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samalex
October 22nd, 2010, 10:33 PM
Hey Guys --

Yeah this isn't tech related at all, but I thought I'd throw the question out there incase someone else has ran into this.

We've been in our house for about 6 months now, had it built new, and 5 weeks ago (the day we brought our newborn son home) what started as a line of fire ants coming from under our bathtub has turned into a house-wide infestation. They started in the master bath, then spraying there they moved into each bedroom and the kids bathroom and kitchen. Heck we've even had them coming out of the ceiling A/C vent in the living room!

We live in Central Texas so fire ants are just part of the landscape around here, but I've never seen or had an infestation of this magnitude before. We've been working with a great bug guy who's done lots of things to help us out, but I think the ants are more intense then even they expected.

We're assuming now that they're coming up from the foundation in the sandtraps under the bathrooms or shower, so tomorrow we're literally tearing into walls to see what's going on. In one regard I hope we find a massive mound because at least that'll explain what's happening, but it'll be freaky none the less. Either way if tomorrow's demo doesn't yield any results I'm not sure what else to do.

Granted fire ants are more of a southern thing, but has anyone else ever seen of or had this happen to them? Since day one in the house I've kept the yard mowed and cut around the house plus treated the yard for ants. So we've been diligent since moving in, but I think they were just there when they poured the foundation and never left.

Anyway, part venting and part pleading for any suggestions from anyone who might have gone through this before. I've read about every website i can find, but I've yet to find anyone who's had the same experience as us with fire ants.

Take care --

Sam

MasterNetra
October 22nd, 2010, 10:54 PM
Have you considered getting a couple of anteaters?

mainerror
October 22nd, 2010, 11:11 PM
Have you considered getting a couple of anteaters?

+1. Get a couple of them and let them run around in your house. Once the ants are gone gets some cougars to get rid of the anteaters.

Don't ask me how you're going to get rid of the cougars tho.

NightwishFan
October 22nd, 2010, 11:14 PM
+1. Get a couple of them and let them run around in your house. Once the ants are gone gets some cougars to get rid of the anteaters.

Don't ask me how you're going to get rid of the cougars tho.

:lolflag:

MasterNetra
October 22nd, 2010, 11:29 PM
+1. Get a couple of them and let them run around in your house. Once the ants are gone gets some cougars to get rid of the anteaters.

Don't ask me how you're going to get rid of the cougars tho.

Nah, only problem I hear is that while yes they will clean your place of insects, they generally eat just about anything they can slide into their mouths. In short don't play marbles with them unless your playing for keeps.

pwnst*r
October 22nd, 2010, 11:50 PM
+1. Get a couple of them and let them run around in your house. Once the ants are gone gets some cougars to get rid of the anteaters.

Don't ask me how you're going to get rid of the cougars tho.

lol

Zzl1xndd
October 22nd, 2010, 11:56 PM
Not exactly the same (as we don't have Fire ants in Canada), but we once had a problem with Black ants in the loft I lived in above my parents place. Unfortunately we basically had to gut the walls to deal with the problem.

So Hopefully you find them in the walls.

jeffathehutt
October 23rd, 2010, 12:14 AM
The first thing I would try is to put down a lot of bait gel along their trails. If the walls are infested, it might be possible to use a foam insecticide that can be inserted into the walls without having to make very large holes. I assume the exterminator will do whatever is necessary to control the ants, but the bait gel is very easy to use and I would try it before ripping out my walls. Good luck with it, ants are hard to get rid of. :mad:

ebasa
October 23rd, 2010, 12:21 AM
+1. Get a couple of them and let them run around in your house. Once the ants are gone gets some cougars to get rid of the anteaters.

Don't ask me how you're going to get rid of the cougars tho.

A couple of 20 year old studs?

mainerror
October 23rd, 2010, 12:22 AM
Probably the gel is the better idea otherwise you're going to end up with lions or tigers in the living room. Might not be the best solution.

Dustin2128
October 23rd, 2010, 03:55 AM
+1. Get a couple of them and let them run around in your house. Once the ants are gone gets some cougars to get rid of the anteaters.

Don't ask me how you're going to get rid of the cougars tho.
self replicating nanobots with no off button.

JT9161
October 23rd, 2010, 04:06 AM
Fire

earthpigg
October 23rd, 2010, 04:50 AM
Chemical Warfare.

In Africa, I solved the problem (huge black ants) by finding some poison on amazon.

Theory behind the poison was that it wasn't immediately strong enough to kill the ants that ate it. It acted over the course of a several days to a week and eventually killed or steralized the queen.

