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Thread: Fire ants

  1. #1

    Default Fire ants

    Yippie skippie. I’m moving a pole barn. C483EF01-4991-444B-A442-06DCC31196D5.jpg


  2. #2
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Yep. Them little bastages suck....well sting to be exact.
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  3. #3
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    On the list!

  4. #4

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    When I had my landscape company we were starting a shopping center project. Everybody (subcontractors) was behind and we were the last in line to begin and finish. I rented stadium lights to light work areas and ran 3 crews. I had to hire temps. Temps for basically dirty filthy back breaking work. There are certain people they can hire now under the table that are outstanding at this. But not back then here. Anyway, a "brand new to FL" guy was trying to impress and stuck with his shovel in a bed until he couldn't stand the itchies and paused. That's when the ants all bit at the same time. He had never even heard of fire ants. He went hysterical. I drove him 2 blocks to the emergency room. They gave him some meds, kept him overnight, and I never saw him again. I still feel sorry about that.

    Fire ants are an occupational hazard in landscaping in Florida. And everybody hates them with a passion.

  5. #5
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Not me. I loved em when I was working. They sounded just like $$$$$$.
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  6. #6

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    You...you...you... capitalist.

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    I've waged a lifetime war against fire ants and cut ants. They will, I have no doubt, outlast me.

    The only redeeming feature of fire ants is that they kill ticks.

    Considering that, I'd rather have the ants.

    Cut ants? I don't know of any redeeming feature they might have.

    Alan

  8. #8
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    In the late 80s I got into a bunch of fire ants and got stung a bunch of times. Since then, whenever I get stung more than a few times I get to feeling really bad for a few hours. I guess I developed an allergic reaction to them. Same thing happened with honeybees, only much more serious. I had to let my hives go because a sting was going to swell me up.

    Alan

  9. #9
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Cut ants? On the list.

  10. #10
    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    There's a reason I have no intention of returning to the South. Well, actually, several but in general, their version of nature just doesn't jive with my idea of retirement. I miss the waterfalls and storms, but I can live without them if I don't have to put up with the bugs and sauna-weather.

    Which, by the way, disaster-preparedness fact 376. Don't swim after a flash flood. You've not lived until you've swam into a mat of fire ants.
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

  11. #11
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Mat of fire ants. On the list.

  12. #12
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Ahhh. Fire ant rafts.
    Can't Means Won't

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  13. #13
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    That! is seriously wrong on so many levels. Come to Indiana where things won't hurt you.


  14. #14

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    I wonder if they're edible. Survival food you know...

    The ants. Not the bunnies.

  15. #15
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Maybe. But I bet they are the pits to clean.

  16. #16
    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    Easy enough. You just take a shovel of nest and roast it over a fire. Then you winnow it like grain. The abdomens fall to the side on a breeze. They're sorta citrusy. I don't know if they're a problem for people with bug allergies.

    People don't usually go for the fire ants because they're so aggressive and manage to get to you one way or another. We used to call black ants "black sugar". I haven't had problems with fire ants but I used to terrify coworkers with tales of how long I kept things in my refrigerator. I'm an animal. I can get away with all kinds of stuff.
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

  17. #17
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Don't invite me to dinner. It's not that I would be unfriendly, it's just my calendar happens to be booked. Waaaaaaay out. Yeah, way out. Way, way out.

  18. #18

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    Ah ha! I knew it. Ok Crash. I have the 1st Challenge at the 1st camp of the season. Then we'll do a cow patty BBQ to celebrate (it's biblical).

  19. #19
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    So was the great flood. Just sayin'.....

  20. #20
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    I'll have to pass on an ant that has a poison gland.
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