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I'm glad it's working!

Not trying to convince you to use it, I just find the stuff interesting. I wouldn't want you to using something you don't feel confident in using.

Just a bit more about Diatomaceous Earth. It's just really small "sharp" dirt (ancient shells, etc). As long as you use food grade or animal safe it should be perfectly fine. The stuff they use on crops is industrial and may have contaminants, so wouldn't be recommended.

They actually use the food grade (or animal safe) in animal feed. It's totally safe for everything except some reptiles and any insect with an exoskeleton.

https://www.dicalite.com/2017/10/three-ways-to-use-industrial-minerals-on-the-farm/

The way it works is that it's so small and sharp that it sticks to them and cuts through their exoskeleton and dehydrates them. There is no mechanism for this to cause damage to mammals, aside from possibly breathing the industrial kind.

https://progressiveplanet.com/is-diatomaceous-earth-safe-for-all-animals/

Again, I just find it interesting. I'm glad you found a solution that is working!

 

All good man. I have enough dirt around my place that I'd like cleaned up. I don't need to willing put more out haha

 

Yeah, really best used outside. Like if you have an infestation on a tree or bush. Just Coat it with this white dust and any bugs will die.

Then it rinses away with water.

Just interesting stuff.

With ants you're probably best using something they'll take take back to the nest and kill the whole thing.

 

After all this discussion, I read an article in current issue of Discover:

Do Insects Have Feelings and Consciousness?

 

https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/do-insects-have-feelings-and-consciousness

Good read. Seems to be a pretty good bet that they do.

 

Poured dawn dish soap down the jacket hole last night. I heard it works well.

 

Working at the local Ace, we have been selling an incredible amount of wasp traps, sprays, etc, etc, lately. It goes out the door as fast as we stock it. Yellow jackets are apparently the worst they've been in years. One old timer came in a bought a bag of granulated Sevin (lawn and garden pest control). He said that it works best for the ground nests. Find the hole and pour Sevin into it (tamp it if you can) and they're pretty well done for (plus it acts on other pests also). But we're selling a noticeable amount of the diatomaceous earth also Earlier in the summer we were making bank on ant control products but that seems to have slacked off. I've always had the best luck with Terro, but with dogs around, I try to use vinegar and water as much as is reasonable. But there are several new types of natural pest control products out on the market now too. We just haven't gotten any feedback (good, bad or indifferent) about it yet.....

 

When I start to wonder if I should get an anteater....

 

Tried sugar and borax. The ants ignored it.

 

Great thing about Borax (if you can get them to take it) is they'll bring it back to the colony and it'll kill the queen (and colony). I just wasn't sure about using it around animal food...

 

Wasp and hornet spray hasn't worked on the ground hornets for us. Had to use the Dawn dish soap, screen and water trick.

 

I use Terminix.

 

The ants came back yesterday afternoon. I made cookies, they were put away and area cleaned but I guess the tiniest particle of sugar they can sense. Sprayed everything. Ants gone.

 

Since I hate all bugs and insects, doesn’t shame me to say I use this spray bleach cleaner and you can literally hear the “POP” when they explode.

 

Anyone who gardens likes ladybugs. Black beetles aren't as cute but eat slugs. Spiders are predators eating harmful insects. Bees and wasps pollinate. A bug free yard isn't a garden. A golf course, maybe. All artificial.