Just moved to area last week... (organic, oil, water)

[Southlander]

I don't think pest control services can do much about rats and mice. At least that's what Cook's told us when we had mice in our old house in the Decatur historic district. The service guy gave us some glue strips because I knew him from elementary school, but he told us they can't do much about rats & mice.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by rmepilot

Are Fire Ants much of a problem in HC? I know there huge issue further south.

Interesting you asked, before I moved to Alabama, I had never seen of fire ants. (lived in CA and CO). Our first summer 2008, I saw those mounds everywhere in Huntsville including around our neighborhood. Last summer, 2009, I hardly ever saw mounds. Weird.

I haven't seen any mounds on my yard but in 2008 I broadcast a bait (not a mound destroyer). Also, I live next to a lot of common HOA property and I will occasionally walk around it with a bag of mound poison so that ants can have "one last meal". I'm just paranoid one of my kids, especially my two year old, will get tangled up with one of those mounds. Nasty.

Got to show this, one guy sticks his face in a fire ant pile, on purpose:

YouTube - Idiot of the Day: Fire Ants

[ghett61]

This is not exactly on topic so I apologize.
I have lived in North Alabama my whole life. I have burned many fire ant mounds in my life so far. Last summer was the first time I have ever been bitten by a fire ant. It was while I was working working in my mother's garden. I also got bit by a regular ant the same day. But i have been bitten by regular ants tons of times. Anyways for those that haven't been bitten by a fire ant, it hurts like a regular ant bite at first. Like a sting, but regular ant bite's pain goes away pretty quickly and then just itches. The fire ant bite has a burning feeling to it and almost throbbing pain. It swells up a little red bump and then itches later on. That was my experience. Since it was only 1 bite, it was just annoying and not something that stopped me from working in the garden the rest of the day. But if I was 2 then I probably would have cried for a little bit. But that is just me.

[tammie2]

Originally Posted by Southlander

I don't think pest control services can do much about rats and mice. At least that's what Cook's told us when we had mice in our old house in the Decatur historic district. The service guy gave us some glue strips because I knew him from elementary school, but he told us they can't do much about rats & mice.

Cats, get a cat I will even let you borrow one of mine

We have year 'round Cook's, we figured it out and with the initial treatment cost having to be repaid if you suspend service, it would have saved us less than $20 to suspend, so we just keep it active.

As for the fire ants, those things are brutal, we had them all over in Texas. If you get bit, poor rubbing alcohol on them-and if you can then an ice pack. The alcohol will not only get rid of the ones that are still on you, it will alleviate the after sting quite a bit. If you are out, bring alcohol wipes with you. The kids and I unknowingly stepped in them several times in our 9 years in TX, probably once a year we each did it, we learned the alcohol trick in year 5, it was a lifesaver!! Unfortunately they don't always build mounds and with such a high population, you were bound to step in them if you were outside a lot-unless you always stayed in your treated yard-which we didn't.

[HB2HSV]

I read somewhere that one way to get rid of fire ants is to pur kerosene down the hole?

[tammie2]

yes, you can put kerosese/gasoline and either light it on fire or not(most in TX do-prevents future fires in that spot, burns the ants, and is pretty cool to watch), used motor oil, boiling water, there are more home remedies for those things than I ever heard. However, I always stuck with Bayer granules for general yard treatment(this is a life cycle breaker) and Bayer powder for mound treatment(actual poison). Worked like a charm every time and is the safest with kids and pets...plus it doesn't kill the surrounding grass/plants like the above or run the risk of a flammable yard....but you do miss the nifty pyrotechnics show

[Charles]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

I read somewhere that one way to get rid of fire ants is to pur kerosene down the hole?

Originally Posted by tammie2

yes, you can put kerosese/gasoline and either light it on fire or not,...used motor oil...

Why not use the ant killer from Home Depot to kill the ants - the ants will take the poison all the way down to the queen, and then just take the kerosene or used motor oil and pour it into the Tennessee River or into the ground near the local drinking supply?

[ghett61]

Poison is not as much fun. We like burning things here. I especially like to dig in the hill and expose the larva to make sure they get killed too.

[rmepilot]

Originally Posted by ghett61

Poison is not as much fun. We like burning things here. I especially like to dig in the hill and expose the larva to make sure they get killed too.

If you don't kill the queen, the colony moves to another location. Poison/bait is the more effective tool. Although, I do enjoy a good fireball/explosion.

However, you might want to look into EPA fines before pouring kerosene or other petroleum based liquids into the ground. Also, Charles is correct about not contaminating our water supply.

[rmepilot]

Originally Posted by Charles

Got to show this, one guy sticks his face in a fire ant pile, on purpose:


YouTube - Idiot of the Day: Fire Ants

Awesome!