Buriram Expats

Buriram Province - General Category => Plants, Pets & Vets in Buriram => Topic started by: urleft on August 11, 2017, 02:31:09 PM

Title: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: urleft on August 11, 2017, 02:31:09 PM
We get these little red ants that build nests in the ground, I usually notice only after they start biting my feet.  I recommend Chaindrite Powder to get rid of them. 

This is effective and fast.  However, sometimes after several rains the ants will return.  It is at Marko in the bug stray section, but at Home Pro in the paint section (guess because it is made by TOA). 

However, I have not figured out of to get rid of the Large Red Ants that infested my grapefruit tree other than torching the whole tree. 

Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: clarkycat on August 11, 2017, 02:48:09 PM
Do you have any photos of the ants?
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: iammike on August 11, 2017, 03:03:17 PM
<snip>
However, I have not figured out of to get rid of the Large Red Ants that infested my grapefruit tree other than torching the whole tree.

There are 2 ways, to do that.

1- Chemical Way. Mix Chaindrite Stedfast 30C (available at RST) with Water and spray the tree, will kill ALL bugs, have to repeat once every 2-3 weeks or so.

2- Eco Friendly way. Get a large Garbage Container (100liters or so) and throw in 30-50 Tabacco bags (those 5 THB packages what the villagers smoke) and then fill the Container with Water. Let it set for approx 7 days (stir occasionally, but be prepared for the BAD smell) and use that water to spray the Tree. Disadvantages are: After every Rain, you have to apply it again, and else once a week or so.

Good Luck

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8088/8455492452_631850337c_z.jpg)
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: Wayne from Aus on August 12, 2017, 06:01:42 AM
Mot Dang Fai
Huge problem at my house. Thanks UrLeft, I'll try this product to get rid of them.
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: davureborn on August 12, 2017, 07:22:51 AM
I used to use Borax + sugar to permanently destroy ants, they would take their booty back to the nest which would then auto destroy itself. I found out  yesterday that Borax is no longer easily obtainable as market people were using it to preserve food, and Borax IS poisonous. Now they just use Formaldehyde.
I will give this one a try, seems to have different ingredients from the usual Chaindrite spray. Fish poison.
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: urleft on August 12, 2017, 07:47:51 AM
Thanks Mike,

Look like a lot of effort.  In my case what has happened is that the ants were attached to the grapefruit tree which has grown and connects to 3 other trees, now all the trees are infested.  I've attached a photo showing the scope of the issue.

And for clarky, there is a pic of the ants, and a leaf nest they build in the trees. 

I grew a grapefruit tree from seed in 2013 and have it planted on some other land, the bugs like to munch on the leaves.  I was considering taking that nest and putting in the tree as pest control.   But then I don't want red ants on the land. 

BTW, these large red ants love to use walls as highways to spead. 
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: iammike on August 12, 2017, 08:52:22 AM
With such a big tree, yes a lot of work, maybe a good idea is do the chaindrite solution first and then after that the "ciggie" solution, to keep it under control.

With an electric rucksack 20 liter sprayer (at RST approx 1-2k THB) the job is quickly done (I don't do it myself, I get the neighbour to do it for a couple 100 THB and he does all the trees on our yard)
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: davureborn on August 12, 2017, 12:32:53 PM
With such a big tree, yes a lot of work, maybe a good idea is do the chaindrite solution first and then after that the "ciggie" solution, to keep it under control.

With an electric rucksack 20 liter sprayer (at RST approx 1-2k THB) the job is quickly done (I don't do it myself, I get the neighbour to do it for a couple 100 THB and he does all the trees on our yard)

I very much doubt that you could efficiently apply the product to a tree of that size with a knapsack sprayer. I had a 70 litre sprayer for trees that size and even then it wasn't easy. You can use a power cleaner with much more effect.
Just killing all the ants that are out for a walk at that particular moment won't really do it, the  nest(s)and contents need to be destroyed and you can't get at them easily with a sprayer.
That's why I am interested in the Chaindrite product mentioned above, maybe it works in the same way that the Borax + sugar solution works, they take the stuff down into their nests and destroy the population in there.
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: iammike on August 12, 2017, 01:55:10 PM
@daveureborn

I have to agree with you, WhatIF you soak the ground under the tree with the solution ?

