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Discussion on TERMITES! What to use that's safe....
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Member:
Bethyg2
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Posted on Friday, Oct 22, 2004 - 12:05 pm:
Hi- I have a large wood barn that is being eaten by carpenter ants and something called dry wood termites. You can actually see the damage although I have yet to see a termite. The lower boards pull away like styrofoam, and I need to do something quick. One exterminator suggested painting / spraying on a boric acid solution. Has anyone done this? What do people do with their wood barns? I'm really afraid to do nothing. I'm in Florida, and the bugs are winning.....
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Member:
Annes
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Posted on Friday, Oct 22, 2004 - 1:59 pm:
A few years ago I found termite tunnels running up the wall behind my front barn doors. Because the doors are always open and folded back I had not noticed it before. An exterminator came and said I was lucky because the termites had already left and he did not recommend spraying chemicals. A lot of people paint or spray old tractor oil around the very bottom of the wood at ground level. This is suppose to deter the termites. Are you sure your termites are still there? I am in TN and haven't had a problem with carpenter ants. I do have wood bees that like to bore holes. I understand they are next to impossible to get rid of so since they never bother or sting me or the horses I just work around them.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Nov 1, 2004 - 10:19 am:
Boric acid is often sold as a natural insecticide that is safe and nontoxic to people and their pets. It is effective and while relatively safe is not nontoxic. Care must be used with this product and if applied to the barn should be done so that animals cannot reach the poison.
J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 1986;24(4):269-79.
Acute ingestions of boric acid.
Linden CH, Hall AH, Kulig KW, Rumack BH.
Four patients with elevated serum boric acid levels after single, acute ingestions of 10 to 297 grams were reported to the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center (RMPDC) between January 1983 and August 1985. Systemic effects were absent. In 1983-4, 364 cases of boric acid exposure were reported to the RMPDC with only one fatality from a probable chronic ingestion. Vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps were rather common. Systemic effects were notably absent in acute ingestions. Five of three hundred sixty-four patients had measured serum levels and were the only ones hospitalized. These observations suggest that significant poisoning is unlikely to result from a single, acute ingestion of boric acid. Serum boric acid levels appear to correlate poorly with clinical toxicity following acute ingestion.
DrO
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Member:
Bethyg2
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Posted on Monday, Nov 1, 2004 - 10:31 am:
Dear Ann and Dr. O,
Thanks for the "horse advice"! I am sold on the boric acid, but am only going to apply it on the outside. One of my horses constantly licks the walls (he also likes his salt block.) I don't think anything should be put on the horse- side of the stalls. Am in the process of prying up the damaged boards, and replacing them w/ treated ones. I am not sure the termites are still there, but even if they're not, they are sure to pay a return visit. Thanks. - Beth G.
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Member:
Longhorn
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Posted on Friday, Sep 1, 2006 - 12:29 am:
Better late than never. I don't have anything against ants, per se, but they will tend to harass my horses when they decide to built a nest in a corral and then crawl all over my boys and bite. We get some pretty impressive harvester ant mounds around the property in the summer time and, of course, I don't want to use poison in the horse corrals.
I stumbled on quite an effective ant repeller. I needed to get rid of some fresh coffee grounds (a mish-mash of coffee "gifts") and googled "coffee grounds." I figured I'd find some clever ways of composting or reusing unused coffee. Instead, I found one posting at https://frugalliving.about.com/od/uncommonuses/a/coffeegrounds.htm that suggested using the coffee around ant mounds.
To make a long story short, it works! You may have to refresh if you're in a wet environment (we're in dry-as-a-bone Arizona), but by golly, those ants moved on when I circled their ant hole with fresh (but cheap) coffee. Caffeinated or decaffeinated will work.
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Member:
Paul303
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Posted on Friday, Sep 1, 2006 - 12:46 pm:
Hey! I've got a whole mess of vanilla hazelnut.
Ant Repellant - Farm Sachet
!!!
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Member:
Image
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Posted on Friday, Sep 1, 2006 - 6:51 pm:
Hmmmm....would this (coffee grounds) be safe to use in the stall? I hate putting any kind of ant repellant/insecticide in the stalls. Even AmDrO which is said to be safe for use around animals makes me nervous and I only use it when the ants are really trying to make nests in the barn. Would you sprinkle it on the bedding, mix it in or use it under the shavings?
Thanks!
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Member:
Longhorn
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 2, 2006 - 1:01 am:
I'm thinking unused coffee would probably be the safest repellant on the planet for a horse. First of all, I haven't heard of equine related caffein addictions lately, and secondly, I really don't think they'd snort or, otherwise, ingest coffee. Even if they did, I doubt if it would be really, really harmful. I put mine in a corral with one of my boys, and he just walked all over it. No more ants, tho. I guess the ants just don't like it.
Maybe Doctor O. has an opinion on the risks of horses ingesting ground coffee.
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Member:
Image
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 2, 2006 - 10:52 am:
Not really worried about ingestion so much as the effect on the skin. I have a Paint that is very sensitive skinned and is allergic to ants so I have to figure out a way to safely bed her stall and yet deter ants. That's why I was wondering whether you sprinkle it on, mix it in or use it under the shavings. Also, how much coffee do you use? Sorry, if this sounds like stupid questions but I have to be careful with this mare.
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Member:
Longhorn
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 2, 2006 - 2:23 pm:
Wow, I never thought of the allergy potential. I have only used it around ant holes (we get some pretty big ant holes here in the Southwest).
Unless one of our readers may have a better, more economical suggestion, I would recommend putting a barrier around the stall or, at least, at the potential entry points for the ants like a stall door from the outside, etc.
Most ant treatments are either by poison by having the ant bring the poisoned food to the queen and eliminating the nest that way, or by creating a barrier that forces the ants to move or open up a hole somewhere else. I sprinkle the coffee in a ring about 1 to 2 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick around the hole. So, if it's possible without going broke buying coffee (dollar store), I'd create a barrier outside the stall or, as I said, at the potential entryways for the ants.
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Member:
Tpmiller
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 2, 2006 - 3:41 pm:
Laura- the site says "used" coffee grounds. Filter and drink the coffee, then spread the wet grounds around.
Can't wait to try it.
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Member:
Longhorn
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 2, 2006 - 5:13 pm:
Well that would be a darn sight more utilitarian and cheaper, Timothy. The fresh ones worked for me, but I'll save up the old ones and try 'em. Thanks!
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Member:
Longhorn
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Posted on Friday, Sep 15, 2006 - 12:07 am:
Okay, confession is good for the soul. So, I followed my own advice and sprinkled prodigious quantities of coffee around ant holes around the property and, wouldn't you know?, they dragged that crap right into the hole! Or covered it up, can't tell, but, boy howdy, what a disappointment! The last batch I used worked real well, completely shutting down ant holes right and left. I'm thinking it might have been the chicory in the last batch.
So, my apologies if the ant solution doesn't work for you. It DID work for me once.... Now I have to discover the secret formula. 
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Friday, Sep 15, 2006 - 7:42 am:
Oh, NO, Laura!!!!
Mutations!! Caffeine dependent ANTS!!!!
You thought they were busy BEFORE the caffeine . . .
Maybe try DEcaffeinated coffee????
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Friday, Sep 15, 2006 - 10:42 am:
Guess those ants aren't Cajun!
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