jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,603
|
Post by jamesp on Apr 25, 2016 20:28:13 GMT -5
Digging out some barrels of potting soil.
Looks like a colony of fire ants made a home in this one.
Filled it with water hoping to run them off after a couple of days
DO NOT put hand in this bucket.
|
|
geezer
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2016
Posts: 338 
|
Post by geezer on Apr 25, 2016 20:45:14 GMT -5
I only experienced them once, down in Panama City Beach. Once was enough!
|
|
rodeodan
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2010
Posts: 213
|
Post by rodeodan on Apr 25, 2016 23:30:30 GMT -5
Thats crazy
|
|
quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,359
|
Post by quartz on Apr 25, 2016 23:55:13 GMT -5
That is one very active colony, sure glad we don't have them here.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,603
|
Post by jamesp on Apr 26, 2016 0:17:14 GMT -5
Estimate 100 about stings/second if you pass your hand through. Get some antihistamines. Allergic ? Epipen
|
|
geezer
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2016
Posts: 338
|
Post by geezer on Apr 26, 2016 7:00:04 GMT -5
So you say that you hide your really good rough in the bottom of that bucket.........
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,603
|
Post by jamesp on Apr 26, 2016 7:22:52 GMT -5
So you say that you hide your really good rough in the bottom of that bucket......... LOL. Dang right. Come and get it !! Taxidermist use them to remove flesh from skulls. |
|
Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
|
Post by Intheswamp on Apr 26, 2016 7:47:03 GMT -5
If someone has never experienced fireants there is no way they can understand them...no way. These are deadly for young and old...human or non-human...and can seriously injure healthy adults. They're killers and will eradicate native species quickly...numerous queens per colony...major species propagation...heavy broadcast poisons about the only way to knock them out...and they will build up to the edge of the treated area. Grits, boiling water, blah, blah, blah poured on the mounds...they think they're being served breakfast. Spot treatment with poisons often simply encourage them to move the colony over a few feet. Nests go DEEP into the ground...10+ feet. Fireants love to move into outside A/C units and shut them by building earthen nests around the coils/compressors and shorting out points, etc.,. We had this happen just last year on our geothermal system...massive colony.  Anybody ran into crazy ants, Paratrechina longicornis? Apparently very attracted to "electrical" appliances/wiring...very aggressive colonizers. |
|
agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
|
Post by agatemaggot on Apr 26, 2016 8:51:02 GMT -5
If you want a true perspective of the size of a fire ant colony, do a You-Tube search on casting an ant colony. They pour molten Aluminum into the entrance of the nest and when it hardens, they remove the soil from around it. The casting makes for a really neat display in your flower garden and the best part, NO MORE fire ants !
|
|
Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,722
|
Post by Fossilman on Apr 26, 2016 9:32:18 GMT -5
We had "Red" ants in Montana,man oh man could they tear into a person too.....Been bit many many times from those little B&^%^%!!!!!!!!
|
|
Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
|
Post by Intheswamp on Apr 26, 2016 10:31:02 GMT -5
If you want a true perspective of the size of a fire ant colony, do a You-Tube search on casting an ant colony. They pour molten Aluminum into the entrance of the nest and when it hardens, they remove the soil from around it. The casting makes for a really neat display in your flower garden and the best part, NO MORE fire ants ! A friend of mine did that...kinda problematical digging it out of the ground, though. Makes an interesting item. Generic video off of youtube... |
|
|
|
Post by drocknut on Apr 26, 2016 16:21:39 GMT -5
Yikes, that's a lot of ants.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,603
|
Post by jamesp on Apr 26, 2016 19:31:47 GMT -5
Yikes, that's a lot of ants. Lots and lots Diane. and ready to sting. |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,603
|
Post by jamesp on Apr 26, 2016 19:40:36 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Apr 26, 2016 20:09:54 GMT -5
Those things are mean and nasty. I HATE fireants!!!!! But, my son hates them even more. When he was a young boy, he sat on a pile. We made a trip to the ER. I hate to say what happened, it would make the men here cringe, no doubt.
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,494
|
Post by Sabre52 on Apr 26, 2016 20:16:04 GMT -5
Yup, we have a ton of them here on the ranch and they are a whole lot of nasty all right. Four things you learn real quick 1. Don't park yore horse on a fire ant mound less yore fond of rodeo. 2. DEET, rather than repelling them, really pisses them off. 3. Don't pick up pop cans without looking real close cause fire ants love to fill them. And 4. The dang things like to climb yore leg a bit before they start to sting so be careful of yore nads, unless yore fond of dancing and yelling.....Mel
|
|
|
|
Post by 150FromFundy on Apr 26, 2016 20:19:12 GMT -5
Those fire ants have been moving north into Maine and crossed over the border into southern New Brunswick. They are gardener's nightmare and drive green thumbs to rubber boots, long pants tucked into the boots and sealed with a band of duck tape. Brutal dress for the heat of summer.
Darryl.
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,494
|
Post by Sabre52 on Apr 26, 2016 20:55:35 GMT -5
Darryl, Dang, heat of summer in New Brunswick?  Here in the heat and humidity of Texas we have to wear shorts and just get stung. All that prooo....tective gear ain't an option *L*.....Mel |
|
|
|
Post by spiceman on Apr 26, 2016 21:55:57 GMT -5
Well no fire ants in Ohio....yet
Also, no thanks I want no ants. I'm on a diet.
|
|
Thunder69
Cave Dweller
Thunder 2000-2015
Member since January 2009
Posts: 3,105
|
Post by Thunder69 on Apr 27, 2016 5:25:43 GMT -5
James you should have broke out the propane torch...teach them little mother f-ers to stay off your stuff..I've been torn up a few times by them..
|
|
Here in the heat and humidity of Texas we have to wear shorts and just get stung. All that prooo....tective gear ain't an option *L*.....Mel
