Fire Ants

[southside]

We have been invaded by fire ants. This has happened only recently.
Already spread all over the city.(Brisbane,Australia) This has caused
the government great concern as this is the first time we have had
these ants here. Do you guys know of any way to get rid of them?
I've already had one of my guys bitten.

[Stonewall]

I didn't know those things could swim that far. We've had 'em for ages. No way to get rid of them though. They only move around

[lee b]

Surrender. You can kill off a few billion and they'll just keep coming. You'll get used to being bit after alittle while.

[HOMER]

Now that you got them maybe they'll call all their buddies over here and ours will move!

Must have been the Survivor series that sparked the interest.

Your stuck my good man, bloody well stuck with them. You cannot get rid of them, just shift them from ant bed to ant bed. They used to make a chemical in the states that would kill them but the government banned it, can't recall what it is. If ya'll could use it over there really fast before they got country wide you might have a chance! Nothing they sell now works, better watch where your standing too, doesn't take long for them to tear you a new ars!:mad:

What was that stuff called? DDT or something?

[lee b]

Yeah Homer, DDT is great stuff, it'll wipe-out just about any kind of insect. They banned here, but import food drenched in it from overseas. Another case of enviromentalist wacko's ruining something that we really needed, they said it MAY have made some bird's eggshells thin.

[Fantasy Lawns]

"Phorid Fly" which will swoop down on the ants and pierce their outer cuticle, depositing an egg inside the ant. The egg hatches into a larva within a day or two.

The larva moves into the ant's head--used as a protective case--where it completes its development. Once mature, the cycle repeats. Pretty COOL Stuff !! You can see it in the PHOTO.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/1998/980216.htm



http://home.cfl.rr.com/theleven/fire_ant.jpg

[southside]

Unfortunately DDT is banned here too. The government is very concerned that they will migrate to farming areas and wreak havoc.

[HOMER]

They should be---------------they will.

I remember a news program a while back. I think it may have been in Texas. The ants had gotten so bad that pasture/grazing land was so overrun by these things that horses and cows were falling into holes and snapping their legs. The holes were from the ant beds where they tunnel under the ground.

You better tell your govt. to get on this quick.

[linky]

Luckily we don't have fire ants. When these things bite you does it feel like a bee sting? That is what i've heard.

[Keith]

It feels a little different than that. Hard to explain. The area is smaller for one. One is bad, but they come and attack you in large numbers. Don't worry, they will be in Richmond in the future. They came in through Alabama in the 30's and have spread out from there.

[syzer]

Luckily no sign of them here yet =). My fingers are crossed I hear nothing but bad about these guys. Could you imagine what would happen if the bullet ant got into the US. Sucker is over an inch long and bites a lot worse then the fire ant =(.

[Keith]

Originally posted by syzer
Luckily no sign of them here yet =). My fingers are crossed I hear nothing but bad about these guys. Could you imagine what would happen if the bullet ant got into the US. Sucker is over an inch long and bites a lot worse then the fire ant =(.

Yeah, their name says it all. Fire bad, bullet worse :eek: