Black Ant Attack

Leni

New member
I was at my garden weeding and disturbed a nest of black ants. Didn't feel them bitting me. I brushed them off. I ended up having to go to the doctor because both my feet and my right hand swelled up and turned bright red. A very strong allergic reaction. I was wearing sandles and will never make that mistake again. The nest is right next to my beets. Anyone have an idea of how to get rid of them without causing problems for the beets? I've heard that if you sprinkle cornmeal around they will eat it and die. Does anyone know if this actually works?
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
the theory is the ants eat the cornmeal, the cornmeal swells up and busts them open.
unfortunately, I've never known anyone who made it actually work.

an effective but repeat-repeat-until-gone method - non-toxic:
find the nesting area, pour boiling water in/around the nest(s)

works but can have issues with practicality - i.e. how close is the kitchen....

next up the line is borax - good primer here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEljeerJ0lw

it is "toxic" to pets - the quotes because if ingested, it causes stomach/intestinal distress but unless huge qty (pet weight to ingested as a %) borax is not lethal.

btw, some ants spray 'marker chems' - even without biting you may have had a reaction to their secretions.
 

Leni

New member
The swelling is finally gone but it still itches a little. I now have an epi pen to carry wherever I go. I'm going to check with the local nursery here and see what they can recommend. Boiling water is a good idea but I'm at the community garden and the kitchen is not available. I can probably find aspartame at the grocery store.
 

Saliha

Well-known member
Nice art. And that nest looked like a miniature vulcano.

Unfortunately roots of the plants might not like that method if nest locates in the vegetable garden.
 

Leni

New member
Leni - First off, I am very sorry, I know those allergic reactions can hurt and be dangerous.

On the lighter side, maybe you could turn the ants into money.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...eiD43npYeK6BVZRTQ&sig2=Tm8ZtVXC5NjsVUPngC-bfA

We use tero any bait in the house, it really works well. I don't know how it would work outside.


http://www.terro.com


The funny thing is that I thought of that person and wished that I could invite him to my garden. I'd even buy the resulting sculpture from him.

The beets have just sprouted so the roots aren't very big. At this point I'd be very happy to reseed if necessary.
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
Pouring something down the anyone is definitely the ticket.

Would ammonia or bleach hurt the crops? I just don't know, bleach would definitely safer for you.
 

Leni

New member
That is a thought. I didn't get to the nursery today but I can sure ask them about that. Chlorine beach just might do the trick. I can soak the area afterwards to eliminate any impact that it might have on me.
 

rocket_j_dawg

New member
Cinnamon. Sprinkle it everywhere. Ants hate it. If you have a Bulk Barn near by it's a cheap fix.

Sent from my Arc using Tapatalk
 

Leni

New member
Those pesky grain moths that get into your pantry also hate it. I will give that a try Thanks.
 

rocket_j_dawg

New member
Just a note. Cinnamon won't kill them. They will just relocate so give the sprinkle a very wide berth.

Sent from my Arc using Tapatalk
 

Leni

New member
I need to kill them. With my luck they'll relocate around the tomatoes. It's been a week and my feet are still a little swollen. Still red and itchy also.
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
I rode ambulance for a few years. The squad near me had a call where someone did something similar. No one got hurt, but, it was close.
 

Leni

New member
I went to Green Thumb Nursery today. It was established just after WWII. If I want good information I go there.

Ed told me that if I keep the soil damp the ants will leave. They want dry soil. He also sold me an ant killer that I can use close to my beets. I just have to be very careful when I apply it.

I've read a couple of times about people mixing cleaning solutions. The result is not very good.
 

Embryodad

Well-known member
Leni... that's a dreaded thing that happened to you.

I know the damage....especially the black ant with the brown sides on its belly.

When I was a little guy, around 8, I was in the back alley playing ball with the kids, and I started screaming, and pulled my outer clothes down, and dear lord....there was a black ant biting and half way into the exitus eurethra.
I pulled it out, and pulled up, and ran home screaming in pain.

Now ....I was 8, and past the it's ok for mommy to look stage, but I didnt care.
She coated it with vaseline, a wad of cotton, and gauze wrapping.

OMG.....I was never in such pain in all my life.

The after pain all over again, was when I had to urinate.

It hurt for 3 days, but less each day. I cringe and will go out of my way to kill a black ant now, and I relive the nightmare when ever I see an ant.

BTW.... soapy water made with Ivory soap, or Ivory Flakes laundry soap works to rid ants from all places.
An old pair of shoes sprayed with K-1 kerosene and worn in the garden will deter bugs from climbing up your shoes.
The old farmers in PA would rub kerosene on their clothes and hat brims.

I'm not saying for anyone to do it, but I use it on my legs and arms when I used to work in mosquito infested areas. or knats.



 

Leni

New member
Lord! I think that yours was worse by a long shot. I still itch a little even though it's been two weeks.

I soaked the entire garden and the ants left. Still I'll be on the lookout for them. These are the very small Argentine ants that we have here in SoCal. I'm not familiar with the one that bite you. Red ants are much larger and their bite is vicious. I go out of my way to kill them whenever I see one.

When we have an ant invasion in the kitchen it is almost always the black ants. My poor girlfriend had an invasion of the red ones. She just called the exterminators. She was in no mood to deal with them herself and I don't blame her.
 
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