Strategist01
October 23rd, 2010, 07:09 AM
Why not just "tent" the house? (I think it's called that) Just fumigate the entire place, professionally of course. Then you don't have to rip out walls and it doesn't cause too much hassle - aside from leaving your house for 3 days...

earthpigg
October 23rd, 2010, 07:25 AM
how would that kill the colony and prevent them from returning?

Strategist01
October 23rd, 2010, 07:31 AM
how would that kill the colony and prevent them from returning?

Well, the fumes would go everywhere, and they can pump the basement full of the fumes also. I don't think that stops them from returning, but I was just suggesting a way to kill them without it being to messy...

QIII
October 23rd, 2010, 08:01 AM
C'mon. You live in Waco. When I was stationed at Ft Hood we had the same problem in Copperas Cove.

Fire ants in closets. Zoysia creeping over the foundation and coming out under your baseboards if you don't keep an eye on it. That's life.

earthpigg is spot on. You might get some effect from commercially available slow-acting ant poison. You have to be really careful, though. Those containing pyrethrins can kill your dog, cat or child if they ingest it.

Now, if someone has an answer for all the freaking rain we get up here in the Pacific Northwest...

Khakilang
October 23rd, 2010, 12:51 PM
Fight fire with fire than use water to put out the fire and than. Voila! You have a swimming pool.

NightwishFan
October 23rd, 2010, 12:56 PM
Fight fire with fire than use water to put out the fire and than. Voila! You have a swimming pool.

This is the most awesome thing you have ever said. It blows my mind.

jfreak_
October 23rd, 2010, 01:12 PM
+1. Get a couple of them and let them run around in your house. Once the ants are gone gets some cougars to get rid of the anteaters.

Don't ask me how you're going to get rid of the cougars tho.


self replicating nanobots with no off button.


Fight fire with fire than use water to put out the fire and than. Voila! You have a swimming pool.

:lolflag::lolflag::lolflag:

Gremlinzzz
October 23rd, 2010, 01:50 PM
Borax is the most common ingredient in house ant control products, and get this: it's absolutely 100% natural. The best way (in my opinion) to use Borax is to mix 1 cup of warm water with 1/2 cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of Borax. Then soak the Borax mixture up with cotton balls and place those cotton balls near any trails the ants have established in your home.

wkhasintha
October 23rd, 2010, 02:13 PM
+1. Get a couple of them and let them run around in your house. Once the ants are gone gets some cougars to get rid of the anteaters.

Don't ask me how you're going to get rid of the cougars tho.

:lolflag:

of course you can use a hunter to get rid of the cougar.

Scroobytec
October 23rd, 2010, 02:24 PM
Yes Borax (Boric acid) is a good way to control ants, it just might take some time if the infestation is large. But they will take it back to the nest or nests and the queen or queens will be killed.

Also it is not so harmful to humans and pets, very GREEN.

Some good sites are:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_does_Borax_kill_ants

http://www.ehow.com/how_4881566_make-borax-ant-bait.html

Good Luck

mainerror
October 23rd, 2010, 02:44 PM
:lolflag:

of course you can use a hunter to get rid of the cougar.

Sure but how do you get rid of the hunters?

HermanAB
October 23rd, 2010, 03:07 PM
Borax... absolutely 100% natural

Well, since the ants are everywhere, even in the attic, maybe you need something supernatural.

jcolyn
October 23rd, 2010, 04:29 PM
Go to the store and buy a couple of bags of 10 minute rice. Grind into smaller pieces (don't grind to a powder) and spread around the ares they are coming in. Do this for a week and that should get rid of them.

What happens: They eat and take pieces back to the queen who eats it. Once they drink water it expands and the ant including the queen explodes.

It does work.. I've used it here in Fort Worth..better than spreading poison which can cause health issues especially for your newborn..

jcolyn
October 23rd, 2010, 04:33 PM
Yes Borax (Boric acid) is a good way to control ants,

Boric acid....breakfast of champions... at least for the bugs/insects here in Texas.

NightwishFan
October 23rd, 2010, 04:35 PM
go to the store and buy a couple of bags of 10 minute rice. Grind into smaller pieces (don't grind to a powder) and spread around the ares they are coming in. Do this for a week and that should get rid of them.

What happens: They eat and take pieces back to the queen who eats it. Once they drink water it expands and the ant including the queen explodes.

It does work.. I've used it here in fort worth..better than spreading poison which can cause health issues especially for your newborn..

:o

MisterGaribaldi
October 23rd, 2010, 05:13 PM
Fight fire with fire than use water to put out the fire and than. Voila! You have a swimming pool.

