Getting rid if Red Ants

[urleft]

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. 

[clarkycat]

Do you have any photos of the ants?

[iammike]

<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

[Wayne from Aus]

Mot Dang Fai
Huge problem at my house. Thanks UrLeft, I'll try this product to get rid of them.

[davureborn]

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.

[urleft]

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. 

[iammike]

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)

[davureborn]

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.

[iammike]

@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 ??

[dundeemk6]

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.

[davureborn]

@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.

[iammike]

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 ?

[davureborn]

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

[BillH52]

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. 

[fishy]

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...