ants - should i buy an anteater

sokitoumi · Oct 11, 2007

anyone any solutions for vast numbers of ants in the garden/patio and on sunloungers.
just read the thread about lime being used to lower ph of soil does this affect the plants or should i spray before sitting

regards

is there life in your socks

Rocky · Oct 11, 2007

When I lived up the hill on Camino Llibre, our gardener taught me how to deal with the ants.
He would patiently follow their trails to their home, which always seemed to be at the base of a large plant, bush or tree.
He would start to dig wildly in that spot, and the ants would come out to defend, at which point he would dump a large quantity of liquid Baygon into the area, and apparently kill the entire colony.
We found 3 colonies close to my house, wiped them out, and I didn't see an ant for at least 6 months.
Eventually they try to move back in, and when you start seeing ants in the house, it's time to go out in the garden and repeat the process.

sokitoumi · Oct 11, 2007

they seem to like the lime tree also.................errrrr so theres no lime in a lime tree...can you tell i didnt pass my chemistry exams

do you need a diploma in science and biology to live here

gamana · Oct 12, 2007

Rocky's procedure is probably the only way to handle those ants but I would suggest using this variance.
Instead of dumping chemicals in the ground, get a large bucket or trash bin. Fill the upper sides of the bin with Talc or baby powder. Scoop the entire colony in the bin. You need to dig deep and it does not matter if you don't get them all. Once in the bin, fill it up with water. Then you can add whatever product you wish. I would recommend a Bio product (they sell them in most supermarket including Playero Sosua) or various blends you can get form the internet (Vinegar, Peppermint and Pennyroyal work well). Let is soak for 24 hours. Repeat as needed

sokitoumi · Oct 12, 2007

i may have a problem digging deep .... a pick axe only scratches the surface..........also having problems growing plants could it be the ph level of the soil if so what is the ideal ph for plants here

Uzin · Oct 12, 2007

When I stay in an apratment in Sosua (for a few weeks when I'm on holiday) I have serious problem with ants (no help from the owner of course). They come to the kitchen, tables patio etc. and anything that slightly resembles/smells like food gets swamped by ants (in half an hour).

They go anywhere, in the cupboard, draws you name it. Only cans and sealed packages survive. It got so bad at the end I had to keep bread in the fridge (they attacked breads in two layers of plastic bags and still got in and through them !?).

Any idea how to deal with these lot in the house !?

Campesina · Oct 12, 2007

go to an agroveterinaria and buy an envelope of a sugar-like product called "plaga fer" insecticida. It is usually 20 pesos. Sprinkle near the source of the ants, or on a trail. Only a few grains is needed, and if you put it on a drop of water, it works even faster. The ants will die within seconds and won't return for a long time, if ever. Works on all kinds of ants, especially those tiny, tiny ones that get in your sugar jar. Tap the jar and they will all run out. Put a bit of Plaga fer under the jar and no more ants in the sugar jar.

Rocky · Oct 12, 2007

Uzin said:
When I stay in an apratment in Sosua (for a few weeks when I'm on holiday) I have serious problem with ants (no help from the owner of course). They come to the kitchen, tables patio etc. and anything that slightly resembles/smells like food gets swamped by ants (in half an hour).

They go anywhere, in the cupboard, draws you name it. Only cans and sealed packages survive. It got so bad at the end I had to keep bread in the fridge (they attacked breads in two layers of plastic bags and still got in and through them !?).

Any idea how to deal with these lot in the house !?

The ants have their colonies outside.
Wipe out the colonies, and you will have no more ants inside.

gamana · Oct 12, 2007

Sokitoumi, it sounds like you have a "hard" type of soil, most likely clay soil. If you want to improve the growth of your plants you should enrich you soil.
1) You need to aerate the soil with a pick
2) Throw a mix of sand, cow and chicken manure monthly to start and progressively reduce to six month intervals. you can get those from any cattle and poultry farms in your area.
When you plant new , dig deep and wide and fill up the hole with same mix.

if your ground floods easily, create hills around the base of your plants so rain does not stagnate around it.

