Skinner: Well, I was wrong. The lizards are a godsend.
Lisa: But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards?
Skinner: No problem. We simply release wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards.
Lisa: But aren't the snakes even worse?
Skinner: Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.
Lisa: But then we're stuck with gorillas!
Skinner: No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.
What’s wrong with ants?
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/cornmeal-in-the-garden.htm
Using Cornmeal Gluten to Kill Ants Cornmeal gluten is also a popular method to control ants. Pouring it wherever you see ants traveling is the best option. They will pick up the gluten and take it to the nest where they will feed on it. Since the ants cannot digest this cornmeal product, they will starve to death. It may take up to a week or so before you see your ant population dwindling. Tip: If you have large areas to cover, you can try a spray form for ease of application. Apply every four weeks, or after heavy rains, during the growing season to maintain effectiveness.
Read more at Gardening Know How: Cornmeal As Weed Killer And Pest Control: How To Use Cornmeal Gluten In The Garden https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/cornmeal-in-the-garden.htm
That reminds me.
I gotta get out and poison a desert red ant hill.
I don’t trust them.
So they found a good use for the clot shot?
What could go wrong????
Back when the fire ants first moved across the Texas Gulf coast, my dad and I would wait until the fire ants were mostly up in the top of the mound and each take a shovel full and dump it on the other mound. That resulted in a mother of all wars that usually killed the mounds.
More recently we had many mounds in our hay field until we treated it with molasses which all but eliminated them.
As far as a virus, our record of bringing in one thing to control something else has been less than stellar.
If you want “Them”, this is how you get “Them”.
I don’t like it. It’s like playing with matches.
Yeah, let’s see what happens when we try to manipulate an entire species population. I mean, look at Australia...
Usa a magnifying glass.
I’ve been using bacillus thuringiensis for years to control caterpillars. Granted it is a bacterium not a virus but... biological control of destructive insects is, in my opinion, better than poisons for the harvest and the environment. Right now, my only option for control of the very nasty fire ant is poison. I am as diligent as I can be to protect native ants on my property, but fire ants are dominant.
The NappyOne
Joke time...
How do you get rid of red ants?
Paint half of them black.
The red ants move away and the black ands kill each other.
I am overwhelmed by all the humorous and insightful commentary on this thread.