Thread: Black Widow
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Old April 9, 2018   #26
GoDawgs
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Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlittleSalt View Post
In the next few weeks, we will be cleaning out that building I found the Black Widow in. We will be wearing gloves.

Three days ago, my son was trying a product called "Garden Safe" on fire ant beds near our house when he found the first copperhead snake this year. It was less than a foot long - just a baby. It is that time of the year here. The 'Garden Safe' worked on killing the ants it came in contact with, but there are still fire ants in those beds. The only reason why we tried it was because I bought some on clearance for a dollar. It was worth a try.
You can try the soap water treatment on the fire ants. It doesn't kill the queen but it kills a ton of them and makes the survivors move. I patrol my veg raised beds regularly, jug in hand.

Put 1/4 cup of dishwashing liquid in a gallon jug of water and mix well. From about 4' above the mound, slowly pour the whole thing into it. You want that slow stream to pound down into the mound everywhere you see them pouring out of holes. The whole gallon. The next day there will be piles of dead ants on top of the mound. Some larger mounds will need a second treatment if you see signs of rebuilding. Don't wait too long to drown the rebuild. Get 'em while the numbers are small.

From experimentation I've learned that this will not affect stuff growing in the bed. Drowning a mound 6" from bean plants had no effect on the beans. Most all dish washing liquids are now free of phosphates. Check the label. It doesn't matter what brand or color you use. I use the in-house pink stuff from Sam's, "Member's something." $5-something for a gallon.

Ants have a waxy coating enabling them to float. The soap negates that and they drown down in the mound.
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