ants... I hate ants

[DeepGreenLawn]

I just made me a little compost pile in the back yard with some old mulch from last year, that has pretty much broken down by now, rose clippings from this year, and the "dirty" mulch from our flower gardens in the front yard that my wife didn't want to reuse. As I was getting the old mulch bucket I turned over an old wood pile and came up with about 30 rolly pollies, 15 worms and 5 grubs, that I left out to cook in the sun thought I would throw a few extras in for the fun of it.

Took the old mulch from last year in a 40 gal bucket and dumped it out and realized an ant colony had moved in and made it home... the worst part is they are the red ants with black a$$'s that hurt like the dickens when they bite you.

SO, do I leave them be, are they good decomposers? or is there an organic way of getting rid of them so I don't have to mess with them later on... or maybe a non organic way that won't be too harmful for my plants/veggies I may use the compost for later on...

I was also planning on putting a swing near the area for my daughter and don't want to have to worry about her getting bitten... AND the pile is less than 5 feet from the house and don't want the little buggers finding their way inside.

[JDUtah]

DE... or maybe sugar?

I vaguely remember someone (I think Tree) suggesting both of those...

[treegal1]

actually if they are out of the way and dont bother you then let them stay, ant mound tea was the biggest fungal load i ever seen in my life!!!!!!!! after that yeah lay to waste with the DE and borax or sugar.......

[cgaengineer]

Originally Posted by DeepGreenLawn

I just made me a little compost pile in the back yard with some old mulch from last year, that has pretty much broken down by now, rose clippings from this year, and the "dirty" mulch from our flower gardens in the front yard that my wife didn't want to reuse. As I was getting the old mulch bucket I turned over an old wood pile and came up with about 30 rolly pollies, 15 worms and 5 grubs, that I left out to cook in the sun thought I would throw a few extras in for the fun of it.

Took the old mulch from last year in a 40 gal bucket and dumped it out and realized an ant colony had moved in and made it home... the worst part is they are the red ants with black a$$'s that hurt like the dickens when they bite you.

SO, do I leave them be, are they good decomposers? or is there an organic way of getting rid of them so I don't have to mess with them later on... or maybe a non organic way that won't be too harmful for my plants/veggies I may use the compost for later on...

I was also planning on putting a swing near the area for my daughter and don't want to have to worry about her getting bitten... AND the pile is less than 5 feet from the house and don't want the little buggers finding their way inside.

Poor some gas on those basstards!! Seriously, how about pyrethrin?

[hunter]

As I always say use orange oil. Kills 'em good.