Little Black Ants & Boats

[Poodroo]

Every Queenslander will probably know which little black ant I am referring to in this thread(They are everywhere including in the house) I am sure, and I am quickly starting to dislike them as much as the common nuisance we call the fly. Unfortunately I don't have garage space to park my boats in so they end up in the back yard under covers. With the weather we have been experiencing for a while now the trips out on the water have become rather infrequent and something I have noticed is that with the boats sitting still too long those little pesky ants start making their homes in every nook and cranny in the boats. Both boats are tinnies and my first boat which is an old Quintrex 3.7 metre has been the first boat to succumb to these little ants. I noticed when I uncovered the boat that there was a trail of ants going through the boat. "Uhoh!" I thought quickly going inside to get the can of Mortien. I sprayed the little blighters and then went in search of where they were nesting. They had a huge nest under the floor boards complete with queen ants and loads of eggs. The only way to clean them out was to flush them all down to the end and out the bung hole. This is where I noticed nest number 2. The buggers had got up inside the intake of the 25hp Tohatsu motor too which is a little more serious because this will block up the cooling system. Out came the hose again and I flushed and back flushed until I noticed a steady stream coming out of the tell tale outlet.. Content that the ant problem was solved I checked in on the boat not two days later and the persistent little pests were back in the boat making a fresh nest. So far they are leaving the new boat alone. Since noticing the second coming I have once again eradicated their nest and moved the boat under the pergola area out back much to the wife's dismay because there is not a lot of room under there but hopefully the ants will not follow it there. Now I know that I have been experiencing problems and Scalem's old 15 foot fibreglass Mustang has also succumb to these ants because we found them crawling in and out of the finest little crack in his gel coat one time which could be more of a cause for concern for the fibreglas boat owner because they draw moisture into the stringers inside. My questions are:-
1/ Has anyone else out there been experiencing the same problem with these ants?
2/ Just how do you prevent these ants from making your investments their home?

Regards,

Poodroo

[TimD]

You could try putting a few small dishes of ANT RID liquid on the floor of your boat

http://www.antrid.com.au/

cheers tim :)

[BaitThrower]

You could try putting a few small dishes of ANT RID liquid on the floor of your boat

http://www.antrid.com.au/

cheers tim :)

Yep forget the Mortein ant spray or baits etc. They dont work. Ant-Rid liquid is the best stuff I have used to get rid of em. They love eating the stuff and often brings the whole nest of soldier ants out to feast for a day or so. Couple days later, they all dead :)

For the outdoor parts, a good ant-sand works well in conjunction with the ant-rid. I got heaps of ants around the place at the moment. Had some in the boat but got rid of those with the ant-rid. Now some larger ones running around. I have to ant sand them tomorrow. The geckos can't keep up eating them ::)

[Marlin_Mike]

Brother in law has the same problem. they get into his intske and outlet. he has to check boat every couple of days. I havent had that problem...........yet

Mike

[PinHead]

there is usually only 3 points of contact with the ground..wheels and jockey wheel..treat these areas to stop them getting on to the boat.

[Leighton]

Ant Sand works, just like sand so lasts for a while. Sprinkle it around the area the ant are getting in to your boat

[finga]

there is usually only 3 points of contact with the ground..wheels and jockey wheel..treat these areas to stop them getting on to the boat.
That's the best way to stop the buggers.
The dog dish with some water and the jockey wheel in it .
Some large platters for the water and the trailer wheels to sit in and the little black buggers can't swim to get to their new home.

[Marlin_Mike]

search around and find their nest and the hole into it.

Tip a heap of petrol down it, light it and boom no more ants nest.
Thats how we were taught to get rid of them.

Mike

[Poodroo]

Okay thanks for the replies. So ant sand is looking to be the best option so how does it perform in rainy conditions? Does it loose its effectiveness or wash away or can it only be used when it isn't raining? The back yard is getting to the puddle stage at the moment and I guess the ants are just trying to move to higher ground which is fine but I just wish it wasn't the boat.

Ta

Poodroo

[Poodroo]

search around and find their nest and the hole into it.

Tip a heap of petrol down it, light it and boom no more ants nest.
Thats how we were taught to get rid of them.

