Compost Pile

Gman · Joined: 01 Aug 2004 Posts: 13

When i was turning my compost pile today a couple hundred fire ants went everywhere. What shoul i do? Does anyone know how i can kill them? Thanx a bunch.

Dchall_San_Antonio · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: San Antonio,TEXAS

There is another ant that looks and acts just like fire ants and lives in compost piles. Usually that is what people mistake for fire ants. But also, it has been known for fire ants to move in. In either case, leave them alone. They are there to decompose the stuff in your pile. They will go away by themselves due to the extreme fluctuations in moisture, temperature, and/or simple turning.

Gman · Joined: 01 Aug 2004 Posts: 13

Thank you a bunch for your response. I sure hope they go away b/c everytime i turn the pile i get bit. Well thankyou again.

Tony M · Joined: 31 Mar 2003 Posts: 1089 Location: McKinney,TEXAS

Try this and let me know if it works for you.
Dilute some molasses in water, about a cup/gallon and pour it in the area where the ants are. There are two ways this should work. Fire Ants don't like sugar. The molasses will provide an instant feed to the microbes which should crank up the heat in the pile forcing the ants out.
Tony M

Gman · Joined: 01 Aug 2004 Posts: 13

Thanx a bunch Tony i will try that and let you now. I sure hope that works.
Gman

Mr. Clean · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 708 Location: Garland, Texas

I'll be interested if the molasses trick works too. It (molasses) has never been an effective tool for me working with fire ant beds. I experience more fire ant "infestations" in my pile when I let it dry out too much or don't turn the pile often. More moisture (just plain old water from rinsing my composting containers) and giving the pile several good "tosses" and the fire ants find a more favorable home.

micoak · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 13 Location: Mesquite, TX

Mr. Clean wrote: I experience more fire ant "infestations" in my pile when I let it dry out too much or don't turn the pile often.

I too experienced an ant infestation (millions! :shock:) in my compost pile when I had not turned it often enough, but my pile had been saturated by rain. (Remember June, when it rained nearly every day? :shock:)

The common denominator seems to be not turning it frequently enough.

When I did start to turn mine, and found the ants, I scattered a handful (1/2 cup or so) each of dry molasses and horticultural cornmeal every few layers. A week or so later, I turned it again and the ants were gone. I didn't have liquid molasses immediately available, and like I said, the pile was saturated anyway, so that's why I used the dry molasses.

I've used the dry molasses/cornmeal ever since as an ant deterrent and to help fire up the pile, and I've had no more problems.

It worked for me. :D

Tricky Grama · Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 3:17 pm Post subject: ants in pants, no, in compost

I've had this happen as well, several times in my compost's life and wondered what to do. I never did correlate the ants w/rain or turning or whatever, and while I contemplated what to do, they disappeared. So I'm thinking while these suggestions are probably great for the compost pile, I like the 'do nothing' approach too.
Patty