On Jul 22, 2004, at 8:56 AM, Pecan Jim Gundlach wrote:
<Snip>
Just went and applied a mixture of used coffee and the cleanings from
the Mazzer's dispenser on the fire ant mound. Clearly the ants do not
like it, they respond just like they have been attacked. I went ahead
and filled the entrance holes with the dry ground coffee and they do
not seem to be able to find it to clear their entrance. I will
regularly monitor the mound and see what happens.
Jim Gundlach |
On Jul 22, 2004, at 10:16am, Pecan Jim Gundlach wrote: <Snip> Maybe we should let them have a go at some of the CRLM samples. John Blumel |
Last week there was a discussion of coffee and ants at the time that I had just discovered our first fire ant mound so I took the old coffee grounds that were destined for the compost heap and distributed it over the new mound. I put a thin but complete cover of the mound and made sure that I filled the entrance holes. A couple of days later I checked the mound and found the coffee still in place. I poked a hole in the mound with my finger and there were ants still in side and they responded quickly for a very short time and then slowed down, like they did not have any energy. Night before last we got a good healthy rain and I just went to check the mound again. The coffee and mound were washed away and there were no signs of fire ants. The colony is gone, maybe dead. I think the coffee confined those in the den inside and those outside were locked out. This is just once case, but I would encourage others to try it and report your results. Jim Gundlach. |
On Jul 28, 2004, at 8:40pm, Pecan Jim Gundlach wrote: <Snip> I wonder how it would work with Formosan termites. John Blumel |
Rather than covering the mound with grinds, (offering them nice shade) I wonder if it might work better as a tea poured onto the mound? As a 100% organic method, I've poured boiling water onto fire ant mounds and that works pretty darn good. Adding coffee grinds might make a good double whammy. What do you think Jim? There is no lack of ants so I might try some experiments this weekend. As a chemical treatment, I've had the best luck with Fertilome's "Come and get it" product. Allen am At 07:40 PM 7/28/2004 -0500, Pecan Jim Gundlach wrote: >Last week there was a discussion of coffee and ants at the time that I >had just discovered our first fire ant mound so I took the old coffee >grounds that were destined for the compost heap and distributed it over >the new mound. I put a thin but complete cover of the mound and made >sure that I filled the entrance holes. A couple of days later I >checked the mound and found the coffee still in place. I poked a >hole in the mound with my finger and there were ants still in side and >they responded quickly for a very short time and then slowed down, like >they did not have any energy. Night before last we got a good healthy >rain and I just went to check the mound again. The coffee and mound >were washed away and there were no signs of fire ants. The colony is >gone, maybe dead. I think the coffee confined those in the den inside >and those outside were locked out. This is just once case, but I would >encourage others to try it and report your results. > >Jim Gundlach. > |
John,
I doubt it. I believe termites, Formosan as well as others, make
their food source part of their den.
Jim Gundlach
On Jul 28, 2004, at 7:50 PM, John Blumel wrote:
<Snip> |
On Jul 28, 2004, at 9:53pm, Pecan Jim Gundlach wrote: <Snip> I didn't really think so. On the contrary, they'd probably just chew your house down faster if you gave them any caffeine. John Blumel |
When I lived in Nicaragua, we had a good ol' time with leaf cutting ants. They completely inhabited a 50x200 lot next to our house and were destroying our two mango trees. The nest holes were about 6 inches in diameter and spread across the entire empty lot. We would dump about a gallon of water down the hole then about a quart of gas on top of that. We would then light the gas and burn the suckers. Quite entertaining...we have it all on tape, including when the fire came up one of the holes right next to our gas can and lit it on fire...quite exciting! It's amazing though. We would burn thousands of them and they would come pouring out of their holes by the thousands and just cover our clothes almost immediately. We would then have to leave because of their nasty little teeth. Oh well...fun with fire. Jeff Wikstrom |
My one mound is gone, I don't have any others to experiment with. I
think fire ants use pheromone trails to control their food harvesting
behavior. And, I hypothesize that the coffee grounds may block their
ability to follow the pheromones to the degree that they are unable to
gather food so they starve to death. I only use tea to put in the
horse water tank to control mosquitos.