Mike

Lol Mike. I found their nest alright. It's in the boat. Should I blow the boat up then? It may reduce the market value somewhat as I am trying to sell it. ::)

Poodroo

[SCOTTYGC]

i just did a ant cull around my place

I used ant and termite stuff from bunnings mixed in a spray bottle and went to town on them it was in a black bottle

havent seen an ant since

scotty

[oldboot]

These little black bliters are a real pain, they will build in anything stationary, dry ish and warmish.
I've evicted them from masthead boosters 20" up poles , in hot water system thermostst housings and i've had them in several cars over the years..... and plenty of other places

they can real do some damage with the moisture & stuff they bring with them.
I've seen quite a bit of wrecked electronics...... they just filled my hot water system thermostst with dry grit & sand.....it had to be replaced.....& there was 240 in there.

they are realy hard to keep away, you can bump em off and flush em out only to have them back very shortly afterward.......you have to keep right on to them and be as persistent as they are.
If you flush em out with out bumping em off properly they will be back...... like tomorrow if not before>:(

I have squirted an ant trail out of the house and 60 metres into the neibours block.....they stayed away for months.
surface sprayed the hot water system inside & out....kept em away a couple of months.
Ant sand knocks em arround real good......... but often others come back after the rain has washed the sand away.

I keep fresh ant baits in all the cars here.....so far so good

As for petrol or other similar solvents........stuff a funnel into the top of the nest and fill it up...... let it soak in...... fill it up again.

DO NOt light the solvent.......this undoes all the good work....you want the solvent to stay in the nest to do its nasty work...... petrol does work well
Works even better if you disolve a few moth balls in it first;D

This is the most sucessfull I have found for a positively identified nest. fast & cheap.......A bit risky though:o

Not recomended if the nest is in a car or boat........

remember sometimes the nest in your car or boat or whatever is a branch office

Ants can assume plague proportions, if you want rid of them you have to be comitted and persistent.

My mate dave ( an ex pest controller and confirmed vermin hater) had a real problem on his block up the country.... all sorts of ants all over the damn place..tok him 3 months to get on top of them.
You'd turn up there and he'd be walking arround with a pack of ant sand in his back pocket.... just in case.

one other thing if you can be bothered.... move the boat every day.

they hate borax, and mint i believe.

cheers

[seabug]

We mostly only get the small black ants here(Vic).

We have a sandy block ,and one year it cost $150 for sprays ,with little effect.

Then we used Borax ,sugar ,water mix .
2 Tablespoons of Borax,2 cups of sugar and enough water so that when it cools after dissolving the sugar it is like thin honey. Do not overcook or it will form a skin when used and the ants walk over it.
Use like ant rid.

I also trickled this mix around any ant nests that I could find.

That stopped the plague but we allways have some ants around.

Now I use Hortico Ant and Roach killer.
It is Pyrethrum based and stops them in there tracks.
Only costs about $13 a year.
It is a dust and has to be used whenever they try to get in the house.

Reckon we will allways have some ants.
Regards
seabug

[death_ship]

i just coat each end of the axle and the bottom of the jockey with surface spray, eventually they moved on

[PADDLES]

as annoying as the little buggers are, i've learnt to live with them. if they start a big trail inside i nuke em and i'll probably try a little dish of ant rid in the boat now you guys have given me the heads up. but the worst ones are the tiny little light brown ones that are less than half the size of the black ants, these little turds love electronics and set up house anywhere nice and cosy and warm like electronics enclosures on dishwashers, stoves etc.

[rodnreal]

i just did a ant cull around my place

I used ant and termite stuff from bunnings mixed in a spray bottle and went to town on them it was in a black bottle

havent seen an ant since

scotty


Scotty, they all when over to Poodroo's place LOL;D

[Rodman]

Mate

You must have left something eatible in your boat.
These black ants are good for your home as they attack termite nests.

Ken

[oldboot]

No food required.
The rain realy sets these little bliters off........ they up sticks and go looking for a high & dry home.......

cheers

[hondaguy]

try putting baby powder on the ground around your two wheeels and jockey wheel. they don't seem to like it and is safe and cheap

[Poodroo]

Scotty, they all when over to Poodroo's place LOL;D

LMAO. I was thinking the same thing. If I leave the ants alone and follow their trail I reckon I will find Scotty's place. ::)
Well I checked the boat again as soon as I came home and they're back. The persistent little turds found the boat under the pergola area so I have now used ant rid. Let's see how the buggers like that. :P Oh and to speed the death process up the ones that I could see copped a spray of fast knockdown Mortien. The new boat's wheels are sitting in puddles of water for now so the ants are leaving the new boat alone for the moment. Thanks for all your feedback guys. Much appreciated. Let's hope Aigutso doesn't get onto this thread. Don't want any cartoons circulating of Poodroo fighting a losing battle against the armies of ants. ;D

Poodroo

[sharkymark2]

Went to use the horn on the boat the other day and noticed it wasn't working so I gave it a few taps to see if it would come unstuck: blue blazes, I had a million of the little critters storming all over the place. Couldn't believe so many could fit into one tiny spot :(

[Barralundee]

Went out last weekend, first time in about a month. Went to get something out of the console and found little black things everyware. I evicted them whe back on dry land but after reading his I will be checking them tomorrow. Thanks for the post's some good info to wage a war against them if needed.

