# Anyone use Diatomaceous Earth for fire ants?



## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

We moved to our farm last Aug/Sept and inherited hundreds of fire ant nests. Our kids had never dealt with them and got stung a bunch of times. I am apparently allergic to high doses, since I got stung once 5-8 times by one ant and had a 7" diameter circle on my leg and went to a walk in clinic and got a shot in my rump.

I've heard that Diatomaceous Earth kills them, and I'm willing to spend whatever it takes to get them beaten back off our property. Has anyone used this? Does it work? It sounds too good to be true, being natural and non pesticide.

Fingers crossed, hoping for good responses.....


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

Well I used it not to long ago ( all the while DH was saying it would not work) around one of my peach trees and the ants are gone. If you have DE on hand give it a try.


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

Others may tell you different, but I have had good success with DE used to spot treat problem mounds, not as a broadcast method. I usually sprinkle a few tablespoons on a mound when they weather is clear, not raining, and then recheck it in a week or so. Sometimes I have to retreat the mound, but the first treatment kills back the majority of them. Also try IGR's (Insect growth regulators); with those you must be a little more patient, but they sterilize the queen so you won't have them rebreeding. Fireants are a nuisance, but they are manageable. The #1 biggest thing that helps is to not stack anything directly on the ground. Pick up piles of firewood, lumber, roofing tin, etc.. and you'll go a long ways towards thwarting them


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## Trixie (Aug 25, 2006)

I honestly don't know. I know of nothing that truly keeps them gone, but you can battle them enough to keep them down or off your place. 

I have some grits I bought at the surplus grocery that was old tasting, and I use them. Just sprinkle on the hill and they are supposed to take it in and it expands when eaten. Cornmeal does pretty good also. As I said, this isn't a cureall - 

At our place in East TExas, my husband burns them out. 

You just have to be vigilant.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

We have a big pasture (15 acres) and most of our fire ants are in mounds out there, far from anything stacked. We have a few near the house, and around fence posts, but mainly they are out in the open. I've heard both sprinkling the powder, and injecting a water mixture will kill the queen and stop the colony. 

I ordered some today, thinking I'd give it a try. Our ants are so bad we can't camp, or sit on the ground or otherwise enjoy being outdoors. Hopefully I can beat them back with DE.


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## Genevieve M. (Nov 14, 2006)

I put some DE on the fire ants around my compost pile, last week.

Maybe it's a coincidence, but they are gone now.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I've used several methods to get rid of them. The one that worked the best and kept them away for several years is a natural ant poison from gardens alive. When I ran out of that I started trying other methods. One that works is to start "ant wars" by using a shovel to move ants from one hill to another. They kill each other off. I haven't tried DE, but will now that I've read that it works. I also haven't tried cornmeal or grits. I've read that if you use grits, you must use old fashion grits, not the instant kind. the grits work by swelling and killing the ant. The instant grits don't swell like the old fashion kind do.


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## NativeRose (Nov 15, 2003)

Wow!!! This is a good thread. Thanks. I am always fighting the fire ant wars. I only use organic things so this will be helpful. I have also heard granulated molasses and corn gluten also help.

East Texas is the war zone when it comes to fire ants!!!!


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## jen74145 (Oct 31, 2006)

NativeRose said:


> Wow!!! This is a good thread. Thanks. I am always fighting the fire ant wars. I only use organic things so this will be helpful. I have also heard granulated molasses and corn gluten also help.
> 
> East Texas is the war zone when it comes to fire ants!!!!


No freaking kidding. There are huge mounds in our yard and one of the dogs is so stupid he'll sit in one and cry till I rescue him rather than get out of the darn ant mound! Last summer I had to take the hose to him and rinse them off, his legs were covered.

I've also been told by folks around here that guineas love to eat fire ants and seem relatively immune to their bite. Orange oil can also help. Going to have to try the DE thing, I can't stand the little nasties. Get all in the gardne too, so you go to pull an onion or poke around looking for squash and it's like the explode out of nowhere.


And, Spinner, shovel wars... LOL, I can just see someone racing from hill to hill with a bundle of furious ants on the end. My luck, I'd get flustered and forget where the next hill is!


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

Well on the Guineas, we have guineas and fire ants and the only time I ever saw them destroy a nest is when it came up within inches of a hen setting on a nest. I would rather depend on DE.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Someone else told us guineas eat fire ants but chickens don't....we've been thinking of getting some guineas to help with the problem.

But if the DE helps you'll be hearing me singing its praises all over this board.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

DE does not help. Orange oil is about the best 'nontoxic' thing I've found.


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## Tricky Grama (Oct 7, 2006)

Have had excellent results w/compost tea that I brew myself, add a couple oz of liq molasses, couple oz of orange oil. Drench 'em.

Patty


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

We've got 26 acres, so orange oil would be way too expensive I think. I'll try the DE, since I already ordered it. But I'll try some of these other methods if it doesn't work.


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## oldgaredneck (Jan 2, 2007)

Powdered molasses works great for me....


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## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

had a hill in the area that we fenced in for the new chicken run, put some corn on it each day for about a week and it was gone. Now I do have to watch during the summer that they don't build a nest under the nesting boxes, the chickens cannot get to the nest but the ants come up and get the setting hens.

Tried DE last year with mixed results, we are going to try again this year.


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## homemom1fl (Nov 28, 2004)

I have used DE recently on a few mounds and it worked. The mound didn't seem to get relocated either.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Cyngbaeld said:


> DE does not help. Orange oil is about the best 'nontoxic' thing I've found.


I agree.


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## FD2N4P (May 10, 2007)

tried de on ants and it did not work for me.


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## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)

DE did not work for us...I am so allergic to those darn things and they get me all the time...however, my Silkies in the barnyard keep them killed out, they scratch and peck them till they are gone. I used some kind of powder from a Nature Co...was crushed beetles of some kind, and it did kill them...but once it rains, they are all back again..nasty little creatures.


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