rhizo_1. I take issue with your dismissive attitude to my post since you seem to essentially agree with me. It appears that you are not listening to your own opinions. My best guess to your concern with my post being silly is its remark about needing medical care but then you go on about gardening with extreme care etc. It doesn't sound like you would suggest standing on a fire ant nest and digging a bunch of holes now would you? I will admit that I was attempting to go strong on the pain etc. because (as no one seems to have noted) I was suggesting that the OP probably had other than fire ants. However, it appears that I was probably more correct than I expected. I am appending a partial link from Alergist on Normal Reaction to fire ants. Preceding this is a description of the more dangerous allergic responses. What is a normal reaction to a fire ant sting, and how is it treated? The severity of a fire ant sting reaction varies from person to person. One of the main differences between fire ants and other insects is that a usual sting event consists of multiple fire ants stinging. This is because when a fire ant mound is disturbed hundreds to thousands of fire ants respond. In addition, each ant can sting repeatedly. Each ant will bite and hold on with its mandibles (jaw) and sting several times. If not removed, this results in a little semi-circular pattern of stings. Since fire ants hold on with their mandibles, they often have to be pulled off individually and are not easily brushed off when they are stinging. Almost all people stung by fire ants develop an itchy, localized hive or lump at the sting site, which usually subsides within 30 to 60 minutes. This is followed by a small blister within four hours. This usually appears to become filled with pus-like material by eight to 24 hours. However, what is seen is really dead tissue, and the blister has little chance of being infected unless it is opened. When healed, these lesions may leave scars. A large local reaction can occur. This will result in swelling that extends beyond the sting site. For example, a sting on the forearm could result in the entire arm swelling. Although alarming in appearance, this condition is often treated the same as a normal reaction. An unusually painful or very large local reaction may need medical attention. Because this condition may persist for two to three days, antihistamines and corticosteroids are sometimes prescribed to lessen the discomfort.

Many of us in warmer climates deal with ant species that may have troubling behaviors. I've never associated fire ants, for example, with aphids, though I know that they will protect them and other honeydew producing insects. I tried to collect some nice magnolia scale for a class I was teaching, and suffered plenty of ant stings in the process. I know that fire ants will show up in gardens, newly installed landscapes, tree plantings, fields and pastures. They will undermine the root systems of plants, damage seedlings, and eat fruits and vegetables. They will attack and kill baby birds in nests, dogs in their kennels, and any other animal that is caught unaware or that cannot get away. They can short out electrical and irrigation boxes. They have a dastardly habit of waiting until a large number of ants have climbed onto their victim before they start stinging. Ask me how I know that. Their stings aren't quite as painful as a bee sting, but the burning sensation afterwards is reeeeaaaalllly uncomfortable. Most people end up with a large pustule that itches intensely for several days. We keep our yard fire ant free, but there are still plenty of other species running around all over the place. Karen, I haven't found it impossible or even difficult to get rid of fire ants. Email me! As far as (hallowed???) Praying Mantids go.....I cannot get them to cooperate in my yard, lol. At ALL! I guess I don't have enough pests for them to munch on, because all I ever catch them eating is butterflies, bees of various kinds, assassin bugs, and other beneficials. I've even plucked one from my echinacea and re-homed him on my tomatoes where the caterpillars live. I SAW it fly back to the echinacea. Hilarious. They are truly beautiful creatures, though. I just wish that I would stop finding piles of butterfly wings on ground under my perennials.

You are wrong about "no ants ". In most instances, they are benign and probably beneficial. It does depend on the type of ant and the population. I never recommend the broadcasting of DE as an appropriate control of ants or anything else. As a matter of fact, you may very well end up with more ants than you started with. Indiscriminate use of DE can harm the natural populations of predator arthropods and other beneficial creatures that inhabit the soil. That's the last thing you want to do. Is your product a horticultural/food grade or something sold for pool filtering? Pool filter stuff is useless for controlling pests and can be dangerous to broadcast in your garden. I am curious, where did you get the idea that no ants should be allowed in the yard? Ants may take advantage of honeydew-producing insects, but few species move them around or increase their numbers. They are attracted to the sugary excrement, but so what? If you seem to have an abundance of ants, I suggest that you concentrate on pest control (aphid, whitefly) by strongish sprays of water, insecticidal soap. If you have a problem with fire ants, there are organic bait products available. Trying to eliminate every ant will almost certainly result in an imbalance in the garden....to the advantage of pests.

There are some plants that will aid in repelling some insect pests and there are as many plants that will attract many of those insect pests. Insect pests are, generally, attracted to plants under stress or are unhealthy. The best way to keep insect pests under control is to make the soil plants grow in a good, healthy soil that will grow strong and healthy plants. Ants can be both beneficial and pesty so preventing them, or other insects, may not always be the best thing to do.