And then if we look in the general direction of Texas and see this:

http://www.techdigest.tv/nuclear_explosion.jpg


Then we know it didn't go so well with the whole "water, swimming pool" part. :guitar:

CharlesA
October 23rd, 2010, 05:17 PM
When I hear "fire ants" I keep thinking of these (http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090522064746/fallout/images/5/5e/Fire_Ant_Warrior.png)..

nubimax
October 23rd, 2010, 05:44 PM
I once got rid of red ants in Oregon by using ground up orange peel. I was told at the time that the ants took the ground up orange peel back to the nest where it caused a fungus to grow and kill the ants in the nest. I don't know if that is what happened but after 2 weeks I had no more ants.

BigCityCat
October 23rd, 2010, 07:00 PM
One word. Andro!

Old_Grey_Wolf
October 23rd, 2010, 08:06 PM
samalex,

Try Bengal fire ant killer. http://www.bengal.com/fireant.htm. You can get it in local stores; therefore, no need to order from the Internet. It worked for me, and I'm a Texas neighbor (within 110 miles or 177 kilometers from you). The other name brand insecticides didn't work for me.

The ants would make trails from one side of the house to the other. I found them crawling through cracks in molding in interior rooms on the second floor of my house. I haven't had that problem for a few years now.

They probably are not under your foundation. Like I said, they make trails from long distances. When it rains, they build up the mounds so that they are easier to see. When the soil is dry, the mounds are small or non-existent; however, they are still there. Hopefully you are getting some of the rain this weekend.

sanderella
October 23rd, 2010, 08:25 PM
We used to live in a house that had been built on a landfill site. One night we found it was just full of cockroaches everywhere. The public health department of our local council came and put some sort of bomb under the floorboards, it worked, they were all gone in a couple of days.

forrestcupp
October 23rd, 2010, 09:23 PM
I'd call an exterminator.

NCLI
October 23rd, 2010, 10:14 PM
I'd call an exterminator.
He has ;)

Shakz
October 23rd, 2010, 10:46 PM
Borax will kill them.

mix 1 cup of warm water with 1/2 cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of Borax. Then soak the Borax mixture up with cotton balls and place those cotton balls near any trails the ants have established in your home.

wkhasintha
October 24th, 2010, 03:01 AM
Sure but how do you get rid of the hunters?

just pay him ;)

Moozillaaa
October 24th, 2010, 08:18 AM
Make sure you get an ethnic [mexican] anteater:

(either that, or try 'em out with Jalopenos /jabaneros FIRST)

http://ubuntuforums.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=173352&d=1287904710

lisati
October 24th, 2010, 08:29 AM
The talk of Borax reminds me of having heard of it my younger days in Auckland.

We've had ants in our place from time to time lately, smaller than anything I've seen before. Not sure why they've decided to turn up all of a sudden, we've been here 8 years and apart from the occasional cockroach or mouse paying a visit I haven't noticed anything else.

I'd call an exterminator.
I thought we were talking about Texas, not California. :D

edit: wait...... politics.... self imposed 10 point penalty.

HermanAB
October 24th, 2010, 10:57 AM
Originally Posted by mainerror View Post
+1. Get a couple of them and let them run around in your house. Once the ants are gone gets some cougars to get rid of the anteaters.

Don't ask me how you're going to get rid of the cougars tho.

Hmm, to get rid of the cougars, you could hire a toy boy at the local gym...

Ahava591
October 24th, 2010, 11:07 AM
The Fallout 3 reference for the win. I seriously hated going into the tunnels with those things around every corner.


We have black ants, (carpenter, I think,) and fire ants here. The fire ants don't come into the house but every year it's a nightmare with the little black ones. I've had one come out of the tube of toothpaste as I went to brush my teeth.

Paqman
October 24th, 2010, 11:36 AM
I for one, welcome our new insect overlords.

NightwishFan
October 24th, 2010, 11:46 AM
Sure, you go and greet them. I'll stay here.

Moozillaaa
October 25th, 2010, 06:00 AM
I've had one come out of the tube of toothpaste as I went to brush my teeth.

THAT wouldn't bother me so bad, as long as he SQUEEZES FROM THE BOTTOM UP!!!

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l79qyiQAbB1qzllay.jpg

mips
October 25th, 2010, 04:49 PM
I don't have a solution but I do however have a question. Why are timber frame houses so common in the USA as opposed to brick & mortar houses which are less prone to insects, mould, rot & fire?

Lucradia
October 25th, 2010, 05:24 PM
Originally Posted by mainerror View Post
+1. Get a couple of them and let them run around in your house. Once the ants are gone gets some cougars to get rid of the anteaters.

Don't ask me how you're going to get rid of the cougars tho.

Hmm, to get rid of the cougars, you could hire a toy boy at the local gym...

