pond.

 

[dickeystorm]

When I lived in Florida I had great luck using Amdro. Eventually our yard was ant free. Now I'm in Texas, it doesn't seem to be as effective (different soil) here but it does kill the mound in a day or so. A tablespoon right on the mound is all you need.

 

[HoosierDaddy81]

A nifty trick with Borax is to mix it with either syrup or jelly in about a 20% borax to sugary whatever ants love goodness solution and put it out for them, they will take it back to the nest and spread it through the whole colony by feeding it to the young ones, It can take a month of doing it, but It works and works well. Sometimes if they wont take the bait try a little less borax also peanut butter sometimes works, I built an "ant box" to put the bait in so the twins, or any other innocent creatures cant get it.

Reason # 376 to like borax.