skip to main content

Pests & Diseases - Australia

Meat ants - help

21 years ago

We live in the hills above Perth and the soil is loam/clay/gravelly type. The meat ants (sorry, don't know the technical name for the things) are using the garden as a super-highway between nests. They run along the garden hose, along the limestone walls and .. well you know the story.

We've just bought some more Coopex which we'd tried before but it is only reasonably effective.

Short of asking the Americans to use the place as a nuke testing ground, anyone got any tried and true product for these particular pests?

Cheers, Barb

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

moreton
21 years ago
Hi Granville, you could try some Ant-Fix from the hardware/garden supplier or you could try boiling water down the nests. I wish you luck in your quest. Peter R
Daz2
21 years ago
We have Jack-jumpers and inchmen down here, Barb, and we use hot water...you'd need a good bucket to wipe out meat ants I'd imagine...or if the nest is big enough a litre or so of petrol or diesel down the main entry hole... then block the holes off...the fumes kill the ants ...the nests have to be on your place of course...good huntin'.

Cheers

Daz.
Related Discussions
Ants, Ants, Ants-eating my cats & eggs?
Q
Comments (7)
Thanks to all responses. I am brand new on the Butterfly Garden Forum, so please bear with me while I learn the system. Thanks to runmead & christie for the Terro suggestion. I will look for it. Also like the Gain detergent idea from organic kitten--sounds like it's worth a try also. Elisabeth: Great input and good info on the Senna. I occasionally do raise some of the eggs to chrysalis/butterflies. I make butterfly garden "hatching jars" for the children at my grandson's school. WE do butterfly garden walks (my garden) during the spring. My sennas and casias are also covered with eggs & cats. I really need to prune, in prep. for the storms heading our way, but can't do it while there are so many new babies. Rhizo 1: My problem ants are mostly very tiny or little larger black ones. No fire ants on my host plants. Siam: My best nectar plants are the fire bush, jathropa, cosmos (re-seeds itself every year and can reach a height of 8+ feet during the summer), native floss flower (ageratum?)-- please excuse my lack of proper names--spanish needle, & pentas. Host plants: scarlet milkweek, several varities of the passion vine--one a native that comes up by itself in my garden, key lime & calamondin, cassias & sennas. I also plant parsley, dill & rue. Oh yes, I have a large Dutchman's Pipe that the Gold rimmed swollowtail loves. Maybe some spider problems on this. During our winter/spring growing season I plant nasturshims and have collards in my vegetable garden. I would be interested in what you grow and what butterflies we might have in common. Thanks again to all responses.
...See More
Ants, ants, ants!
Q
Comments (12)
Hi island, Sorry it took so long to get back to you. The product that I use for ants is GreenLight Many Purpose Dust. I use just a very small amount and it does the trick. I've been very happy with it, since I started using it four years ago. Incidentally I think GreenLight is by the same company that does Miracle Grow. Regarding the Miracle Grow, chemical fertilizers feed the plants with a sudden rush of growth. This makes the cell structure weak. So if you take the approach of feeding the soil and not the plant, the plant gets what it needs anytime it needs it. Ways to feed the soil are with alfalfa. I get mine at the feed store and just spread the pellets around. I try to make sure each area, including the lawns, get it twice a year. I also use soybean, which I get at the feed store. And all my grass clippings go back into the garden. And I can tell you people stop by all the time just to see the garden and how well the plants are doing. And it is so easy to do. Karin Here is a link that might be useful: Many Purpose Dust
...See More
Do wolf spiders eat carpenter ants/carpenter ant help?
Q
Comments (1)
Carpenter ants need all their cohorts to survive. And that includes the egg-laying queen. It's a very unlikely occurrence to receive the entire "family" in mulch.
...See More
HELP - ants & ant eggs inside boxes in the house!
Q
Comments (8)
We are in the south eastern section of Texas that is recorded as having been taken over by the crazy ants; along with fire ants as well. While I am not 100% certain these are ca's, from the images on the internet I copied off, and then caught the bunch in a glue side of wiping paper; the one you use to 'wipe' hair off a suit, etc. Then magnified them LARGE and what we see has the same body, long head sensors, etc. The color does not really show a yellow tent ; but being inside the house, thought perhaps they change color a bit while there. Now, regarding their name ... due to their scrambling around in a crazy manner ... I have scrapped off some of the outside fire ant hills, and they too act crazy when threatened. BUT... they have notable mounds of brown dirt one can easily notice; versus flat, and hard to see (I presume) crazy ant mounds. But see no sign of 'hill' mount up near the foundation ... possibly eliminating fire ants as being inside. And also, now thinking some more, when we were brushing the ones in the bathroom this morning, they did not act 'crazy'; but did try to run away before we caught them on the glue paper. So I'm stuck in a rock place at the moment....
...See More
ashmeri
21 years ago
Hello Barb, We used deisel down the hole, then put a bit of plastic over the top to keep the fumes in.
A tale in our area was that meat ants built their nests over a water supply down below.Not sure if this is right, but it may be just an old farmer's tale. I never went digging to find out.
Marion
Nosliw
21 years ago
Hi Barb.
I have used this with success against Green Ants (Rotten bitey things) and I expect it should work with the meat ants. I bought a small can (about 250ml) of Yates Fruit Fly and Insect Killer and used it as directed for ants, I sprayed it with a pump up garden sprayer over a circular area about 12 inches around the holes then put the nozzle into each hole and letr them have it for about 20 seconds.
The result was no ants the next day and they haven't come back for 3 months so far. It worked well for me. I must point out that it is a pretty strong poison. Good luck, I hope this helps.
Granville44
Original Author
21 years ago
Thanks for the advice everyone. The boiling water trick cleared them out for a while but they came back to live another day. Will try the Yates product as that sounds fairly promising but also the diesel (we're on a farm so there should be plenty around!)
Cheers, Barb
Jamie_from_Perth_WA
20 years ago
You need to be persist'ant'!
gardenlen
20 years ago
how do thay become a pest if they are just passing through the garden? we have them around our place some huge nests out in the paddocks we leave them alone they leave us alone. the worst the ones that are setting up close to the house do is come up on the patio and pinch the dry dog food. if they aren't doing any real harm maybe time to live and let live hey?

