Perplexing Problem with Bog

[ROW FISH]

I have some chocolate mint in my bog that has just about taken over the thing. So, I went in yesterday to start pulling some of it out so I can get some different plants growing. Well right in the middle of the thing is a fire ant hill. It sits both within the bog with water coming right up to it and out of the bog.

My question is how do I get rid of this thing. I am very worried about using a poison as I do not want it to get into the pond. I must note that my bog is raised 3 feet off the ground and the hill is along the retaining pavers. So, sprinkling poison around one side or pouring liquid is not really an option.

Any suggestions???

 

[bagsmom]

Oh yikes! I wonder if there is any natural fix? I remember reading that cornmeal (I think) will kill ants. They take it to the main nest and then -- I don't know what. They make deadly hush puppies? But that might be too large for fire ants. Maybe you could google?

I hate those boogers! Good luck.

 

[Stephen T.]

Borax kills ants. Would the small quantity carried into the nest be dangerous to the other pond life? I've used it mixed with sugar or honey so they take it inside with them.

Steve

 

[Lisak1]

Oh boy. That's a real challenge! We use diatomaceous earth to get rid of pesky ants both in and out of the house. It's perfectly safe but it loses effectiveness when it gets wet.

Can you drown them out?

Edit to add: We've used boiling water to kill biting ants - maybe pour boiling water on the hill... and then run like a madman!

 

[ROW FISH]

I like the boiling water idea. Interesting thought.

 

[Lisak1]

I like the boiling water idea. Interesting thought.

Just be careful around your liner - not sure how it would hold up to boiling water!

 

[Big Lou]

If you have not already got rid of your ants here is a partial solution. Use a shop vac to suck up a large portion of the mound and ants. Crazy yes. Effective yes. After the ants are dead us a strong stream of water to completely destroy the mound. Check back from time to time for new mounds.

 

[ROW FISH]

Ok shop vac idea is now the number one answer. I was worried about using boiled water as there are a good number of tadpoles in the bog that I would hate to kill which could happen in the general area of the mound.

I do have a large shop vac that could do the job. Will not be able to do anything till the weekend due to work schedule so keep the ideas coming.

 

[peter hillman]

If you have not already got rid of your ants here is a partial solution. Use a shop vac to suck up a large portion of the mound and ants. Crazy yes. Effective yes. After the ants are dead us a strong stream of water to completely destroy the mound. Check back from time to time for new mounds.

We got rid of a large yellow jacket nest with shop vac. Bugs don't stand a chance against the suction. Wear some PPE!

 

[Mmathis]

Oh my goodness -- in the BOG no less! I hate fire ants with a vengeance, mainly because of the potential threat they pose to my outdoor box turtles! Also, not a fan of chocolate mint for the reason you are getting rid of it!

I like the Shop-Vac idea. Once I had a nest inside the turtle habitat. I can't use chemicals or pesticides. It was November, so the turts weren't around. I doused it with boiling water, then sucked up, then doused, then sucked up, etc. It was a HUGE nest, mound, whatever, and I think it contained several nurseries as there were never-ending floods of eggs!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Are you sure these are fire ants?

 

[ROW FISH]

Fairly positive. I have chased them around the yard for a year now. Does the type of ant really matter though?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Only that fire ants are harder to eradicate.

 

[Mmathis]

Only that fire ants are harder to eradicate.

Also, they're more viscious, and if disturbed, are way more inclined to attack very swiftly and with a purpose. We also have carpenter ants (slightly different color but about the same size), and it's easy to tell them apart from the fire ants just by their "milder" behavior.

 

[Mmathis]

That should be "vicious."