Graeme Marion

Greetings from Sunny Queensland.

Fire ants have recently been discovered in our area!!!!!!!

How do you guys clear your R/C pits area and R/C landing strip of this menace?

How do you keep them out of your (R/C model aircraft) workshop?

Live Wire

Ants in our pants while flying is related .
Sorry just had to do this.

Graeme Marion

Hey Photo Operator!

That product you mentioned...."Amdro", you mean that you can clean up 90% of the fire ants at the R/C field?

For how long?

Joss Stick

My Feedback: (1)

I sent you a PM concerning the product mentioned. It should help keep fire ants away from your R/C Flying area.

4 point roll

My Feedback: (-1)

Graeme,

That is FUNNY stuff how you had to re-word the article. Don't let the local police get to you. Sometimes they have to throw their weight around to feel like they are doing their job.

We don't have fire ants here in Kansas but i hope someone can help you.

I just had to chime in on the previous deletion of your post :-)

Flyfalcons

Here's a question... What works to keep the bees away? I have several yellow planes and the bees seem to be attracted to the nose section when I'm trying to start my engine. I think they also like the glow fuel as well. Not a problem in the winter of course, but I'm trying to not get stung this summer with three yellow planes.

Flyboy Dave

My Feedback: (21)

Pour a cup of petrol down each ant hole....they hate that.

Traxxas_Tech

My Feedback: (22)

Home Depot and/or Lowes hardware stores sell bee traps. They work well, dont cost but 10 bucks or so... You hang them up somewhere in the open, leave it alone for a week, go back, and pour out the trap full of dead bees...

Amdro works very well for me too! You need to make sure you do it right on the first application, because they actually get smart about it, and not give any more to the queen.

Or, if its a dirt field, you can pour gasoline in the pile, and light em up!

DESERT RATT

My Feedback: (7)

You're right, This getting a little rediculous.. Now just because it Doesn't contain the Word R/C....

Reminds me of a new cop, that the badge is getting heavy on...

Desert Ratt.

depfife

My Feedback: (14)

Amdro is a great product, and the one I use to keep our fire ant problem in check. The main complaint with Amdro and other bait type poisons is that they are slow acting. It usually takes a week or more for Amdro to kill the mound. Your payoff for being patient is that bait type poisons are supposed to be more effective in killing the queen, deep in the mound.

Here in Alabama it is a never ending battle. Often in a matter of just a couple of days, several 6 - 8 inch tall mounds will appear on our grass runway. They can do quiet a number on 40 size planes.

What ever you use, I have found this to be a maintenance type job. You can keep them in check, but not get rid of them.

Eric

vegas mossie

What about the machine that injects high pressure steam into the mound? Saw it used around Gadsden, Centre Ala. Very effective and safe for the environment...err runway at the local r/c field.

visioneer_one

My Feedback: (506)

Tried sprays - useless, as that only kills the outside ants.

Liquid poisons are messy and kill al sorts of things, like grass, and earthworms. The one time I tried it I ended up with a muddy puddle full of floating PO'ed ants - then I accidentally stepped in the puddle. Ohhhh the pain.

I now use Ortho's Fire Ant Killer Bait on the mounds that appear around the yard. This stuff rocks. I sprinkle a little on and around the mound, then knock off the top of the mound and retreat to a safe distance.

The ants come boiling out, looking for blood. They then discover all the 'food' I've left for them, and dutifully retrieve every morsel.

Check back in a few days - all the ants are dead, and the mound has fallen in. Toss some earth on to fill in the spot and that's all.

Graeme Marion

Thanks Guys,

It looks like we will have to learn to live with the critters. On-going maintenance seems to be the answer.

I particularly like the suggestion to step well back after knocking the top off their mound.

planecrazy101

Hey, check out this link Graeme.

Diatomaceous Earth

http://www.d-earth.co.uk/

I have used this stuff before and trust me, it will wipe the ants out. Use a spreader or sling it by hand but be sure to use a dust mask. It's non toxic, but breathing any type of fine dust isn't good for you. Probably won't want to use the field for about a week, but it will last all season. One more tip: try to find it in a large bag (50 lbs. or so). I bought it for about 8 -10 dollars. The smaller bags such as what this company has can go for around twenty bucks. I used one bag for a little less than an acre.

Cleared4Crash

Indeed, I have read the same thing about the diatomaceous earth. Commonly known as "pool filter powder" for swimming pools. It is very fine, almost like talcum powder, so a mask is definitely needed.

Vulturetec

...trying to get caught up... AMDRO will get 90% of the ants in the mound, but after multiple treatments should drive them away. They're truly a pain when they start mounds in the middle of an R/C runway. I just took some aerial survey pictures of an R/C field in Florida. Fortunately the runway is clear of mounds but the property at the end of the runway is littered with mounds, not a place to go sunbathing

Graeme Marion

The wonders of modern science will never cease to amaze me.

I will see if we can buy the pool filter powder "Diatomaceous Earth" locally.

I don't see why we should loose our flying fields to ants.

bear750

My Feedback: (30)

Just a little note - diatomaceous earth used with regards to pool filters is not the same product as the horticultural DE. Horticultural DE is much better suited. Check out these links for more info on many natural and environmentally friendly pest controls.

www.dirtdoctor.com and http://www.dirtdoctor.com/featured_articles.php?id=68

No I'm not a tree hugger, we have just been dealing with the critters for years.