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by Kalibeck on 24 October 2010 - 19:10
We had (knocks on wood) carpenter ants. My husband sprayed, removed some of the beams & cross woods that were rotted & replaced them with treated wood, & then put some kind of spikes into the ground around the house at intervals. It really worked, & the dogs have not bothered them. We found the ants because our bitch kept digging at the carpet, when we pulled it back to find out what was bothering her, bingo! Like big, body building ants all over under the rug. Never had them in flight in the living room tho', that sounds nasty! And the little bastards bite, too, really bad stinging, welty, painful bites! Those spikes are supposed to form a barrier around the house that keeps them from re-entering, once they've been driven out. I was doubtful when he got them, but they have really worked, we've been ant-free for several years now. He replaces them each spring, & spays a little, & that does it, & we live in the forest, so there is a lot of wood around us. Hope this helps! jackie harris
by GSDSRULE on 24 October 2010 - 22:10
As a tree lover, I hate to see nice trees killed because of some ants.
As someone who has been ripped off by a tree outfit, I can appreciate
that you were not.
Did they take the wood for firewood?
by Sunsilver on 24 October 2010 - 23:10
I'll be burning it in my fireplace next fall. It takes a year to get dry enough. Willow is a very wet wood, about 84% water. Wet woods burns poorly and causes creosote buildup in your chimney.
I am getting a new fireplace insert this week!
I am getting a new fireplace insert this week!
by malshep on 26 October 2010 - 01:10
Your place looks really nice, sorry about the ants. Keep after them. I have problems with sugar ants, battled them in the flower beds all summer long. I hate using chemicals but did not want them in the house so used home defense spray around the exterior.
Always,
Cee
Always,
Cee
by CrysBuck25 on 26 October 2010 - 05:10
Generally speaking, GSDRULE, when carpenter ants infest a tree, it is either dead, or nearly so. At least up here in North Idaho, that's the way they work. As for how to deal with them, the only thing I know of that is non toxic but does the little bastards in, fairly quickly, is DE, Diatomaceous Earth. Sold under the brand name "Insecto" and others, it is a ground coral, and it is non toxic to humans and animals. It is highly abrasive to insect exoskeletons, and is fatal to bugs.
In this area, we have these red and black ants that are rather like fireants in terms of behavior. They swarm anything they find threatening to their nest, they are invasive (will move into houses and outbuildings), they build these large mounds of dirt, leaves, tree needles, small wooden debris, etc, and if you get them on you, they inflict major pain through their bite and stings. We had a group decide to set up housekeeping in the feed portion of our chicken house, and nothing is more disturbing than going out to feed chickens in your slip on sandals, and open the shed door to find it covered with red and black ants. It got so I wouldn't go out and feed, and the bantam roosters we put in there just didn't seem interested in eating the ants. I finally decided enough was enough, and sprinkled the DE all around the shed, all over the shed, and threw it underneath the floor where I could get it underneath. The next day there were fewer ants, and within a week and a half, not a single ant could be found in the area at all. They were gone, and my chickens were safe.
You can safely use DE in your house, and I'd dump DE into those stumps, Sunsilver. Apply it after every rain, or cover the stumps with plastic or tarps to keep them dry so the DE can do its work. It won't hurt your dogs if they get into it, and it will kill the bugs.
As for the cost of tree removal, what you were quoted was definitely highway robbery, but the reason they charge that is because there are people who will pay it. My hubby has taken down trees that were danger trees around houses, and usually charges somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 per tree. He did five trees for a friend of ours, and charged about $800. Never had any damage to houses, or property, and yes, the wood is always reclaimed for firewood, even the rotten stuff.
Kudos to the guy for doing what he did, and indeed, pay it forward. Kindness and decency are in short supply in today's world, and when it is seen, it should be treasured.
Crys
In this area, we have these red and black ants that are rather like fireants in terms of behavior. They swarm anything they find threatening to their nest, they are invasive (will move into houses and outbuildings), they build these large mounds of dirt, leaves, tree needles, small wooden debris, etc, and if you get them on you, they inflict major pain through their bite and stings. We had a group decide to set up housekeeping in the feed portion of our chicken house, and nothing is more disturbing than going out to feed chickens in your slip on sandals, and open the shed door to find it covered with red and black ants. It got so I wouldn't go out and feed, and the bantam roosters we put in there just didn't seem interested in eating the ants. I finally decided enough was enough, and sprinkled the DE all around the shed, all over the shed, and threw it underneath the floor where I could get it underneath. The next day there were fewer ants, and within a week and a half, not a single ant could be found in the area at all. They were gone, and my chickens were safe.
You can safely use DE in your house, and I'd dump DE into those stumps, Sunsilver. Apply it after every rain, or cover the stumps with plastic or tarps to keep them dry so the DE can do its work. It won't hurt your dogs if they get into it, and it will kill the bugs.
As for the cost of tree removal, what you were quoted was definitely highway robbery, but the reason they charge that is because there are people who will pay it. My hubby has taken down trees that were danger trees around houses, and usually charges somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 per tree. He did five trees for a friend of ours, and charged about $800. Never had any damage to houses, or property, and yes, the wood is always reclaimed for firewood, even the rotten stuff.
Kudos to the guy for doing what he did, and indeed, pay it forward. Kindness and decency are in short supply in today's world, and when it is seen, it should be treasured.
Crys
by missbeeb on 26 October 2010 - 07:10
Could you set fire to the stumps? If you drilled a couple of holes in the stumps and filled them with fire lighters, would that work?
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