Red ant invasion...!! HELP.........!

iMacMart · 21 Sep 2008 at 19:19

Guys

Stripped my lawn back this year and laid a new lush lawn, anyway I had a small nest of red ant's before but they vanished over the cold spell and have now come back in 2 or 3 other places through the new lawn...??

I have tried ant powder and boiling water (not my idea) but they just seem to move ...

I have to small kids (1 & 2 ) and hate the fact I have a great lawn for them to run and play in but can't leave them out there for worry of the ants?

Any gardeners know the best way to get rid once and for all? Apparently you can call the local council so I may have to try that option if all else fails

Sinque · 21 Sep 2008 at 19:21

Put down bigger ants to kill them and watch the carnage.

Boycie · 21 Sep 2008 at 19:22

Anybody got an anteater going?

Repta · 21 Sep 2008 at 19:30

fire is always the answer

NickK · 21 Sep 2008 at 19:33

make them move enough to be nextdoor's problem

iMacMart · 21 Sep 2008 at 19:37

NickK said:
make them move enough to be nextdoor's problem

Lol thing is the move in strange directions.....

Repta said:
fire is always the answer

Not on my lovely new lawn :eek:

metamorphpwner · 21 Sep 2008 at 19:39

i believe petrol kills ants, but it will also probably will the lawn even without lighting it

iMacMart · 21 Sep 2008 at 19:48

metamorphpwner said:
i believe petrol kills ants, but it will also probably will the lawn even without lighting it

Hmmm

I'd have to feed and weed after what ever I use I think

Greenlizard0 · 21 Sep 2008 at 20:05

Hit them with your keyboard.

Cr0fty · 21 Sep 2008 at 20:06

tweakinfreak said:
Guys

Stripped my lawn back this year and laid a new lush lawn, anyway I had a small nest of red ant's before but they vanished over the cold spell and have now come back in 2 or 3 other places through the new lawn...??

I have tried ant powder and boiling water (not my idea) but they just seem to move ...

I have to small kids (1 & 2 ) and hate the fact I have a great lawn for them to run and play in but can't leave them out there for worry of the ants?

Any gardeners know the best way to get rid once and for all? Apparently you can call the local council so I may have to try that option if all else fails

Petrol down ant hill + leave it for 20mins, then light!

snowdog · 21 Sep 2008 at 20:10

http://fireant.ifas.ufl.edu/Natural.htm

or of course you could get these as your new pet :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anteater

Roweyboi · 21 Sep 2008 at 20:40

could you just dig it out?
or what about killing the queen..i think the whole colony would go haywire then, although i could be totally wrong :rolleyes:

Happy · 21 Sep 2008 at 20:43

Sinque said:
Put down bigger ants to kill them and watch the carnage.

This TBH

Russinating · 21 Sep 2008 at 20:55

Roweyboi said:
could you just dig it out?
or what about killing the queen..i think the whole colony would go haywire then, although i could be totally wrong

Ha, how exactly do you kill just the queen? Hire an ant assassin?

GWillow · 21 Sep 2008 at 20:56

A product called Nippon

or failing that, Thermite

Roweyboi · 21 Sep 2008 at 20:58

rghjones said:
Ha, how exactly do you kill just the queen? Hire an ant assassin?

lol touche' my friend

mark66 · 21 Sep 2008 at 21:02

Don't use too much boiling water. I nuked 3 nests last year with 2 full kettles and ended up with 3 x 1ft diameter completely dead patches of lawn. They have taken up until now to come back!

J.B · 21 Sep 2008 at 21:03

we killed the queen, only found her by accident mind you. normally she lives right in the middle.

I have a feeling bleach will kill ants, not sure how the lawn will fair from it all though.

johns-andy · 21 Sep 2008 at 21:10

rghjones said:
Ha, how exactly do you kill just the queen? Hire an ant assassin?

Best idea ever!

_PD_ · 21 Sep 2008 at 21:14

Burrow a hole through the centre of the nest, about a foot deep (but only an inch or so wide) and pour in a load of ant powder dissolved in boiling water.

That's what I'd do.

Probably wouldn't work, mind.