don't know do native ants come under the flora and fauna protection most other creatures do. and yes i've heard that they wouldn't be there if they couldn't source a good supply of natural underground water. never been stung by one yet had them run over my feet on many occassions.

lets look after the native species len.

Related Stories

MOST POPULAR 7 Ways to Design Your Kitchen to Help You Lose Weight

By Mitchell Parker

In his new book, Slim by Design, eating-behavior expert Brian Wansink shows us how to get our kitchens working better

ORGANIZING Do It for the Kids! A Few Routines Help a Home Run More Smoothly

By Alison Hodgson

Not a Naturally Organized person? These tips can help you tackle the onslaught of papers, meals, laundry — and even help you find your keys

KITCHEN DESIGN Key Measurements to Help You Design Your Kitchen

By Steven Corley Randel, Architect

Get the ideal kitchen setup by understanding spatial relationships, building dimensions and work zones

GARDENING GUIDES You Don't Need Prairie to Help Pollinators

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Woodlands, marshes, deserts — pollinators are everywhere

PETS 6 Ways to Help Your Dog and Landscape Play Nicely Together

By Marianne Lipanovich

Keep your prized plantings intact and your dog happy too, with this wisdom from an expert gardener and dog guardian

LIFE You Said It: ‘Put It Back’ If It Won’t Help Your House, and More Wisdom

By Becky Harris

Highlights from the week include stopping clutter from getting past the door, fall planting ideas and a grandfather’s gift of love

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Bid Bad Garden Bugs Goodbye and Usher In the Good

By Matt Kilburn

Give ants their marching orders and send mosquitoes moseying, while creating a garden that draws pollinators and helpful eaters

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: From Dated to Dreamy in 3 Weeks

The results belie the speedy makeover of this 1940s Quebec home — which not even a colony of ants could derail

SHOWERS Turn Your Shower Niche Into a Design Star

By Becky Harris

Clear glass surrounds have raised the design bar for details such as shampoo and soap shelves. Here are 4 standouts

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Healthy Home Habitats for Northern Flickers

By Habitat Network

These colorful woodpeckers found across the U.S. and Canada love berries, seeds and ants and often nest in deep burrows in trees

Sponsored

More Discussions

My Persimmon's leaves are turning brown/orange!

1