Boric acid and DE
 

Can someone give me the short answer on using them as insecticides?

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The ants and
hills are still there.

Boric acid and DE
 

On Jul 11, 3:19*pm, "Steve B" wrote:
Can someone give me the short answer on using them as insecticides?

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. *The ants and
hills are still there.

Mix the boric acid with some sugar water, maple syrup or other sugary
liquid, and put it on a cotton ball and stick that in their path.

R

Boric acid and DE
 

On 2010-07-11, Steve B wrote:

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The ants and
hills are still there.

I can't imagine boric acid doing much. Isn't that the stuff used in
eye wash? Could there be a more wimpy acid? ;)

nb

Boric acid and DE
 

notbob wrote the following:
On 2010-07-11, Steve B wrote:


I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The ants and
hills are still there.


I can't imagine boric acid doing much. Isn't that the stuff used in
eye wash? Could there be a more wimpy acid? ;)

nb


Google - boric acid insects


--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Boric acid and DE
 

"Steve B" wrote

Can someone give me the short answer on using them as insecticides?

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The ants
and hills are still there.

Ouch, tough crowd. It's working here.

Boric acid and DE
 

On Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:19:21 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:

Can someone give me the short answer on using them as insecticides?

For insects the DE needs to be the food grade DE, not that used in
pools systems. The difference: food grade DE is not processed using
heat. It's just the way it was harvested. The jagged edges remain on
the fossil. Pool DE is heated and that rounds the edges off the
fossil. Rub each between you thumb and finger -- feel the difference.

The sharp edges on the fossil is what causes havoc on the critters.

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The ants and
hills are still there.


Were those instant grits?

( 87 Octane on each mound, followed shortly by a burning match )

Boric acid and DE
 

On Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:50:15 -0400, "cshenk" wrote:


I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The ants
and hills are still there.

Ouch, tough crowd. It's working here.

So you don't use instant grits, I take it.

Boric acid and DE
 

Keep in mind that different ants (depending on species and
the availability of other food sources) may be seeking
"sugary" food but they may be after "fatty" food. In the
latter case, something like peanut butter laced with
boric acid may be more effective.

I've heard it described as "sugar ants" vs. "grease ants".

Same deal, I guess. Ya' gotta' use the right bait.

-Zz

Boric acid and DE
 

"Oren" wrote
"cshenk" wrote:

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The ants
and hills are still there.

Ouch, tough crowd. It's working here.

So you don't use instant grits, I take it.

Nope, specifically said not to.

Boric acid and DE
 

For carpenter ants, I put down liquid ant bait from
www.gardensalive.com in bottle caps, or tupperware lids. they bellied
up to the bar, drank heartily, and didn't come back. This was maybe
five or more years ago. the Orkin guy wanted $175 per treatment, and
no guarantees.

Orkin closed, and the place is now a daycare. I'm not sure I'd want to
house kids in a building that used to have pesticides.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Steve B" wrote in message
...
Can someone give me the short answer on using them as insecticides?

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The
ants and
hills are still there.

Boric acid and DE
 

On 7/11/2010 2:19 PM, Steve B wrote:
Can someone give me the short answer on using them as insecticides?

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The ants and
hills are still there.



Grits only kills Yankee ants, if they're Southern ants, you're screwed.

TDD

Boric acid and DE
 

"Oren" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:50:15 -0400, "cshenk" wrote:


I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The ants
and hills are still there.

Ouch, tough crowd. It's working here.

So you don't use instant grits, I take it.

I got that part right. I used the old fashioned grits.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

Boric acid and DE
 

On Jul 11, 3:44*pm, (Malcolm Hoar) wrote:
In article , RicodJour wrote:

On Jul 11, 3:19=A0pm, "Steve B" wrote:
Can someone give me the short answer on using them as insecticides?

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. =A0The ant=
s and
hills are still there.

Mix the boric acid with some sugar water, maple syrup or other sugary
liquid, and put it on a cotton ball and stick that in their path.

The proportions of boric acid and sugar are rather important.
At least, it seems that way with the ants around here.

Too much borac acid and the ants won't take it. Too little
and it ain't gonna kill the colony.

The Terro liquid ant baits work better than anything else
I have been able to make or buy commerically. My local ants
love that stuff and although it may take a few days, it does
wipe out the nest.

