tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post748135903383628181..comments2024-03-28T08:54:25.986-05:00Comments on Two Men and a Little Farm: HOMEMADE FIRE ANT KILLER1st Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04861609647607912193noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-87976919898908686662022-01-31T10:48:56.920-06:002022-01-31T10:48:56.920-06:00Thanks for the tip on this recipe! I have some DE ...Thanks for the tip on this recipe! I have some DE I need to find a use for, and this will be easy to throw together. 👍👍🐜🐜🐜Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01391750532176282121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-67852533007184061302021-11-03T13:57:03.275-05:002021-11-03T13:57:03.275-05:00Just happened upon your blog and found this about ...Just happened upon your blog and found this about fire ants. I have so many of them and have tried so many things, some of them poisonous which I hate, so I will definitely look for this Earth stuff and mix it up next spring. Winter is about to set in here and they are all buried deep in the ground hibernating I am sure. So glad for this post. Wendy.kruethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05921074648456614644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-18095614195087627112021-10-27T13:19:11.326-05:002021-10-27T13:19:11.326-05:00So smart!! I'm going to make up a batch and tr...So smart!! I'm going to make up a batch and try it!Staciehttp://www.countingtomatoes.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-88609689071885323132021-10-26T17:52:05.952-05:002021-10-26T17:52:05.952-05:00That's great!That's great!Tonya @ My Cozy Little Farmhousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12289024681312440621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-87032413240468104482021-10-22T11:07:54.302-05:002021-10-22T11:07:54.302-05:00We don't have fire ants in Iowa but based on t...We don't have fire ants in Iowa but based on the bites from those little red ants we do have - I hope they never make it up here. It looks like I need to add diatomaceous earth to my shopping list for the ant nests I disturb while weeding. I knew about DE for slugs, but not ants or other insects. <br /><br />I do have a question though - what about things like ground nesting pollinators, or other sweets loving but desired insects. Like butterflies, bumble bees, honey (and other) bees - or is it so unlikely that they'd go after dry sugar that it's not a concern? Perhaps its's far less damage than allowing fire ants to take over?JustGailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08948391538309176039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-70786849379188619682021-10-22T10:24:16.707-05:002021-10-22T10:24:16.707-05:00Yes, we bought some for ants a while back. Needing...Yes, we bought some for ants a while back. Needing dry weather to use it.Dchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02490191919855219024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-20714081170782672932021-10-22T09:13:03.975-05:002021-10-22T09:13:03.975-05:00I read that when DE is wet it is ineffective, but ...I read that when DE is wet it is ineffective, but when it dries out it is effective again. I guess the issue is will it dry out sufficiently down in the nest? They say don’t spread it if rain is forecast, but once it dries out it is effective again. On the surface, I presume. I like your theory of them carrying it down to the queen. Seems more logical, and it stays dry. Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05624615489007238416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-90749107299236121392021-10-22T08:35:06.010-05:002021-10-22T08:35:06.010-05:00My son-in-law came up with this story that the ant...My son-in-law came up with this story that the ants here in Texas eat tires. I saw the mound over your tractor tire and wondered how true (false) his story is. Lol. Thanks for the info!!Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05624615489007238416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-81057382762451207892021-10-22T08:31:16.116-05:002021-10-22T08:31:16.116-05:00While shopping for sugar I searched the web for an...While shopping for sugar I searched the web for answers. One site suggested “icing sugar” which is powdered sugar. I mixed up a batch in the 2:1 ratio you used and will try it this morning. It recommended a 25%-50% mixture, I assume they mean sugar/DE, so your 33% is spot on. Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05624615489007238416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-76400721333966944772021-10-22T01:37:35.836-05:002021-10-22T01:37:35.836-05:00Uses for using DE
https://www.bobvila.com/slidesho...Uses for using DE<br />https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/9-handy-household-uses-for-diatomaceous-earth-579838<br /><br />https://mommypotamus.com/diatomaceous-earth-uses/Colleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13106960827480062745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-66912188759379090562021-10-22T00:41:41.805-05:002021-10-22T00:41:41.805-05:00Right? I hope it works for you. Keep us posted a...Right? I hope it works for you. Keep us posted and as awesome as you are at self sufficiency (everyone check out her blog, so many good tips), you'll make it work and maybe even better! 