From sksnow@worldnet.att.net Wed Jul 7 21:32:49 1999 Date: Wed, 07 Jul 1999 16:16:09 -0500 From: Bunny Snow To: Cari L Spring , "sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu" Subject: Re: ants Cari, Ants, unless they endanger other animals or injure you, are beneficial organisms and prey on bad insects. However, if ants still need controlling, try red pepper --as in Cayenne, or liquid red pepper, as in Tabasco sauce helps. I've controlled fire ants, which we have in South Louisiana, by mixing 1/2 C. Tabasco with enough red Cayenne to form a thick paste. And then, adding the mixture to a gallon of hot to boiling water which I pour on large ant mounds. If ants come into the house: with a pastry brush, paint along the window mullions where they may enter. What I've noticed is that the lead ants has doubled over (in pain) and gone back the same way to warn the others. I treated my windows 10 years ago and they have not been back since. Also, cucumber seeds and rinds deter ants from coming through electrical sockets, I've learned. Another solution is spent coffee grounds which I've collected from local coffee shops. Usually I can collect at least a quart a day. Dumping the used grounds on the mounds, also helps solve the ant problem. It depends upon the size of the mounds as to how much you'll need. Lagniappe (something extra) is that earth worms really enjoy spent coffee grounds! Boiling water works. But boiling water also sterilizes the soil and kills beneficial organisms, as well as destructive ones; not to mention that it kills roots. Likewise, diatomaceous earth (DE) works. But, again, it kills beneficials as well as destructive pests. Regardless of which method you use, stir with a long stick and stand back. The surviving ants come out fighting mad!!! Bunny Snow ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cari L Spring wrote: > Hi all . I'm trying to solve some ant problems, having tried several > things, none working. I don't know the names of the four species which > are causing problems. Descriptions: small red ants; flying ants; large > black ants; large red ants. Tucson Sonoran Desert. Does anybody know any > solutions? > > thanks much. > > Cari Spring > > ---------------------- > Cari L Spring > (520) 621-7343; spring@u.arizona.edu > Faculty Development Specialist > University Teaching Center, U of A > > To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command > "unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command > "unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest". > To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command > "subscribe sanet-mg-digest". > > All messages to sanet-mg are archived at: > http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/hypermail To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command "unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest". To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "subscribe sanet-mg-digest". All messages to sanet-mg are archived at: http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/hypermail