Is this a joke Carrie?

Wouldn't any carbonated soda do the same thing?

I have no idea, Mel, just received it this morning and knew you smart ones here on GW would find the pros and cons in it. I am always willing to "try" something that "first can do no harm" to the environment. Come on everyone, tell me what you think !!!!

I'm not one of the smart ones around here but here are a few thoughts...

It seems to me, it sure took dem scientist a long time to figure this out! How much gov't grant money was wasted on all the other stuff they've come up with? :)

If it kills off the ants by displacing the oxygen then it will effect everything else that needs oxygen too. Right?

But only in that mound area I suppose... then the other critters can move back into the area and its only temporary.
I guess other critters aren't in the mound anyway since the ants are there... so I think its at least worth a try. All you're out is a bottle of soda, and that's cheap stuff if you buy the off brand on sale.

Well, I will try it, you never know, sometimes the weirder sounding things work, lol
Wonder what that would do to gophers? My luck the probably have gin down there waiting for the soda, LOL
Thanks Carrie

well..............that wouldn't be as volatile as say - acetylene (cutting torch fuel).
;-O
J.D.

By golly, JD, I think you may be on to something there !!!

haven't tried club soda or any other carbonated/aerated liquid, but wanted to mention this:

Last summer, as I was carrying a huge, *powerfully* scented bunch of spearmint to the compost heap, I thought, "I bet even fireants couldn't stand spearmint for very long".

& I piled it on a handy fireant mound.

Two days later, the mound was deserted.

Since we'd have to dedicate our whole lives to growing enough spearmint to keep up with fireants, I'm wondering if spearmint oil, or other mint oil, mixed with some other liquid to make it go further, might do the trick?

I know a welder (not me) that blew up his yard trying to get a single mole.

sylvia - the mint oil (or just about ANYTHING else) would be MUCH safer!
J.D.

Not to burst anyones' bubbles, but this is what Snopes.com has to say about it:
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/fireants.asp

I've seen John Droomgoole give some programs and remembered that he recommended orange oil.
http://www.klru.org/ctg/resource/Article/Tips_for_Fighting_Fire_Ants_and_Other_Pests/",/a>

Well, every method I have ever used has resulted in only getting them to relocate, so why should this be any different? However, it is much safer than many of the other methods, and perhaps I could just keep relocating them over into the neighbor's yard (about 300 yards away).

The friend who sent me this emailed me today that she used this method in her greenhouse right after emailing me in January, and has not had any fireants return. So.........just might be worth a try!! At least, it won't cost an arm and a leg to give it a try !!

Speaking or orange oil -- spraying it (diluted according to directions) where ever I'd see them certainly got rid of the little pharoah ants that had plagued this house for 15 years in spite of the best commercial baits and other things I tried. They were all over the house and I'd find their nests in strange places like in lamp stands. Now they are gone for good. Haven't seen one in four or five years.

What is the carbon footprint of Club Soda?

When we lived in West Texas we didn't didn't poison ants because the horned lizards (horny toads) like to eat them. There are many kinds of ants there and we didn't know what a fire ant was. You watch where you step because of rattlesnakes.

When we moved to East Texas, we found our new 5 acres totally infested with fireants, and learned quickly about the painful bites that cause white pimples. And you watch where you step for a different reason.

We tried every product for killing fireants, but the only one that really worked was Triazicide (used to come in a green bag). Now the bag is gray, says Spectracide in big letters, and Triazicide Once and Done in smaller letters.

I know we've spent hundreds of dollars keeping these critters out of flowerbeds, garden, orchard, and lawn. And it takes regular "fireant walks" to get the new colonies. And they'll be back, sure as Russian Thistles!

Hmmm, my lawn guy recommended grits but not the instant ones mentioned in the Snopes article. Supposedly they eat it and it caused them to blow up.

Has anyone tried nematodes? they are micro organisms in the soil that eat fire ant eggs as well as grubs. Marshall's Grain has them for 19.99 a packet, enough to treat 8000 square feet I am told. You are supposed to spray them over your yard and water them in, they will move around in moist soil and devour the bad bugs (I forgot to ask if they leave earthworms alone). I would love to hear testimonials from anyone who has tried this before I go buy them
Thanks

wantonamara: (teehee) if club soda is carbonated, then it'll likely have a high carbon footprint, right?

~ freshair

FINALLY found something that really, really works. It's by Greenlight...about 5 lb. bag (looks small,
but is vacuum packed & goes a long way.) Cost just under $6.00 at my True Value hardware store.
Front of bag says safe for veggie garden
& it works!!! On 1 mulched flower bed they were so bad I opened the bag & broadcast the product all over
it and along outside perimeter.
It's been fire ant free for 3 wks now...Hooray! Instructions say to wet it, but I can't
lug water or hoses over acre & 1/2 & works for me
without it. Nope, no affiliation this company.
I've used only half the bag but did see 3 tiny mounds yesterday, put a few granules on & when I went
back out an hour later they were gone.

They were so bad in the veggie garden last year I gave
up & let 'em have it! Best stuff I've ever used.
Suzi

carrie, I use coffee grounds from SB's I know it moves them but at least it moves them out of my yard :)

Barb

The beneficial nematodes work! We applied them about 5 years ago, and are just now seeing fire ants return. They need to be applied right before a good soaking rain.