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Re: Ants in compost

Kurt McCullum wrote:
 When I opened the botton of the
> bin I was surprised to find thousands of ants in my pile. After turning the
> pile I poured boiling water onto it in hopes of killing the ants. This seems
> to have helped a little but I think they will come back. What can I do to get
> rid of these things?
>
> Kurt
> (Zone 9)
     You are in zone 9, so I suspect you're in the deep south.  If so
these are probably Fire Ants.  Fire Ants do not like to have their nest
disturbed.  I believe that just turning your compost on a regular basis
should cause them to move.  If they stay, they are not going to hurt the
compost.  When you spread it in your garden, they will desert the garden
or die.
     Fire ants are predators of fleas, ticks and a bunch of other nasty
varmits.  I actually welcome them around my place.  But then, I'm a
crazy man.
                              Dick
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