Worm Digest - Re:i use 55 gallon containers

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1) General Earthworm Discussion Forum

BigTexWorms
User

A Juvenile Earthworm

Posts: 50

Can I use boric acid around my bins? - 2009/04/07 22:20 Have ants in my outdoor bins, can I use boric acid around the bins? What if the ants carry it into the bin?
I wet down the bins really good today hoping that will deter the ants.
The worms dont seem to be bothered by the ants, but I am when I go to feed and turn, dont want to get swarmed.

Thanks! Liz aka BigTexWorms
http://bigtexworms.webs.com

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mikel
User

A Juvenile Earthworm

Posts: 74

Re:Can I use boric acid around my bins? - 2009/04/07 23:38 I would be concerned with the ants taking it into the bed. I would do like you are already doing, wet it really good to hopefully force them out. Good Luck!

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timnbama
User

A Protected Species Earthworm

Posts: 167

Re:Can I use boric acid around my bins? - 2009/04/08 01:13 If you are using the term "bin" to mean that it is a container up on legs then put a can of used motor oil under the legs and long as the legs don't touch the can wall then the ants can't cross the oil. If you are referring to a bed as most people refer to one that is on the ground, then other than wetting them to drive them out, good luck. That is why all of mine are wooden boxes up off the ground with all legs sitting in cans of used oil. I put one bed on the ground last year and I had to dig the worms out then remove the bedding and kill all of the ants before I could reuse it. The entire bed had a circle of ant granules around it and that didn't deter them.
I will never put another bed on the ground as the ants are going to find a way into them no matter what you do. Fireants will even ball up and float on top of water in a tight ball so water don't really do much that I've seen. Even the table and metal shelving in my barn has their legs sitting in oil as the ants would crawl up them to get to the feed in the bags if I didn't. Some of the liquid dish detergents and car washes will kill ants by suffocating them but they might have the same affect on the worms.
Look at the bottom of the picture and you'll see shiny things at the bottom of the legs plus a couple of full cans that have red labels. The shiny one are cut down gallon cans 3" high and the bottom boxes sit 4" from the bottom.

Post edited by: timnbama, at: 2009/04/08 01:14

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Clark
User

A Fertile Cocoon

Posts: 1

Re:Can I use boric acid around my bins? - 2009/04/17 21:23 I wouldn't spread boric acid around the bins, but you CAN use boric acid on the ants. In a jar, make up a mixture of 2 cups hot water, 6 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon of boric acid. Mix it until the boric acid isn't clumping (ok, until the clumps are real, real small). Take a throwaway plastic food container and punch holes in the sides for the ants. Fold up a paper towel, put it in the bottom of the container, and pour in your solution until the paper towel soaks it up. Keep it on the wet side. Put the top on the container and place it where the ants will find it near the bins. Put a rock or brick on top to keep critters from carrying it off to play with. The ants will discover it, eat it, share it with each other, and carry it back to their nest and share it there to the severe detriment of the colony. Check the container every few days and add more if it starts to dry out/get eaten up. I've used this for years. It even works on fire ants.

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BigTexWorms
User

A Juvenile Earthworm

Posts: 50

Re:Can I use boric acid around my bins? - 2009/04/18 22:05 Well I disobeyed all advice and sprinkled the boric acid on the top layer of bedding in my bin (which is an outdoor 55 gallon flow through by the way). All ants are gone and worms are doing fine. From the research I have done, the boric acid works on insects with exoskeletons and worms dont have them. So, anyway.... I will keep you posted on my worms in this bin. Liz aka BigTexWorms
http://bigtexworms.webs.com

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mikel
User

A Juvenile Earthworm

Posts: 74

Re:Can I use boric acid around my bins? - 2009/04/18 22:15 I was worried about the boric acid on the worms. I was thinking about the impact of the boric acid on the worms and thinking it will strip away the wet coating of the worms. Thus killing the worms. Boric acid is a slow killer. Keep us posted.

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wellsworms

User

A Protected Species Earthworm

Posts: 624

Re:i use 55 gallon containers - 2009/04/19 07:57

hi liz where can i find pictures of your bins

"i'll show you mine if you will show me yours "

Post edited by: wellsworms, at: 2009/04/19 08:15

Post edited by: wellsworms, at: 2009/04/19 08:17 FEED IT TO THE WORMS
WELLS,vermont
jerry walker 2008

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