I agree with John. For the past 2 years, i used ant/flea/tick killer synthetics. Watched all the wildlife avoid my yard. I was sitting out back with my 2 year old daughter the other day, saw a few ant hills... Made sure they werent fire ants... bastads!! You wouldnt imagine the sheer happiness she and i had to see what seemed like a flock of cardinals feeding off the bugs in my lawn. Birds avoided my lawn in years past due to the chemicals that i laid down to control the ticks. Yes, it was very noticeable especially after the bird watching event me and the 2 yr old had ^^. On another note, you have to be persistent with any type of ant if you want to take em out. Theyll move and rebuild a smaller mound over and over the more you dwindle their numbers. Never seen a product that could fully knock them out in one app. Damien

I used Spectracide last year. I had to use an amount much more than the directions say. The recommended amount had no effect on the ants. Finally they went away, but they're back this year! Where do they come from??? A lawn guy told me that rain will wash away the anthill once the ants are dead. I don't think the hill ever totally went away and obviously neither did the ants :(

I don't understand peoples reluctance to use what is at their disposal. Remember the advertising slogan of that chemical company.... "BETTER THINGS, FOR BETTER LIVING...THRU CHEMISTRY" Many, what you call, chemicals, are organic in nature... i.e. they are made from living things, such as plants or animals and do not constitute harmful aspects of everyday living. You have a weed....you either live with it, or kill it. There's two methods...one, you get down on all fours and pull it out..and make sure you get all of it...roots and all, otherwise, all you have done is made the weed stronger to come back better than it did before. Some weeds, such as dandelion have roots that are a foot long. So the need to get something down there to get it all is paramount. Digging is often too tiring and the gardener most times just gives up...preferring to wait until it shows up again and pull off the flower. Others, knowing it wont die of its own accord, wish to end its life once and for all...by spraying something that the weed cant fight....systemically takes a poison down to its roots and letting the grass push it out. You can look on store shelves for the type of herbicide that is organic. Or by hand spraying the individual weed with one that is chemical in nature. Its your choice. As for the ants, given the size of the ant hill I suspect they are dining on dying organic matter in your lawn. Whether there is a fungus in there I yield to spraying a fungicide and see what happens. yellow patches can be a sign the soil is in a bad way. Not enough moisture is gaining down deep enough to encourage strong root growth. To that, a layering of topsoil/compost over the area and re-seeding can improve the quality of the grass. Following a regimen of over layering soil every spring, every fall, then overseeding at the same times, can result in good turf grass. To find out how much soil to buy: Measure the area you wish to work, LENGTH TIMES WIDTH....IN FEET multiplied by the depth of soil IN INCHES...multiplied by 3, divide by 1000 results in the number of cubic yards of soil to buy. A schedule of fertilizing every spring through fall will result in strong roots and good growth and can result in filling in the bare spots that might crop up. Now about the ants: This is a formulae that works and is not harmful to pets if you follow directions. You buy at your drug store some boric acid powder. It comes in a package, costs about $5.00 or so..for about 4 ounces..give or take. Into two cups of boiling water, you add one cup of granulated sugar, stirring to dissolve. Then you add 2 tablespoons of boric acid, stir. You then use a container, such as one that holds margarine to which you poke holes into at the side at the bottom to let the ant enter. Poke holes north, east, west, south. Then, at the drug store you buy some cotton balls--they come in a package or bag. You dip a cotton ball into the boric acid solution and place into the small container. Put as many of the cotton balls into how many the container allows, put the cover on to keep out bees and such, then place it on the ant hill or where you see them travel. Do as many containers as you wish...any solution left over can be refrigerated....mark it so it isn't used for other purposes. What this does; the sugar is the come on--the boric acid the poison that is taken back to queenie. She dies, the colony dies and you get about fixing your lawn. Its simple....and it works. Replace the contents about every 3 days or so.

Know your enemy : Identifying grub damage Symptoms of white grub infestation include wilting of grass in patches, eventually turning brown or dying, sod that pulls up easily, in one piece, with the white grubs then visible underneath, feeding on the roots. Increased feeding activity of birds, moles, raccoons,etc. are another sign, you may notice holes in the sod where critters have been digging. The damage is most noticeable in Fall or in dry spells, though serious infestations may be visible in Spring. Dead brown areas can have other causes, such as pet urine, improper use of fertilizer or insecticide, turf diseases or improper mowing, so be sure to identify the problem before trying to treat it! In the case of grubs, if the insects are not easily visible just under the turf, there is no point in treating for them. The usual suspects.... The white grubs you will find feasting on grass roots are the larvae of several members of the beetle family, having an idea WHO you're hosting helps in controlling them. All are fat white C-shaped grubs, with brown heads and six legs, but the larvae of the May or June beetle can easily be 2" in length. This species can remain underground up to four years before becoming a winged adult, so timing of chemical controls is not as crucial, though they must be applied when the ground is warm enough for the grubs to be actively feeding. Japanese beetle larvae are smaller, about 1/2 inch, and have a noticeable V-shaped pattern on the 'raster', the dark bristly area at the end of the abdomen. Japanese beetles complete their life cycle in one year, laying eggs in mid-July which hatch in early August, chemical controls should be applied at that time while larvae are most susceptible. Masked chafer grubs are similar to Japanese beetle larvae in size, but lack the V-pattern on the raster.Unlike Japanese beetles, the adults of this species are short-lived, and do not eat while in the winged state. Their life cycle is similar, with August being the time to apply chemical controls. Dates given above for applications are most applicable for Zone 5, your local County Cooperative Extension Service will be happy to help you with timing treatments in your specific area. Any pesticide you choose MUST be labeled for use on white grubs, and label directions MUST be followed exactly. Preventing grub infestations: biological controls There are a few natural controls available to treat your lawn BEFORE grubs become a problem. Milky spore disease, which is most effective against Japanese beetles, and to a lesser extent against May/June beetles. The bacteria that cause the disease affect only white grubs, and after proper 'inoculation' into a lawn area, remain active in the soil for years. The bacteria need to be present in the soil BEFORE the grubs begin feeding to be most effective, as the disease can take months to kill established grubs. Beneficial Nematodes are microscopic, nonsegmented worms that occur naturally in soil all around the world. Steinernema carpocapsae and Steinernema feltiae prey on ants, termites and the larval and grub stages of various beetles, weevils, armyworms, cutworms, chafers, webworms, borers, maggots, fleas, fungus gnats (sciarid flies). Once they are released, the nematodes seek out host insects and enter their prey through body openings and emit an endo-toxin that results in death for the host insect within 48 hours. The nematodes reproduce and their offspring feed on the insect cadaver and emerge to seek out new hosts. Nematodes are easy to use. They are shipped in a formulation that you mix with water. The solution can be applied using a watering can; hose end, backpack, or pump sprayers; or through irrigation or misting systems. Always release early in the morning or late afternoon when temperatures are cooler. Generally, 1 vial of Beneficial Nematodes will effectively treat approximately 900 sq. ft. of conventional garden rows. Make releases every 3-6 weeks or until infestation subsides.Nematodes can be stored in the refrigerator (do not freeze!) for up to 2 months.