Hlywud · Oct 12, 2007

kill ants

Without pesticides

There are two ways to kill ants. The first is to dehydrate them by laying out piles of instant grits ( a corn product usually located in the cereal section of the grocery store) at the point of entry and along their trail. They will think of the grits as a food source and consume the pellets. The grits will in turn absorb moisture from the ant's body, thus killing it (instant grits are specially formulated to absorb water more rapidly that regular grits, thus they are more effective). The second method to kill ants is to feed them a mixture of 1 part active dry yeast, 2 parts molasses, and 1 part sugar. They will be attracted to the sugar in the mixture and will eat it readily. Once consumed the yeast will produce gas in the ant, and because they can't expel the gas, it will kill them. That is correct ants cannot fart!

Or another method of elimination involves the elimination of the nest. If you can find the nest, you can try pouring boiling water over the nest. If that isn't sufficient, you can try adding cayenne pepper to the boiling water, or using citrus extracts.

Lambada · Oct 12, 2007

We use Chinese chalk available from Puerto Plata everything for 10 pesos store (12 de julio) for............10 pesos. Ideal for us because no children in the house & the dog is trained to leave it well alone. But DO was your hands after using it - it has cypermethrin in it.

Rocky · Oct 12, 2007

Lambada said:
We use Chinese chalk available from Puerto Plata everything for 10 pesos store (12 de julio) for............10 pesos. Ideal for us because no children in the house & the dog is trained to leave it well alone. But DO was your hands after using it - it has cypermethrin in it.

I've used that stuff, and it worked quite well, but what's the cypermethrin?
Is that a poison?

Yeah, yeah, Google's my friend.
Got it now.
Cypermethrin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

sokitoumi · Oct 12, 2007

isnt this a cybermethrin - exterminate !!!

Luperon · Oct 12, 2007

http://www.maxwaugh.com/images/cr05/anteater.jpg I picked up one of these at a roadside stand near Moca. Seems to work well.

dwnddindr · Oct 13, 2007

Anteater

Hey Luperon,

I may be about to make a complete @$$ out of myself, but did you really buy that anteater in Moca? And if so, how much did it cost you? If it was just a joke, please don't be too harsh on me! :ermm:

Rocky · Oct 13, 2007

dwnddindr said:
Hey Luperon,

I may be about to make a complete @$$ out of myself, but did you really buy that anteater in Moca? And if so, how much did it cost you? If it was just a joke, please don't be too harsh on me! :ermm:

Hate to see you suffer until Luperon logs on.
He was just foolin'.
There are no anteaters here.

frankreyes3rd · Oct 13, 2007

ants-the final solution

The computer shop behind Baileys bar in sosua, Copy Centro (?) sells a Chinese product that resembles sticks of chalk. It has some insect repellant in it , I assume. Just draw around the areas you wish to protect and the ants will not cross the line.
No joking here, this stuff is incredible to the point where you can draw a circle round some hapless ant, 'ant'agonise it, yet it will not be able to escape.
40 Pesos for 2 sticks. On the counter right there. Little yellow boxes.
Bloomin' marvellous stuff!

Also, do yourself a favour and stop for a schnitzel sandwich at Baileys.

Rocky · Oct 13, 2007

frankreyes3rd said:
Copy Centro (?) sells a Chinese product that resembles sticks of chalk. It has some insect repellant in it .

As per Lambada's post above.

We use Chinese chalk available from Puerto Plata everything for 10 pesos store (12 de julio) for............10 pesos. Ideal for us because no children in the house & the dog is trained to leave it well alone. But DO was your hands after using it - it has cypermethrin in it.

Lambada · Oct 14, 2007

frankreyes3rd said:
40 Pesos for 2 sticks. On the counter right there. Little yellow boxes. Bloomin' marvellous stuff!

Yes it is but it's cheaper in Puerto Plata

. At least it was when I bought a bulk lot. I'll check the prices again soon since you're paying four times what I paid. Not that it's too important when it's only 40 pesos but could be indicative as to their prices for other things.

Chip · Oct 14, 2007

Campesina said:
go to an agroveterinaria and buy an envelope of a sugar-like product called "plaga fer" insecticida. It is usually 20 pesos. Sprinkle near the source of the ants, or on a trail. Only a few grains is needed, and if you put it on a drop of water, it works even faster. The ants will die within seconds and won't return for a long time, if ever. Works on all kinds of ants, especially those tiny, tiny ones that get in your sugar jar. Tap the jar and they will all run out. Put a bit of Plaga fer under the jar and no more ants in the sugar jar.

This is Seven Dust and I use it a lot. However, I wouldn't recomend letting it come in contact with food stuffs, though.

ants - should i buy an anteater

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