Clearing shrubs and trees along the water was in the sun so we switched to tearing down the Cockatiel housing which is being able to work in the shade today.

 I built a slanted roof attached to my metal garage and sandwitched 1" foam slabs between 5'8" plywood for the roof area with sheet metal on top trying trying to keep some of the heat off the tropical type cockatiels...And what I found were wood ants or carpenter ants using the foam for their homes!!! None of the 2x4's were touched either, just the foam.

 

This was the bottom side of the foam. Both the top or bottom plywood was not touched, just the foam.

Last week when I started tearing these down I noticed  ants were going up the metal behind the 2x4"s that were attached to the metal walls so I gave them some orthene and forgot about them till today. Almost no live ants today so we were not bothered by them.

 Over the years I have found I need to switch and use different kinds of poisons each year for better results. When Amdro first came out it worked better than anything I had ever used but then after three or four years the large red ants would get amune to it and not even take it down in their hole.

  Each spring I spray poisons of some kind all around the house thinking maybe it will help keep something away but I never spray around the garage....nothing in there for insects and things to eat so I don't worry with the garage!!

Never realized they ate that stuff!

They must think it is a new kind of dirt and a pretty pink to boot.  Best part is the tunnels never cave in.

Dan I kept telling my wife, climb up here and tell me what you think this white fluffy stuff is?? It was in all the voids where the plywood had warped down some and the ants had used this area to dispose of their diggings. Later we realized it was kinda pink instead of white...and was the pink foam.

  Also they had found a home that never filled with water when it rained!! 

The little fire ants have almost removed the larger red ants from this area of Texas. I don't know if they are fighting them, or eating them or what but the big red ant is getting hard to find.  And lately a very fuzzy tiny ant is coming on strong, we call crazy ants. They are always moving very fast and they change directions constantly.

Edited July 8, 20178 yr by Smallpatch

Maybe your ants understand the R values and properties of insulation!

Cal

Cal do you have ants and many different kinds like we do. We've traveled in about all the states except Wis. and I have no idea as to the insects and things in any of the states!  Never stand still when outside in Tx., thats for sure!

 

  I do know its not a good idea to travel after dark in any part of Texas. These large hogs might could flip a car if hit in the right, or would that be, in the wrong place!!!..

 

  Cal are you finished with the inside remodel?? Our outside landscape thingy will probably take many years......

  

   We read somewhere when the temp gets up around 105 it is best to work in the shade. I wonder why people have to be told something like that??

Edited July 9, 20178 yr by Smallpatch

5 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

We read somewhere when the temp gets up around 105 it is best to work in the shade. I wonder why people have to be told something like that??

Same reasons they have to be told not to "Drink & Drive" or "Text and Drive" or have printed on McDonald's cups, "This coffee is hot and could cause burns"

 

22 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

Also they had found a home that never filled with water when

Like Cal said, maybe they figured out the "R" value...they decided if it worked to keep you insulated from the heat aughta' work for them too.

 

22 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

And lately a very fuzzy tiny ant is coming on strong, we call crazy ants. They are always moving very fast and they change directions constantly.

Probably some "frankenstein" type ant you've created from them ingesting the pink insulation foam board. Are the "ants activist groups" aware of your genetics altering experiments? You should probably expect protest march around your property once the temperatures drop to a tolerable level.

Jess, we have a slew of different types of ants.  Generally I categorize and deal with them in two ways:  1. are they fire ants?  if yes get the chemicals out and try to get rid of them.  2. if they are not fire ants, get the chemicals out and try to get rid of them.  I do not bother with the non-fireants to much unless they come in the house.  Funny thing about that - when it is dry outside my bugman says they are coming in for water.  When it is wet outside he says they are coming in to get to a dry area.  I think they are just hunting something to eat myself; and "if you leave it out they will come" - to paraphase some old movie.

We do have another oddball ant, we call them cow ants.  Large bright red critters.  They always seem to be traveling alone and do not seem to have any particular destination in mind.  I usually leave them alone unless it is coming into the shop.  They seem to take direction well, cause if they are at the shop door I will usually get them a good sweep with the broom and wherever they land they just take off in a different direction!

 

Finished my remodel yet?  Shoot no!!!  Two things seem to be factoring in on that job.  It has been fighting me every step of the way.  Sometimes it is one step forward and two steps back.  But I keep plugging along, and I am closer today than I was last week.  The second item is the "Phoenix Pair".  They are still living with SIL and from where I sit, I see no evidence of that changing anytime soon!  Tempers flare, but I still don't see any changes coming soon.  I sure don't want to get in the middle of that and offer, shall we say, weekend getaway lodging...

Cal