I think the spraying or use of the Borax, is IMHO not a one time deal, you have to repeat it over the course of a couple of days / weeks. It will take a while but you will succeed (hopefully ;) )

A Power washer / Cleaner could work, but how do you get the solution in the water supply to feed the power washer ??
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: dundeemk6 on August 12, 2017, 02:20:31 PM
Gentlemen : you all seem to forget or ignore that these red ants protect your tree and fruits from other vermin, they clean your trees and crops from all other insects !!! And your missus can harvest the eggs for their special soup.
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: davureborn on August 12, 2017, 04:39:13 PM
@daveureborn

I have to agree with you, WhatIF you soak the ground under the tree with the solution ?

I think the spraying or use of the Borax, is IMHO not a one time deal, you have to repeat it over the course of a couple of days / weeks. It will take a while but you will succeed (hopefully ;) )

A Power washer / Cleaner could work, but how do you get the solution in the water supply to feed the power washer ??

The whole point of Borax was that you don't spray it, you mix it with sugar and leave it around where the ants are marauding. Some eat it, they die, the rest gets taken back  to the nest where the ant larvae and the queen get poisoned. Do that twice and the problem is gone. Well it works in Farangland anyway.
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: iammike on August 12, 2017, 06:25:21 PM
I meant with spraying, the water solution mixed with chaindrite and NOT borax (I have no experience with that stuff). Sorry could have put that more clearly.

Where can you get that Borax ?
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: davureborn on August 12, 2017, 06:50:46 PM
I meant with spraying, the water solution mixed with chaindrite and NOT borax (I have no experience with that stuff). Sorry could have put that more clearly.

Where can you get that Borax ?

As  I mentioned above, people were using it to keep food 'fresh' and it IS  poisonous, so it is no longer easily obtainable.
https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/995766-borax/?tab=comments#comment-12150057
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: BillH52 on August 12, 2017, 07:48:05 PM
I meant with spraying, the water solution mixed with chaindrite and NOT borax (I have no experience with that stuff). Sorry could have put that more clearly.

Where can you get that Borax ?
Brought a jar from Farangland; stored in my tool cabinet.  Have never found it available in Thailand, but I don't get out of Buriram province much. 
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: fishy on August 12, 2017, 08:42:14 PM
Urleft I agree with Dundee... The ants are there for a purpose.. If you take them away you will end up with a another problem maybe bigger than the ants bitting you if you poison them...
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: urleft on August 12, 2017, 09:03:47 PM
Urleft I agree with Dundee... The ants are there for a purpose.. If you take them away you will end up with a another problem maybe bigger than the ants bitting you if you poison them...

I actually realized that such that I made this statement: 

I grew a grapefruit tree from seed in 2013 and have it planted on some other land, the bugs like to munch on the leaves.  I was considering taking that nest and putting in the tree as pest control.   But then I don't want red ants on the land. 

As I was taking a picture of the next back about 2 meters from the trunk four of the large red ants attacked my legs, I did not know they were camera shy. 

Plus as I mentioned they migrated to 3 large trees next to the grapefruit, and often attack children as they play on the swing.  If they stayed in the tree I would be more tolerant.  I would prefer live and let live, but those ants don't believe in that.
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: Adam on August 13, 2017, 06:16:48 AM
Give Trump a call, maybe he has a Military Option locked and loaded for the little blighters!!!
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: urleft on August 13, 2017, 01:19:34 PM
I grew several trees from my grapefruit tree seeds and planted one on some land we have.  While it is doing well (with a diet of fish crap from my filter) it would probably be even better if it weren't for all the caterpillars and such munching on the leaves.  I grew this tree in a pot in Dec 2014 and transplanted it last year, it has tripled in size since then. But you can see where leaves are being eaten.  I believe red ants would protect the tree, but since the tree is doing well on its own I'd rather not have the ants.


 Lucky that buffalos don't eat the tree.  Notice that ground is fairly clear of plant growth not because we cut it but because Thai graze their cattle on it. 

I added a pic from just after we planted it.
Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: urleft on August 19, 2017, 10:35:37 AM
Well as usual I literally stepped in it.  Found the nest when I felt my feet being stung.  Should be corrected  shortly.


Title: Re: Getting rid if Red Ants
Post by: urleft on August 19, 2017, 02:14:05 PM
This time I intentionally stepped on the nest, no response, the ants are gone.  And this in about 4 hours.

I did check on the next about 20 minutes after the powder and it seems they had extended their perimeter where I was being stung 2 feet away from the nest.