Cute shoes! No idea on the ants. I do know that the old wives tale of using uncooked grits for fireant mounds doesn't work too well. Maybe just more awareness of where you are putting your feet would help? I don't mean that in any hateful way either, I just know when I am out looking at plants and watering, I am often unaware of where my feet are going.

I truly do watch where my feet go when watering. But we have ants so bad down there one encounters another hill about every 12 inches. Our soil is so sandy and the lawn is so poor right now, you can easily see their entry holes in the sandy, grassless spots. There's almost no place to put your feet that you are NOT stepping on ants. I get at least 1-2 stings every single trip down there despits my best efforts. Most of the hills are really small and not the classic bigger mounds of fire ants I see here in town, so maybe they are not ALL fire ants, but just common red ants. I react to their stings like they are all fire ants, but I've always been hyper-sensitive and mildly allergic to all insect stings.

So far, my tact of "keep on moving those feet" when in the yard has worked best, because if I stop and stand still in one spot for long, say to tend one plant in particular, I AM GOING to get stung by ants. Fact.

I also worry my little rat terrier and whether she is getting stung also, but can never tell if her occasional scratching or biting at her legs when we get home would indicate ants are getting her, too, or if she just itches. Ratties tend to have a lot of skin allergies anyway, though her, not so much in 14 years. I find no whelps on her belly or legs though, so I think that is encouraging. Maybe the "keep on moving" is working for her, too, as she seldom sits or stays in one spot for long. :)

We use Bifen

Adorable shoes

I've already covered the 1/2 acre with diatomaceous earth last month, but I probably didn't dust it on thick enough and should probably do that again. That willl kill roaches, spiders, ants, fleas, ticks, chiggers and any insects with an exoskeleton. But they must walk/crawl through it. It's ground diatom shell sediment and it slices the exoskeleton. Then insects basically dehydrate until death occurs. Flat gets rid of any fleas I've ever encountered in new yards, and it does so for YEARS if applied right. I did this hear in my Temple yard 3 years ago when we bought the place and Button hasn't gotten a flea on her since! And the yard was infested badly with them. They were even jumping on ME and biting back then.

Next, I'm going to try three other non-chemical approaches, as rat terriers are known to be more sensitive to insecticides than other dog breeds.

Step 1: A small amount of Amdro or Bifenthrin product applied directly to big hills to let it be carried down to the queen(s) by workers.

Step 2: Using a hose sprayer (spritzer bottle for smaller areas) apply sticky Dawn dish soap mixed with water (and some add peppermint oil). Apparently the soap clogs breathing pores in the thorax/exoskeleton and prevents their breathing properly. I watched a video just now where a guy stirred up a big nest of aunts and sprayed with the Dawn/water mix and they died in just a couple minutes! That was impressive. I realize that approach will mean some heavy hose watering over 1/5 acre, but hey, it's worth a try, just water and cheap as well. It will only get those ants that are above ground that it hits though (not any queens).

Step 3: Sprinkle dry, granular Splenda onto large, visible hills. Ants love the stuff and it kills them in the same way DDT kills ants. I suspect workers carry it down into the mound to the queen as well, but not certain about that. Seems like if THEY perceive it as food, they would though.

If all that doesn't lower the ant population in the cabin yard, then we're going to have to do the heavier- duty insecticides (instant and growth regulator varieties). We just have to get those ants under control!

I also love those shoes. I have had a pair for over 5 years and they show little wear from having them on almost every day in the summer. Just hose them off.

Thanks for the fire ant remedies. I've tried DE and it sure makes them move their mounds but not sure it ever gets to the queen. Will the Bifen kill chiggers?

Yes

Peggy, I've seen those cute gardening shoes at tractor Supply and almost bought some several times. I have to mention though, the first thing I thought when you talked about your cabin and those shoes is that I have almost stepped on more snakes than I can count in the country, that's why I always wear boots, even in the summer when it's 100 degrees with shorts.

There is a curled up Copper Head in every tuff of grass and they nest under houses. You never know they're there but they are there, this is Texas. When they strike it's usually on the top of the foot or ankle area so boots are mandatory. It's not like gardening in the city, out there you use a stick to check a weed before you put your hand down and pull it out.

One of my family members was struck on the top of the foot by a really big snake and thank goodness the boots were thick leather because the fang marks were clearly seen in the leather and it got away right under the building. Another family member was swinging in a tree swing and then we mowed and the snake was hidden right under the swing area with a second one 4' away.

Just be careful gardening in your country place.

That is NOT what I want to hear. Horrors!

Thanks for the advice, Meme. When you say you wear boots, you mean rubber boots? or tough leather work boots? I have both down there.

I wear leather cowboy boots. Snakes will bite through rubber.

I shouldn't be surprised snakes' fangs can penetrate rubber. Leather it is.

This snake talk has had me so uptight this weekend, while puttering in the yard. Every stick looked like a snake,oh dear.

the problem (for me) w/boots of any kind is that after walking for a bit they feel so heavy.

I found this article;

preventing-to-treating snake bites