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Before the chemical pushers started throwing Diazinon, Dursban, Myrex and Orthene at these insects, they weren’t much of a problem. The queens were territorial, there was only one queen per mound and there were very few mounds per acre. After the toxic chemical assault, the ants altered their behavior so that there are hundreds to thousands of queens per mound and large numbers of mounds per acre – except on organic sites. Here's the 3-Step organic program that actually works to control this man-made problem.
1. Treat the site. Apply beneficial nematodes. These are living organisms and must be used before the expiration date on the package. These are best for high viability areas. They will also control other insect pests or apply dry molasess at 20 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft.
2. Drench mounds with the mound drench formula. Pour the mound drench formula into the center of the viable mounds and apply beneficial nematodes at label directions. Here's the mound drench formula. Mix equal amounts of compost tea, molasses and orange oil. Use 4-6 ounces of this concentrate per gallon of water and use as a drench to kill fire ants and other pests in the ground. Use a container that pours a solid stream of liquid. Pour into one spot in the center of the mound. This causes the mix to go quickly to the bottom of the mound where the queens will probably be kept. Then pour the remainder of the mix in a circular pattern covering the entire mound. You might want to save a little to splash those ants trying to run away or worse, up your legs. During dry weather, dust mounds with diatomaceous earth. This is especially good for indoor infestations. Rev 4/10
3. Go organic and use the entire basic program. The biodiversity of microbes, insects and other animals is the long term control. The best first step is to broadcast dry molasses at 20 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. which also gives organic fertility to the soil. Dry molasses can also be used to spot treat problem areas.
Testimonial
I spread a 50 lb. bag of dry molasses all over my 1 acre backyard - definitely controls fire ants! I used Step 2 to get rid of the mounds. Fire ants were instantly destroyed. I have been battling these nasty little pests ever since I moved to Texas in 1984.
The Dirt Doctor developed an organic solution. I am so pleased with the results! Finally, I can enjoy walking in the yard without worrying about fire ants! RIRfave, April 6, 2017
Dried molasses is one of the best solutions. A healthy balanced lawn with the right microbes will not have the fire ant issue. Treat the problem, not just a symptom. My entire yard had tons of fire ants when I bought my house. 1 year of dried molasses and corn gluten meal...no fire ants. L Herriott, 6/13/17
Fire Ant Control that Works
Before the chemical pushers started throwing Diazinon, Dursban, Myrex and Orthene at these insects, they weren’t much of a problem. The queens were territorial, there was only one queen per mound and there were very few mounds per acre. After the toxic chemical assault, the ants altered their behavior so that there are hundreds to thousands of queens per mound and large numbers of mounds per acre – except on organic sites. Here's the 3-Step organic program that actually works to control this man-made problem.
1. Treat the site. Apply beneficial nematodes. These are living organisms and must be used before the expiration date on the package. These are best for high viability areas. They will also control other insect pests or apply dry molasess at 20 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft.
2. Drench mounds with the mound drench formula. Pour the mound drench formula into the center of the viable mounds and apply beneficial nematodes at label directions. Here's the mound drench formula. Mix equal amounts of compost tea, molasses and orange oil. Use 4-6 ounces of this concentrate per gallon of water and use as a drench to kill fire ants and other pests in the ground. Use a container that pours a solid stream of liquid. Pour into one spot in the center of the mound. This causes the mix to go quickly to the bottom of the mound where the queens will probably be kept. Then pour the remainder of the mix in a circular pattern covering the entire mound. You might want to save a little to splash those ants trying to run away or worse, up your legs. During dry weather, dust mounds with diatomaceous earth. This is especially good for indoor infestations. Rev 4/10
3. Go organic and use the entire basic program. The biodiversity of microbes, insects and other animals is the long term control. The best first step is to broadcast dry molasses at 20 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. which also gives organic fertility to the soil. Dry molasses can also be used to spot treat problem areas.
Testimonial
I spread a 50 lb. bag of dry molasses all over my 1 acre backyard - definitely controls fire ants! I used Step 2 to get rid of the mounds. Fire ants were instantly destroyed. I have been battling these nasty little pests ever since I moved to Texas in 1984.
Dried molasses is one of the best solutions. A healthy balanced lawn with the right microbes will not have the fire ant issue. Treat the problem, not just a symptom. My entire yard had tons of fire ants when I bought my house. 1 year of dried molasses and corn gluten meal...no fire ants. L Herriott, 6/13/17
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