Ants

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Angi

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I can't remember what the safe product for getting rid of ants is called. Can anyone help me? It is food grade _____ _______ earth. I can't remember the blanks or find the thred about it. Also where does one buy it?

THANKS!
 

Angi

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Yes that is it. Thanks!!!!! Where do I get it?
 

tortadise

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Should be able to find it at a good nursery if not. Google it I'm sure it's somewhere online.
 

JoshgOC

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how does one administer this food grade diatomaceous earth?

I never had ants at my house since until I recently acquired torts a couple weeks ago. I have a few ants meandering around in their outdoor pen. Not red, just typical black ants, but I don't want them to multiply. I think they came in with some of the new plants.

Can I just lightly sprinkle some on the ground even where the torts walk around?
 

DesertGrandma

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It won't hurt your torts. Just sprinkle it around and it kills the ants.
 

ThatDamnSasquatch

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I recently used a different method. I have my torts in an enclosure that has wooden walls and floor, and I utilized a method a lot of home gardeners use for fire ants in TX. You but a hose fertilizer sprayer (basically a nozzle with a vessel attached that holds a liquid it mixes with the water as you spray) and put around a cup of everyday Mrs. Meyers liquid dish soap in it. Then I sprayed the drone around and under their enclosure.

I had read an article that explained that the dish soap would change the Ph of the soil slightly and this apparently drives the ants nuts and they leave in a quick fashion. Someone else may be able to explain the science better, but I've had good success with this method thus far.
 

Angi

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Well the diatomaceous earth didn't work at all. I am really bummed :(
 

nickpanzee

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I think the reason that soap works is that it suffocates insects since they breathe through their bodies.
 

AZtortMom

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Wow! I love the idea of the soap so much better!
 

Tom

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Diatomaceous earth and plain boric acid powder did nothing for me either.

For the little black ants I use Terro ant baits. They are boric acid based, so pretty much non-toxic if a pet were to get into it. They swarm these little bait stations and take the sugar water back to the queen and colony. Wipes them all out.

For for the big red ants, I use Amdro ant granules. This one is toxic but they remove it in a couple hours. I don't follow the directions at all. The directions say to sprinkle it around. It works much better if you pour a small amount directly into their hole until it mounds up slightly blocking their entrance/exit. The workers work very quickly to clear the hole by taking their "manna from heaven" down into the hole to feed to the queen and colony. I've used this inside the tortoise pens with no problem. I just make my little mound and then put an upside down laundry basket over the area with a cinderblock on top of it until the ants finish carrying my gift down into their hole. Once they carry it away, its like it was never there and you can carry on with business as usual, minus that ant colony.
 

Momof4

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Angi- if your still in Ramona your feed store Elston's has Food Grade DE for $5 for a 1 gallon ziplock bag. I wish I had seen this post earlier. If it doesn't work for your ants you can use it in your coffee, smoothies or juice. It had many health benefits. I use it in my daughters smoothie for constipation issues and my coffee every morning.
I do know if the DE gets wet it loses it quality to kill the ants. Even if it gets damp.
 

Angi

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Ya I am still in Ramona. For that price I may give it another try. I am keeping my house when I move. We already have renters so I will be back and forth to Ramona. What does it do for your coffee. What exactly is DE?
My sister used to get her horse feed at Elstons, but I have never been in there. I will check it out soon. We have so many feed stores I never hit that one.
 
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