This blog is a start to the free frugal living blogs that our site members can create and enjoy. Share your favorite frugal ideas, recipes, tips, frustrations and more in our frugal living blogs.
Fire Ants are Gone!
Posted 07-21-2008 at 05:25 AM by Liss
Wow, I never thought I would find an all natural remedy that actually worked at removing these little beasts.
For those of you that live in Fire Ant Country... you understand what it's like to open a drawer or reach into some clean folded laundry only to find that they've built a nest in a few hours time. They climb into your electric receptacles, through any minuscule crack or crevice and take over.
Now, when you find them, simply sprinkle the nest liberally with Ground Cinnamon powder. The cinnamon will not harm your pets or children (although it may make a nosy dog a bit thirsty.)
This works well inside and out. You can often find bulk cinnamon powder containers at places like family dollar or dollar general. It costs approximately $3 for a large container.
If you have a large Mound of fire ants on your property, you should kill them using the hot water method. Simply boil a large kettle of hot water and very carefully and slowly pour it into the fire ant nest. Pour slowly to allow for it to rush through all their little tunnels to kill the queen. If she does not die, neither will the rest of the colony. A side note- this will cause ALL of the ants to rush out of the nest towards you, be prepared to move quickly.
Best Wishes,
Liss
Now, when you find them, simply sprinkle the nest liberally with Ground Cinnamon powder. The cinnamon will not harm your pets or children (although it may make a nosy dog a bit thirsty.)
This works well inside and out. You can often find bulk cinnamon powder containers at places like family dollar or dollar general. It costs approximately $3 for a large container.
If you have a large Mound of fire ants on your property, you should kill them using the hot water method. Simply boil a large kettle of hot water and very carefully and slowly pour it into the fire ant nest. Pour slowly to allow for it to rush through all their little tunnels to kill the queen. If she does not die, neither will the rest of the colony. A side note- this will cause ALL of the ants to rush out of the nest towards you, be prepared to move quickly.
Best Wishes,
Liss
Total Comments 7
Comments
|
fire antsYou do a wonderful job, it doesn't seem to matter what I am looking for.....I find it here. Thanks so much. Cinnamon for fire ants.
Any suggestions for getting my husband to put his dirty clothes in the laundry baskets, white basket for whites, black for blacks and pink for colored. It didn't work when I had just one basket either. He throws them on a pile on the floor. God bless. everywritwhole@yahoo.com |
 |
|
|
another fire ant solutionI had never heard of using cinnamon on fire ant mounds. I've also found that plain instant grits work well too. I wouldn't use the individual portion ones that are often flavored with butter or other things... this may just fatten them up! Without disturbing the mound sprinkle a good amount of PLAIN instant grits all over the mound and a few inches outside of it. Plain instant grits are usually very cheap and safe if your favorite pet gets into them!
|
|
|
|
Thank you, I am trying this in my garden. It is full of the mean little devils.
 |
|
|
|
|
This is really ingenious!! At this time I am only having problems with those tiny black ants, and being cold they seem to want to come in and keep warm. I sprinkled some of the cinnamon out side around the kitchen area and I hope not to see them soon..
Thanks for the great idea!!! |
|
|
|
|
Thanks for the info--I have the same problem as faxonfive with black ants in my kitchen. Hard to drink a morning cuppa and have to fish out ants. As for the husband problem, I would have my half bring all the laundry downstairs so he had to pick his up to bring it down. Or, what my mom use to do was announce if it wasn't in the basket, it wasn't getting washed. Solved her problem quick when my dad had no underwear for work!!!
 |
|
|
|
|
Thanks for the tip! DH is moving to Houston to work until August 2010. Nice he'll have a tip to use if he gets invaded!
|
|
|
|
|
I have been using Borax (20 Mule Team) for years. It is safe around pets and children. I stick a plastic drinking straw into the box. The straw gets filled with the Borax. I then hold my finger on the top opening of the straw, and remove the straw from the box. Then run the other end of the straw along sink counters (or wherever you have ant trails - including outside), while you move your finger (slightly) over on the other end to let the Borax stream out in a line. The Borax is supposed to stick to their bodies and dry them out (to death).
|
|
|
Recent Blog Entries by Liss
- Thanks for your Help! (11-06-2009)
- No leprachaun at the End Kim . . . (10-28-2009)
- Mechanically Inclined? Free Automotive tools for Use (10-12-2009)
- Budget101 Featured on a Radio Show! (10-07-2009)
- One Emergency Away from Financial Ruin (08-26-2009)