Ps I hope my GPS playing up had nothing to do with them. It was working OK the next day at home.

[jez and suze]

i was mesmerised a few weeks back by the genius of these little fellas....
i followd a trail that lead from the foot path to the wheel of my boat, up over the brakes and onto the trailer and along to where the rachet strap touches the trailer, up the strap and along untill the loose end of the strap hung down to the esky, down the esky to the floor of the boat all the way to the built in side pocket where a pilly was hiding then back along the trail with a small piece held proudly over head........my question......how the bloody hell did the first ant find this and remember how to get back and tell the others?.........i think they have inside connections with flies and get a lift to see whats around.

[PinHead]

after some careful consideration to your problem I have found the cure..a couple of these should do the trick

[jez and suze]

no good for inflatables

[Chimo]

:D I hate ants to the extent that I avoided this thread until I finally weakend today and had a look because I was amazed it was still running.;)

Anyhoo my departed Mum gave me this recipe that we and others have used with great success. ::)

MUM'S ANT FOOD:-*
1 cup of water
2 cups of sugar
2 tbsp Boracic acid
2 tbsp Borax

Mix and boil for 3 mins pour into storage bottle while hot.

To use, place out in shallow saucers or use a small quantity poured into a large eg 2 lt plastic bottle placed on its side to protect from weather

Bon appitite!!!

The latest addition,:-/ that I have not tried is to buy some string and the hottest chilli you can get. Wipe the string in the chilli and the ants are said to not cross the string.

I have some concerns about our weather and long term viability of this but under cover or inside it would make for an interesting trial.;D Maybe you could use the string to guide the ants to the bait;)

Cheers
Chimo :P

[webby]

Ants aint the problem here, i can cope with them, its the bloody mud wasp/hornets that build their mud nests every where in the boat, even fill the tell tale in with mud.
So all you experts how do you stop them ?????
regards

[Coastie]

Have you tried a golf tee in the telltale after flushing motor?

[oldboot]

Ahh another pet hate of big dave ( remember big dave, vermin hating ex pest controller).... sometimes I agree.

Arround his place ther are steel mesh swatters allover the place hung on hooks, cans of fly spray and a positively vengent attitude.
After youve had a variety of items built full of mud or worse gritty wax you;ll understand.
Dave will be working away or talking untill the tell tale buzzz. buzz buzz buzzzzzz is heard then everything stops and the hunt is on, if it is on the wing, it gets chased with a swatter, if it is found to be inside something out comes the spray withh the swatter at hand just in case......... of course everybody present is expected to join the hunt till the culpret is run down or escapes to the outside.

On of his more...... sneaky methods was to watch where a wasp went to get its mud.... and poison the mud patch.........not all that enviromentaly friendly but very effective.

lots of things don't work when bunged up by wasps.

I've taken to bunging up holes with whatever is appropriate...all my air tools have rubber stoppers over the connectors and lots of other stuff has masking tape over the holes that can be whipped of easy.

Watch out for your fire extinguisher...... they love building in the nozzles of those.
I have a little bit of masking tape over mine.

whats next toads, spiders, roaches.........snakes........oh big dave hates snakes.....he cant help himself, he has to look at anything long and thin on the ground to establish ... snake or not.......i think he had a nasty experience as a lad.

cheers

[Poodroo]

Ants aint the problem here, i can cope with them, its the bloody mud wasp/hornets that build their mud nests every where in the boat, even fill the tell tale in with mud.
So all you experts how do you stop them ?????
regards

Could always design or use something as a plug and make it part of the procedure when washing and packing the boat away after a trip to put the plug into the tell tale. Only thing would be remembering to take it back out again. Can't win them all. ::)

Poodroo

[FNQCairns]

Chimo me too on the holding off till I just had to look because it was still around.

Just a thought, it's not good practice to soak your tyres in water (strictly speaking) it may not make any difference to any one person though, by the numbers I understand it is a no-no.

cheers fnq

[oldboot]

Putting masking tape over the tell tale would be the best choice I think.

wash out then wipe the surface dry and apply a just wide enough piece of low tack tape....even if you forget to take it off, it wont last long with a bit of water and preasure.

cheers

[Far side]

The ants are seeking higher ground

Must be big rains comming

Works in the bush every time