WHALE Report post Posted August 17, 2013 Guess I have been lucky and never had an ant problem in a tree stand before. I have got one now by the hundreds and don't know the best approach to ensure a comfortable 5 hour set without them crawling all over me. Any advise or experience? How stinky would plain ole ant killer be? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLW Report post Posted August 19, 2013 Guess I have been lucky and never had an ant problem in a tree stand before. I have got one now by the hundreds and don't know the best approach to ensure a comfortable 5 hour set without them crawling all over me. Any advise or experience? How stinky would plain ole ant killer be? I had some in my home at the beginning of the summer and the guy at Ace recommended this white powder stuff.... not sure of the name but I'll check for ya. It put those ants down! I really didn't notice any odor from it. Put some on a little ant hill outside and they were gone the next day! I had to take 1 of my cameras down cause the ants ruled the tree! ants in the tree would make it hard to sit still........... LOL! James Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Outdoor Writer Report post Posted August 19, 2013 I had some in my home at the beginning of the summer and the guy at Ace recommended this white powder stuff.... not sure of the name but I'll check for ya. Most likely it was diatamaceous earth -- the same stuff used in many swimming pool filters. It's a non-poisonous, natural occuring substance. Each tiny granule of DE has many sharp edges that cuts through the ants' exo-skeleton, basically dehydrating them of all their vital fluid. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHALE Report post Posted August 19, 2013 thanks for the info Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azpredator@work Report post Posted August 19, 2013 I had some in my home at the beginning of the summer and the guy at Ace recommended this white powder stuff.... not sure of the name but I'll check for ya. Most likely it was diatamaceous earth -- the same stuff used in many swimming pool filters. It's a non-poisonous, natural occuring substance. Each tiny granule of DE has many sharp edges that cuts through the ants' exo-skeleton, basically dehydrating them of all their vital fluid. +1 - I would move to another tree before spraying anything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRDATR Report post Posted August 21, 2013 I had some in my home at the beginning of the summer and the guy at Ace recommended this white powder stuff.... not sure of the name but I'll check for ya. Most likely it was diatamaceous earth -- the same stuff used in many swimming pool filters. It's a non-poisonous, natural occuring substance. Each tiny granule of DE has many sharp edges that cuts through the ants' exo-skeleton, basically dehydrating them of all their vital fluid. Another one is Boric Acid powder. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesPursuit Report post Posted August 21, 2013 Most likely it was diatamaceous earth -- the same stuff used in many swimming pool filters. It's a non-poisonous, natural occuring substance. Safe and effective - I own a swimming pool company and found out about DE and killing ants by accident - a good accident that is.. Great recommendation, Tony. Also, this stuff is cheap $ (avoiding Leslie's) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Outdoor Writer Report post Posted August 21, 2013 So here's a vintage story of why I know about DE.... In the 1960s, my dad owned a Flying A (later Wilshire) service station just east of 35th Ave. on Indian School, and I worked for him when I first moved to AZ in Jan. 1962. We had a regular customer named Kent who changed jobs as often as I change underwear. So one day he comes in with his latest venture -- selling shares of stock in a company called Permagard. Back then most of the area east of 35th & Grand, south of Indian School was empty desert. Even had lots of jack rabbits and one day a 2-ft. sidewinder wiggled it's way to the gas islands. There were also lots of red ant hills in the field. So Kent grabbed a bag of Permagard and demonstrated it to us by making a 1/2" wide circle, about 12" in diameter around the entrance. As the ants exited, they had to walk right through the white powder. It didn' take long before they were walking as if they were drunk. Kent quickly explained how it worked, and my dad just as quickly bought 300 shares at $1 a pop. With two little babies, I couldn't afford one share -- luckily. Two years later the company went bankrupt, and the shares became worthless. It wasn't until many years later that I learned about plain DE as an insecticide and bought a 5 lb. bag to use at home. When I saw it, I knew immediately that the Permagard was the exact same stuff with a fancy name and priced three times as much at retail. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted August 21, 2013 That white powder stuff works good. I have used it many times to get rid of the little pests. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GotBowAz Report post Posted August 22, 2013 I have a LOT of scorpions at my place in Queen Creek. I have killed as many as 33 in one night hunting them down. Most of them are in the planter cement decorative blocks or on my block wall. I have them under control now and thanks to the help of DE I dont have to hunt late at night so much anymore. BTY, Not to rob this thread but if you get stung and are allergic like my wife is there are only 2 hospitals with an experimental anti venom that works like a charm. One is Mercy Gilbert hospital on the 202 and Val-Vista. the other is Chandler Regional on Dobson south of Ray I believe. Im not alregic and have been stung a few times. My wife gets scary bad and her eyes start twitching. GBA Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