Since the OP didn't ask, I didn't mention it, but I second the Terro
recommendation. I had a friend that was trying to deal with a nasty
carpenter ant infestation and was using those small, useless plastic
white-flower-looking ant baits. The ants totally ignored the things
and the traps had been in place for weeks with no effect.

I recommended the Terro traps and offered to help. The Borg didn't
carry the Terro liquid, but a local hardware store did. One day later
the traps were full of carpenter ants. Two days later there were even
more ants feasting. Third day - no ants at all.

As another person posted, the boric acid is good for spritzing dry
into crevices and along sill plates and such.

R

Boric acid and DE
 

"Steve B" wrote
"Oren" wrote

So you don't use instant grits, I take it.

I got that part right. I used the old fashioned grits.

Must be them pesky yankee ants who don't do grits. Sorry Steve! I've not
had this fail in 20 years.

Boric acid and DE
 

Steve B wrote:
Can someone give me the short answer on using them as insecticides?

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The
ants and hills are still there.

There's effective and there's effective. You can also kill the hive by
whacking the individual ants with a small hammer.

Me, I'd buy a small quantity of DDT from overseas.

Boric acid and DE
 

On Sun, 11 Jul 2010 14:43:47 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:

"Oren" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:50:15 -0400, "cshenk" wrote:


I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The ants
and hills are still there.

Ouch, tough crowd. It's working here.

So you don't use instant grits, I take it.

I got that part right. I used the old fashioned grits.


Rebel ants, down south are particular.

They prefer _Dixie Lilly_, White Lilly (?).

Any grit made in Alabama, is a _goood_ grit.

Boric acid and DE
 

"cshenk" wrote in message
...
"Steve B" wrote
"Oren" wrote

So you don't use instant grits, I take it.

I got that part right. I used the old fashioned grits.

Must be them pesky yankee ants who don't do grits. Sorry Steve! I've not
had this fail in 20 years.

These are Utah ants, and I ain't going there on any comments
................. ;-)

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

Boric acid and DE
 

"Oren" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 11 Jul 2010 14:43:47 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:

"Oren" wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:50:15 -0400, "cshenk" wrote:


I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The
ants
and hills are still there.

Ouch, tough crowd. It's working here.

So you don't use instant grits, I take it.

I got that part right. I used the old fashioned grits.


Rebel ants, down south are particular.

They prefer _Dixie Lilly_, White Lilly (?).

Any grit made in Alabama, is a _goood_ grit.

Either that, or Utah ants don't know what grits are. Like the regular
Utards. You say "Grits" to them and they say, "Whuh?"

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the book

Boric acid and DE
 

"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...
Steve B wrote:
Can someone give me the short answer on using them as insecticides?

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The
ants and hills are still there.

There's effective and there's effective. You can also kill the hive by
whacking the individual ants with a small hammer.

Me, I'd buy a small quantity of DDT from overseas.

Thank you for sharing .................

Boric acid and DE
 

"Steve B" wrote
"Oren" wrote

I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. The
ants and hills are still there.

Ouch, tough crowd. It's working here.

I used the old fashioned grits.

Rebel ants, down south are particular.

They prefer _Dixie Lilly_, White Lilly (?).

Any grit made in Alabama, is a _goood_ grit.

Either that, or Utah ants don't know what grits are. Like the regular
Utards. You say "Grits" to them and they say, "Whuh?"

Grin, Either way, it's the main method I've used but then I'm trying to keep
the back yard safe for the dog as well. If still working from an organic
aspect, Boric Acid is pretty safe. You could mix some with sugar water and
soak the hills?

Boric acid and DE
 

On Jul 12, 6:19*am, "cshenk" wrote:
"Steve B" wrote

"Oren" wrote
I tried the grits thing, and they either ate it or ignored it. *The
ants and hills are still there.
Ouch, tough crowd. *It's working here.
*I used the old fashioned grits.
Rebel ants, down south *are *particular.
They prefer _Dixie Lilly_, White Lilly (?).
Any grit made in Alabama, is a _goood_ grit.
Either that, or Utah ants don't know what grits are. *Like the regular
Utards. *You say "Grits" to them and they say, "Whuh?"

Grin, Either way, it's the main method I've used but then I'm trying to keep
the back yard safe for the dog as well. *If still working from an organic
aspect, Boric Acid is pretty safe. *You could mix some with sugar water and
soak the hills?

Just leave it granular and let the workerss carry the stuff back to
the queen.