Ants appear to be pretty innocuous to most people. In most temperate climates, ants do very little damage, although red ants bite people all over the planet. However, there are more serious ants in warmer countries and some of these ants can even be responsible for hospitalzations and even a few fatalities. Red ant bites itch and even hurt, but imagine a baby falling onto a red ant nest.
What if that baby fell onto a fire ant nest or a red carpenter ant nest? Carpenter ants can be an inch (25 mm) long and a bite can draw blood. There are poisonous ants in South America and exploding ants in Southeast Asia, although they will not kill humans. Soldier ants are quite scary too. In fact, the amount of hazardous ants in the warmer countries can be disturbing.
Indeed, only a fortnight ago, my male dog was plastered in big red marks all over his stomach and under carriage. He was obviously in great pain when he walked and was off his food. It has been very hot here in Thailand this summer because the monsoon was late, so he probably dug a shallow hole in the soil to keep cool. He was probably swarmed by ants while he was asleep, but could not shake them off. He was in a very bad way for three days.
Some ants are vegetarians but others will gladly eat meat, if it is available. Most ants will eat dead insects and small, dead animals. Some will also assault fit animals, including humans, if they feel threatened.
One trouble is that insects can become immune to chemical controls and sometimes this resistance is localized, so it is better not to use chemicals if you can do anything about it. Chemicals can also present a danger to children, which makes storing them and using them even more risky.
Boric acid is a by-product of boron which is a natural product. Boric acid is extremely effective at killing insects that take food back to their nests, so this encompasses ants and termites. It can be mixed with sugar and water to make it more appealing to ants or can be scattered around the garden with no danger. It is risk-free to children and pets alike.
Cayenne pepper is another repellent-cum-killer. Grow your own cayenne peppers, blend them and add to boiling water, then spray over ants and ant runs when it has cooled. It will not eradicate a colony, but it will stop foraging ants.
Corn meal is a method of ant and cockroach control. Sprinkle it about and when the insects consume it, it will swell up with their digestive juices and cause them to explode. Not very nice, but satisfying all the same.
There are other natural remedies for destroying or deterring insects too, some are favourites of one country or local people. Why don't you ask around the older folks where you live and find out what their parents used to make use of to control ants and other insects the natural way?
What if that baby fell onto a fire ant nest or a red carpenter ant nest? Carpenter ants can be an inch (25 mm) long and a bite can draw blood. There are poisonous ants in South America and exploding ants in Southeast Asia, although they will not kill humans. Soldier ants are quite scary too. In fact, the amount of hazardous ants in the warmer countries can be disturbing.
Indeed, only a fortnight ago, my male dog was plastered in big red marks all over his stomach and under carriage. He was obviously in great pain when he walked and was off his food. It has been very hot here in Thailand this summer because the monsoon was late, so he probably dug a shallow hole in the soil to keep cool. He was probably swarmed by ants while he was asleep, but could not shake them off. He was in a very bad way for three days.
Some ants are vegetarians but others will gladly eat meat, if it is available. Most ants will eat dead insects and small, dead animals. Some will also assault fit animals, including humans, if they feel threatened.
One trouble is that insects can become immune to chemical controls and sometimes this resistance is localized, so it is better not to use chemicals if you can do anything about it. Chemicals can also present a danger to children, which makes storing them and using them even more risky.
Boric acid is a by-product of boron which is a natural product. Boric acid is extremely effective at killing insects that take food back to their nests, so this encompasses ants and termites. It can be mixed with sugar and water to make it more appealing to ants or can be scattered around the garden with no danger. It is risk-free to children and pets alike.
Cayenne pepper is another repellent-cum-killer. Grow your own cayenne peppers, blend them and add to boiling water, then spray over ants and ant runs when it has cooled. It will not eradicate a colony, but it will stop foraging ants.
Corn meal is a method of ant and cockroach control. Sprinkle it about and when the insects consume it, it will swell up with their digestive juices and cause them to explode. Not very nice, but satisfying all the same.
There are other natural remedies for destroying or deterring insects too, some are favourites of one country or local people. Why don't you ask around the older folks where you live and find out what their parents used to make use of to control ants and other insects the natural way?
About the Author:
Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on many subjects, but is currently concerned with Getting Rid Of Carpenter Ants. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Killing Carpenter Ants.
0 comments:
Post a Comment