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Login Here Signup Here Signup using FacebookI accidently discovered a humane way of protecting my children from fire ants without harming the ants that are building massive hills in my yard. This week, we had a hill by our back porch that was at least 18 in. long and a foot across. My kids and I were discussing how amazing these creatures are with their work and ability to build these intricate tunnels and such. When we gently touched the edge – the armies came pouring out – it seemed there was 1,000’s! We love being part of nature and the wonders of creation – even if it’s just an ant hill. We knew it would be awful to have one of the littler kids get into that – fire ants are horrible in Texas and can inflict 100’s of bites in a few seconds if you accidentally step on a nest. I was worried about this but I didn’t want to use any form of poison or boiling water – I didn’t want to kill them at all. The next day, I was drinking my sweetened coffee and put a little on the hill because I like to watch them come out for the sugar. The next day after that, my husband was looking at it and told me that the nest was abandoned and about 4 feet away was a “new” nest. It was really the same ants. We put some organic coffee grounds on that one -and they moved on.
I’d love to just keep them around (but I have to protect my smaller children who don’t know better)because I really hate having to make them move and also it is a reminder of how amazing life is – no matter how tiny – it is all to be treated with respect. The seemingly humble ant has great strength for it’s size, innate engineering ability, true work ethic and integrity, and works together for the good of the colony.
Comments
That is good to know. My father used to say fire ants were going to take over the world.
Fire ants can be dangerous. Many years ago when I spent most of my time riding horses, a bunch of us were riding in the back acres of a large pasture and came up on a dead pony. It died from stepping in a huge fire ant hill and was bitten by so many ants it went into anaphylactic shock.
I am like you when it comes to insects. If I catch a spider in my house I take it outside. I am not so gracious with snakes, even though they are outdoors.
My dd and I love to watch the ants!
They simply intrigue the heck out of us. But what I find interesting…the organic coffee made them pack up and relocate. What do they know that we don’t. Thoughts to ponder.
Wonder if the coffee would also work for “regular” ants??? Sometimes in the spring they make a trail into my kitchen via the window… I wouldn’t mind putting out some coffee grounds to get them to stay outside…
Thanks Mamamilk! I live in Florida and we have fire ant hills all over our yard. Did you just sprinkled gorund coffe on the nest? Do you know any cockroach repellent by any chance???? I’m ashmed, but must admit that those are the only insects that I don’t feel guilty about terminating…
I went to Florida years ago. I was camping and I set my tent up right on top of a fire ant hill! In the morning I woke up to a tent full of them and I was covered in bites. Wish I knew about the coffee trick, or even about the ants for that matter, I didn’t have a clue!
OMG zoe, you are lucky you didn’t have a reaction, those bites really hurt!
Blimey Zoe, you were lucky not to end up like that pony!
That said.. I dont know what they are either!
Just the type we have here, we have some that come back to the same spot every year, just plain black ones. How do they make that very fine powder out of the soil? – I cant!
They dont come in the house so we leave them.
They do love a bit of pineapple though. :o)