Amy, welcome to Alabama! I clearly remember my first introduction to fire ants....I had a severe reaction but my sensitivity went away with time. Maybe yours will, too. Of course, you don't want to expose your children or pets to toxic poisons! And fire ants often climb aboard an animal or person in large numbers, stinging only when a bunch are present. Fire ants are best controlled with a product labeled as a bait. In my experience, the best bait for fire ants is Amdro. When used properly, it poses little problem for anyone but the ants. You can do a mound by mound treatment, which is what I would recommend for homeowner yards. Sprinkle a small amount of the granules around the perimeter of the mound.....gently, please. You do not want to disturb or rile them. In a minute or two, the granules will be discovered and pretty soon every little tidbit will be gone, taken into the nest chambers where the poison will be fed to larvae and even the queen. For Amdro to work, you need to apply it when the ants are active and you must be careful to not disturb the colony. If fire anfs are disturbed.....they move to another location in your yard. Do not over apply the product, more is not better. It should disappear into the mound in just a few moments. It does not work immediately, as it has tk be fed to the population. But it is very very effective. Keep children and pets away from the Amdro. It is a poisonous material, even though it doesn't look or smell like it. Amdro should not be used around edible plants. Just read and follow the directions on the label. There are "organic " baits, as well. Might not be as effective (from what had been reported to me), but can be used in a veggie garden. Don't buy any more Amdro than you'll use in one season. It loses its effectiveness in storage after opening. I keep mine in a laundry room cupboard, not in a hot garage or shed. I'd avoid insecticides that are not baits. Fire ant nests are very complex and extensive. Contact poisons just can't work. My final advice is to purchase a container of granulated Adolphs meat tenderizer (not flavored) . When applied to a recent sting as a paste, it takes away the firey sting and prevents the itching and formation of the little pustule that shows up in a day or two. If I'm in the gardens, I have the Adolphs with me. It works on any kind of insect sting or spidef bite. Mosquitoes, too! Gotta catch it early though.

I'm a bit late for the original poster, but I just had to take the time say hello to a fellow Santa Cruzian. I live in Santa Cruz proper-- right off Branciforte. Haven't logged in for a bit, but after 2 years without one, I've got a yard again and I'm just gearing up to plant. I've got a difficult site (it's a hillside, with eucalyptus trees at the top, and poor/no topsoil), but it's big, and the sun is excellent. I've been stockpiling compost all winter and I can't wait to get going. I know I can get some strawberries, tomatoes and herbs-- at the very least. Whoo hoo springtime!

RE: GREENALL MICRO-BARK I found Micro-Bark at the 'Green Thumb Nursery' in Los Gatos, CA. It is typically in-stock. http://www.greenthumblosgatos.com/ I'm still searching for a local 1/4-1/8 granite source ... will post if I find one nearby. ~ TR Here is a link that might be useful: Green Thumb Nursery - Los Gatos CA

Ron, Our family lives in Milton, about 20 miles from Pensacola. If your DD is ON the beach, she should evacuate. After Hurricane Ivan came through a few years ago, the beach area was torn up completely. The surrounding counties were hit pretty hard and where I am, we were without power for about 3 weeks? I believe that's correct. I would say she could wait until Saturday to see the projected path for that time and if Pensacola is in the cone of uncertainty, she should leave. As others have mentioned, Dothan is not that far away, so she should find a place further away than that. Our area is not near the beach, so flooding is not an issue for us, so we will be staying. The most we got from Ivan was a ton of rain and wind. The only damage was our double drive gate that caved in. If it does hit, we'll be able to hear the local news anchor Bob Solarski say "There is a human walking on the beach." That was part of his commentary after Ivan went through...what an idiot. lol ~Cindy Jo