Jim Gundlach
On Jul 28, 2004, at 8:14 PM, Allen Marsalis wrote:
<Snip> |
this sounds interesting, never tried it. tea leaves, leftover iced tea or? ginny At 08:36 PM 7/28/2004, you wrote: <Snip> |
I just add a cheap tea bag to the tank when I fill it every week.
Jim Gundlach
On Jul 28, 2004, at 10:45 PM, gin wrote:
<Snip> |
I don't know why I typed "tea". I was trying to describe putting old grinds into hot water to make a "tea" or "coffee" to pour on the mound grinds and all. (but I didn't want to call coffee brewed a second time "coffee" if you know what I mean) Although my mom told me stories from back in the depression where some people did brew twice using the same grinds. That would pretty much suck and I might have to do entirely without coffee in that case. Allen am At 10:36 PM 7/28/2004 -0500, Pecan Jim Gundlach wrote: >My one mound is gone, I don't have any others to experiment with. I >think fire ants use pheromone trails to control their food harvesting >behavior. And, I hypothesize that the coffee grounds may block their >ability to follow the pheromones to the degree that they are unable to >gather food so they starve to death. I only use tea to put in the >horse water tank to control mosquitos. > Jim Gundlach >On Jul 28, 2004, at 8:14 PM, Allen Marsalis wrote: > >> Rather than covering the mound with grinds, (offering them >> nice shade) I wonder if it might work better as a tea poured >> onto the mound? As a 100% organic method, I've poured boiling >> water onto fire ant mounds and that works pretty darn good. >> Adding coffee grinds might make a good double whammy. >> >> What do you think Jim? There is no lack of ants so I might >> try some experiments this weekend. As a chemical treatment, >> I've had the best luck with Fertilome's "Come and get it" >> product. >> >> Allen >> am >> >> >> At 07:40 PM 7/28/2004 -0500, Pecan Jim Gundlach wrote: >> >Last week there was a discussion of coffee and ants at the time that I >> >had just discovered our first fire ant mound so I took the old coffee >> >grounds that were destined for the compost heap and distributed it >> over >> >the new mound. I put a thin but complete cover of the mound and made >> >sure that I filled the entrance holes. A couple of days later I >> >checked the mound and found the coffee still in place. I poked a >> >hole in the mound with my finger and there were ants still in side and >> >they responded quickly for a very short time and then slowed down, >> like >> >they did not have any energy. Night before last we got a good healthy >> >rain and I just went to check the mound again. The coffee and mound >> >were washed away and there were no signs of fire ants. The colony is >> >gone, maybe dead. I think the coffee confined those in the den inside >> >and those outside were locked out. This is just once case, but I >> would >> >encourage others to try it and report your results. >> > >> >Jim Gundlach. >> > >> >> >> homeroast mailing list >>http://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast >> To change your personal list settings (digest options, vacations, >> unsvbscribes) go to >>http://sweetmarias.com/maillistinfo.html#personalsettings >> > > >homeroast mailing list >http://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast >To change your personal list settings (digest options, vacations, >unsvbscribes) go tohttp://sweetmarias.com/maillistinfo.html#personalsettings > |
I searched a RATHER LARGE chemical information database (closely associated with my email address) for "coffee and ants". The 4 hits all discussed control of ants & other insects with common insecticides. I saw no mention of controlling ants WITH coffee. Just another datapoint. Maybe someone should do a careful study & publish the results. I put a bunch of spent grounds on an ant hill last week, but haven't gone back to check it yet. Dave Westerville,OH |
A "tisane," technically. -- Rick |
I've lived in Florida for nigh on 30 years, and can say confidently, that you need to look around for another mound, anywhere from 3 to 9 feet away. Fire ants are hearty guys, that can dig tunnels under ground very well. I've tried everything, but have never done away with them completely in my yard. Beware, John, not wandering Pecan Jim Gundlach wrote: <Snip> |
Now that adds a new meaning to the words FIRE ANTS RK |