1st Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04861609647607912193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-31756082509310943212021-10-22T00:40:15.112-05:002021-10-22T00:40:15.112-05:00I think this stuff is safe around all animals. I ...I think this stuff is safe around all animals. I hope it works for you. From what Colleen said it can take time. We put it down one week and then the next week it seemed to have worked. Now on a day to day basis we don't know if they were dead within a day or two or the morning of the seventh day, ha. Hope it works for you. 1st Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04861609647607912193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-50120203980463560442021-10-22T00:38:34.453-05:002021-10-22T00:38:34.453-05:00I've heard about the stuff for years and we ha...I've heard about the stuff for years and we had some from something else we were doing once upon a time and figured let's try it. So far it's been great. I'm going to read up more on all the other uses. Thanks for the info!!1st Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04861609647607912193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-332212779848754942021-10-22T00:36:25.774-05:002021-10-22T00:36:25.774-05:00I know you understand the menace of fire ants bein...I know you understand the menace of fire ants being in this part of the South. Whatever we can get that works. Good luck!!!1st Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04861609647607912193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-43166151702019972442021-10-22T00:35:43.094-05:002021-10-22T00:35:43.094-05:00I'm going to put down a bunch more this coming...I'm going to put down a bunch more this coming weekend. I may have gone overboard with the amount I sprinkled but it worked so I guess I'll try smaller amounts just to see if we notice a difference. Hope it works for you!1st Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04861609647607912193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-41969427069277044072021-10-22T00:34:49.831-05:002021-10-22T00:34:49.831-05:00I hope it works. It worked great on fire ants, ho...I hope it works. It worked great on fire ants, hope it is the same on all varieties. Keep us posted. 1st Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04861609647607912193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-68417463879391600552021-10-22T00:34:11.735-05:002021-10-22T00:34:11.735-05:00The "zen machine" was kept outside in a ...The "zen machine" was kept outside in a three sided open shed for a year or two I guess. And yes there was a huge mound around the tires for a period of time. We're still running the original tires, so there was no issue at all. That's a good question though, I hadn't heard of ants damaging tires but with the truck parked out there, I'll need to keep an eye on that. Or maybe fire ants don't bother rubber but perhaps others do? Now you have me wondering, ha. 1st Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04861609647607912193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-53086676712822098802021-10-22T00:32:00.327-05:002021-10-22T00:32:00.327-05:00Hmm, you know this is a good point. Powdered suga...Hmm, you know this is a good point. Powdered sugar might be better (if the water doesn't work). I did use granulated regular sugar. I don't know if there is something to the ants carrying the sugar into the nest, maybe the "grains" of sugar would be better than powder. Or maybe powder would just get all over them, ha. We'll experiment. 1st Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04861609647607912193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-34151551962151237422021-10-22T00:30:27.812-05:002021-10-22T00:30:27.812-05:00Thanks for this info. We've only tried it on ...Thanks for this info. We've only tried it on the fire ants. I thought about just using the DE with water but figured the sugar would definitely make them take it down into the nest. But I'll try it that way too and see how it works. 1st Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04861609647607912193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-12783258188061966602021-10-21T05:18:00.018-05:002021-10-21T05:18:00.018-05:00WOW! Such a safe and easy recipe. And it works! Th...WOW! Such a safe and easy recipe. And it works! Thank you so much for sharing. I can definitely put it to good use too.Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-2553313934071053662021-10-21T05:11:34.596-05:002021-10-21T05:11:34.596-05:00Thank you for sharing this! We have ducks and guin...Thank you for sharing this! We have ducks and guinea hens AND fire ants. We don't want to put anything out that would hurt the flock. This will be great!Valeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01895625114035965626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-16578855840020719132021-10-20T20:09:43.027-05:002021-10-20T20:09:43.027-05:00What Colleen said...all that and more! DE works o...What Colleen said...all that and more! DE works on ALL insects and icky crawling things including fleas, ants, cockroaches, bedbugs, slugs and so much more! All natural, no chemicals, and completely safe to humans and pets. Such excellent little fossilized organisms! Camillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14278577270209960567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-84693265115494912252021-10-20T17:06:44.596-05:002021-10-20T17:06:44.596-05:00Thanks for this recipe. It’s great to find somethi...Thanks for this recipe. It’s great to find something that works and is safe to use in the garden. Texas Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00547037404676565726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-85167584848697236152021-10-20T12:17:43.048-05:002021-10-20T12:17:43.048-05:00We hav new beds springing up all over the front la...We hav new beds springing up all over the front lawn. Doing this today!<br />Anne in the kitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01533249631969001657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552387675026716797.post-27872351701774619842021-10-20T12:15:21.994-05:002021-10-20T12:15:21.994-05:00i'm going to use this on my pavement ants firs...i'm going to use this on my pavement ants first thing in the spring! thanks for this recipe!jaz@octoberfarmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17249328159454897124noreply@blogger.com