The people at Texas A & M have done the most research on controlling Imported Fire Ants and they would be the best source of information.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fire Ant Control

That sounds like a nightmare. In your post about charcoal, I was going to post something about, Whatever it takes to get us a bit of that global warming up North. Maybe not so much. I am suddenly seeing the benefits of living in the North.
Does Florida get them?

Florida has plenty of fire ants though I find them easy to manage. I just buy a product called Amdro which comes as a yellow granular bait. Just sprinkle a few grains near the problem and then watch the nasty little bastages carry the grains into the nest to feed the queen.

There are other products that work well too but with those you sprinkle the granuals over the nest and water in. Not as much fun as you don't get to watch them commit suicide. LOL

Torch em, only way to kill them without poison, works great on the yard also. Poor microbes though!

RFonte, That belongs in the "You Know You're a Compost Junkie When..." thread. Tearing up over our microbes definitely qualifies.

Wish this was true, found this at a worm retailers site:

Insect Repellency: Testing has shown that several microorganisms found in worm castings stimulate the organisms in plants that work as repellents for a large array of insects. The repellents increase to a level that the insects find the plant nectar distasteful. The insects then leave. The effectiveness has been seen for aphids, white fly, and other bugs that feed on the plant juices. Plants tested included but are not limited to: begonias, various citrus, hibiscus, various house plants, morning glory, roses, solanum, and zylosma. The number of individuals who have successful applications now exceed 1,500. This research is on-going. .

Fire Ant and Common Ant Repellency: Ants can detect the natural repellency organisms when they walk over worm castings. They find the worm castings highly objectionable. An immediate negative reaction can be seen by ants when worm castings are applied. The ants leave areas covered with a ‡ inch layer but will begin to walk across the layer after a few weeks. Apparently some change happens to the top layer. Red fire ants will leave their nests within 24 hours of a single application. We are working with the top research scientists for the application on red fire ants. The ant revulsion has many applications.
How Does the Insect Repellency Work?

My best understanding and explanation is:

The relationship between the enzyme chitinase and insect repellency is well documented from academic research. (Extensive research work is now being done to genetically alter plants to produce a high level of chitinase). Using worm castings is a non-toxic, and organic method of doing the same without genetic alteration.

The enzyme chitinase will dissolve chitin and chitin makes the exoskeleton of a bug. If the level is below detection then it is not toxic to the bug and they can NOT detect it. Increase the level of chitinase above this level and the bug is repelled by the nectar of the plant rather than attracted to it. The bugs reaction to chitinase is similar to our reaction to sour milk. One drop of sour milk mixed into a glass of sweet milk and you will drink the glass with no negative reaction. However, mix in three tablespoons and no one has to convince you to not drink the milk.

Using worm castings triggers the chitinase production level. At this point I can't name the trigger organism. I have a theory that I am researching. I should be able to name the organism soon. Applying the worm castings to the soil at a 10% - 20% mix results in the level of internal chitinase increasing. The 10-20% mix comes from research by Ohio State, Subler, Edwards, et al, regarding the optimum mix for optimum plant growth. Applying a ‡ inch layer to the top of a plant equates to 10%. A 1 inch layer to 20%.

The detection level for the bug is in the range of 1 million cfu/dwg. We have tested plants covered in white flies. The level of chitinase producing organisms is usually less than 300,000 cfu/dwg. One particular hibiscus tested at 260,000 cfu/dwg prior to application. This 10 foot tall hibiscus was covered in white flies. Three months after application the white flies had left the plant totally. The chitinase level had increased to 670,000,000 cfu/dwg.

The speed of repellency is in direct relation to the size of the plant. Spider mites will leave house plants in about two weeks. Aphids will leave roses in less than two months and it will take about three months for all of the white flies to leave a ten foot tall hibiscus.

It appears that this mechanism works for nearly every plant. I have included a list of the plants tested. All of the plants listed were tested by 11 nursery managers/staff and two garden writers. All tests to date have shown success. (These tests were NOT performed by California Vermiculture). We have performed our own tests and shown efficacy have relied on tests by others as support data. Nearly every one of these testers scoffed at the possibility of worm castings being able to repel insects.

People have told me that he could not accept insect repellency. I agreed that the idea sounded outrageous but offered samples for personal testing. One guy had roses that had been plagued with aphids for over six years. He said that there was not a single spot on these roses bigger than the size of a dime NOT covered in aphids. He applied a 1 inch layer in the watering basin. In less than two months, all aphids were gone. He has now applied worm castings to all of his roses. He now has not a single aphid anywhere.

Nursery managers have asked their clients to apply worm castings and observe the possible pest repellency effects. The number of people who have seen success in their own tests exceeds 1,000. I have asked how many of their clients have complained of no positive results. Not one complaint for lack of results has been made to date .

*
*

rfonte649, Can you give us a link.
I would love to ask about fire ants eating my red worms!

Jolj,

I beg to differ. Fire ants do exist in the north. They have actually become quite the pest in our municipality. Just a few years ago I was never concerned about trading plants and other garden things with the folks living in our city core but now I won't do it since I do not want these creatures in my rural part of our municipality. I have seen first hand what they can do and it is painful and not pretty.

Just wanted you to know that they do exist in our lovely part of the world... :O(

Here is a link that might be useful: Fire ants in Canada.

For your sake I hope you are mistaken.
I was told they could not live in area where the ground froze soild to more then 6 inches by a pest control person. His exact words "the only way to get rid of them is move north".
Thank you for the up date, I hate being wrong almost as much as tell the myth over & over again.
I have heard of the FA nesting under house foundation to stay cool here,maybe they nest under foundations to stay warm up there or maybe the man was wrong.