Or this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLTIowBF0kE&hd=1

PhilGil
October 25th, 2010, 06:00 PM
I don't have a solution but I do however have a question. Why are timber frame houses so common in the USA as opposed to brick & mortar houses which are less prone to insects, mould, rot & fire?
Cost, material availability, inertia (the building trades are very conservative).

Building codes tend to favor timber frame construction for residences. For example, here on the west coast, earthquake safety requirements make masonry construction of residences prohibitively expensive.

Paqman
October 25th, 2010, 11:53 PM
Building codes tend to favor timber frame construction for residences. For example, here on the west coast, earthquake safety requirements make masonry construction of residences prohibitively expensive.

And with good reason. Earthquakes make short work of brick buildings.

mips
October 26th, 2010, 08:54 AM
Building codes tend to favor timber frame construction for residences. For example, here on the west coast, earthquake safety requirements make masonry construction of residences prohibitively expensive.

Surely the entire US is not a earthquake zone, mostly fom the midwest to the west and then the odd spot on the east side? For these areas I can understand the requirement for timber.

I'm just amazed at the ways they build houses in the USA (& Canada)from watching tv, things that would never be allowed over here in formal dwellings. The electrical codes here are way stricter for example, sheathing, conduit is compulsory, no outlets near water in places like bathrooms etc

samalex
October 26th, 2010, 03:15 PM
Hey Guys -- I didn't realize the tread took off like it did :) We had a bug guy come out on Saturday and check under our tub in the master bath to find a thick stream of fire ants coming out of the sand trap into our walls. He sprayed Termidor under their then under the other bath tub and shower. This seemed to do the trick, we've only seen one ant in the house since then, and it was definitely affected by the chemicals walking in circles and twitching.

But I guess karma is getting us back for killing the ants (or for something) because yesterday afternoon our washing machine sprung a leak flooding our hallway, kids room, dining room, etc, so yesterday a restoration service pulled-up 1/4 of the flooring in our house and we have fans all over airing it out. Yeah, we were in a hotel last night because of it and will probably be in there again tonight :-/ A total FML moment.

whiskeylover
October 26th, 2010, 03:19 PM
Its simple. You find the queen ant and hold her ransom.

Cobracommand0
October 26th, 2010, 04:11 PM
At least they were fire ants and not smallpox infected bees... It's pretty hard to get transferred to the basement phone line at the Hoover bldg these days to report a sighting.

samalex
October 26th, 2010, 04:22 PM
Its simple. You find the queen ant and hold her ransom.

You guys are funny :)

JoshuaRL
October 26th, 2010, 04:40 PM
At least they were fire ants and not smallpox infected bees... It's pretty hard to get transferred to the basement phone line at the Hoover bldg these days to report a sighting.

Made of Win, just so long as you don't go stomping around the arctic wearing nothing but a parka and slime.

Windows Nerd
October 26th, 2010, 05:12 PM
Now, if someone has an answer for all the freaking rain we get up here in the Pacific Northwest...
I personally love the rain we get up here. It's a great excuse to stay inside and be a geek :)

alanmoore78
October 26th, 2010, 09:44 PM
As a resident of southeastern Hill County, I have the same problem. Try going out to change the oil on your car to discover that as you are about to lay down, you realize the space under your car in your yard is a fire ant pile the size of a car. That was not fun.

So I get this stuff called Sevin dust. It is sold at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, ACE, whatever. Big red bag, cost you about $11. You sprinkle that on all the fire ant mounds you can find. Then you get it wet and watch them die. Alternatively, the Andro stuff works well, we used that up in Cleburne. That was a tractor I was changing hydraulic fluid on when I realized I was squatting in a fire ant pile.

Me and fire ants do NOT get along.

Khakilang
October 27th, 2010, 05:36 AM
Hey Guys -- I didn't realize the tread took off like it did :) We had a bug guy come out on Saturday and check under our tub in the master bath to find a thick stream of fire ants coming out of the sand trap into our walls. He sprayed Termidor under their then under the other bath tub and shower. This seemed to do the trick, we've only seen one ant in the house since then, and it was definitely affected by the chemicals walking in circles and twitching.

But I guess karma is getting us back for killing the ants (or for something) because yesterday afternoon our washing machine sprung a leak flooding our hallway, kids room, dining room, etc, so yesterday a restoration service pulled-up 1/4 of the flooring in our house and we have fans all over airing it out. Yeah, we were in a hotel last night because of it and will probably be in there again tonight :-/ A total FML moment.

Sometime ants are there for a reason. Their home. And if their home has been invaded they will call the army ant to defend their home and if that fail they will call their ancestral spirit to wreck your machine. Now that more ants has been killed. There will be more angry ant spirit.

handy
October 27th, 2010, 05:44 AM
To the OP, at least its not your Mouse!