The European fire ant discussed by tiffy is a totally different beast than the southern imported fire ant, a distant relative.

jojl, here is the link:
http://www.rainbowworms.com/

My strong belief is that fire ants in general hate biological activity. Increase the life in your soil (or worm bin), and the ants will move elsewhere. I've seen this phenomena several times by spreading sugar over a lawn. Many people will spread liquid or dried molasses, because of it's trace mineral content. Some will spread common table sugar. Either way, the effect is the same. The sugar will ignite microbial activity in the soil, and the fire ants will leave. I suspect the same result could be obtained in a compost bin.

When I get ants in my worm compost bins, I make the mixture wetter and it seems to thin them out quite a bit. I have seen similar happen in my hot bins. I also find if I keep shifting the area around, they seem to get discouraged and leave.

Here is a link that might be useful: Home farming: Grow your own foods the natural way

I do not care if they(FA) carrier off a pound or two of compost.
I can not have an outside worm bin here or the FA will eat the red worms!
Maybe I am not making it clear.
I have over 80,000. pounds of coffee waste, as it cools, I want to put worms in it. No to grow & sale, just to finish the compost off, for my asparagus beds.

Hi Jolj:
This may be obvious and forgive me, but can you identify where the red ants are coming from or are they under the compost pile. I think you must identify their source, then take very aggressive action. Here in the High Mojave Desert our Vector Control District wants to be notified immediately so they can chart the little monsters movement and they also say they will give you help which may mean just a pest control sight or ? You may need to move the pile a bit to observe their behavior. Horrid, nasty little monsters. That and killer bees make me very careful to keep looking around for anything unusual. Would you be willing to set up your worms in their own condo in the basement or laundry room for now and add as you feel confident you've eliminated the RA's?

Out of the blue we suddenly had two hills show up in our lawn and it was practically instantaneous, weren't there one day and were the next. I got to discover them as I was out in the backyard with the dogs after dark one evening and apparently stumbled over one of the piles. I could clearly feel the bite, ouch!, and spent the remaining evening into the morning with my foot in an ice bath to kill the pain. I also take antihistamines due to really bad allegies so it wasn't just an allergic reaction, it hurt just like a severe burn from cooking. IT HURT for many hours. That was back in 2004. The next day I went out with the gasoline jug for the lawn mower, pour gasoline down each hill. I didn't light the hills on fire as we were in summertime and the heat generated down and inside the soil I'm sure did away with them. This past summer, I found them running around my yard on one side in a garden bed. No hills this time so watched their movement to see where they were moving back and forth from. I put down the Amdro granuals and that took care of them in my yard but I will be on the look out when soil warms up and ants begin to appear on surface. I don't care what's bad for the soil, the issues about dogs or cats or kids coming in contact with red ants is non-negotiable, I will do whatever to get RID of them And I agree burning the pile is likely the best bet. Immediate attention is absolutely necessary.

eureka,30-40 years ago everyone I knew had a worm bed, mostly for fishing. No one I know in center South Carolina has a out side worm bed today, because of fire ants. They do not attack & take the worms to the nest. They move into the worm bed & take over killing & eating the worms.
I do not use gas on the mounts. But I am going to hunt the nest on my 10 acre farm & bait them. I was hoping for something better & I am calling the state office to see if I can get the flies that eat fire ants.
Thanks to everyone for your post. I will get back to you on what works for me, this fall.

Jolj,
I live in SOuth Carolina, AIken county.
I know all too well about Fire Ants. Trust me.
AMDRO, they sell it at Home Depo.
Best stuff I ever used.
It's food, they love it, they pick it up, yes, and carry it home to the queen.
In 2 days, all dead fire ants.
The bigger the nest, the more you feed them.
Trust me, try it and see.
Hate those fire ants.

I am surprised that everyone who lives in fire ant country doesn't know about Amdro. When used properly, it is not harmful to worms. Though Amdro is not labeled for use around edible crops, you CAN use it on the perimeter of a veggie garden.

A small sprinkling around the perimeter of a mound will do the job. Within a very few moments, the ants will have taken the product into the nest where it will be shared all around!

Amdro has a short shelf life once opened, so be sure to get the smallest package available that will serve your needs. Store the opened package in a cool, dry location.

I'm bringing this back up for some non chemical ideas on ridding my compost pile of red imported fire ants. I've soaked it with water and that didn't drive them out. Tried sugar because I heard that was a good way to run them off, but every time I try to harvest my compost, I run into these buggers! I still have bite marks on my foot from 4 weeks ago. I have zero mounds in the yard, they just seem to be in the finished compost and I don't want to pour chemicals all over my good organic compost.

Pam

I am going for the non-chemical way too.
If I am going to have organic crops this year then all chemicals MUST be more then 50 foot away from the garden.
The ideal behind organic garden is to never use synthetic chemicals at all. But the use of chemicals on other plots, not use for gardening, will not make ones garden non organic.
I have heard that corn meal works good, so that will be first & Amdro,as good as it is, will be last. I am the only one in my family, that does not use Amdro every summer.
Yah, I am the weird organic loon in the family.
I drive cars with small engines, recycle, & weed by hand.
Guess that makes me a neon hippie or something.LOL
Thanks everyone for your reply.:-)

I can't use Amdro in the compost and I have concerns about orange oil in there...will it kill off my microbes? I have put a lot of time and labor into this compost and plan to use it on my edibles.

Pam