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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,316 Likes: 301
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I'll swap you guys some fire ants for your snakes. I've never seen so many mounds pop up at once.
Of course they bit me before I saw the mounds.
Last edited by FireIsHot; 03/01/17 04:33 PM. Reason: ADHD
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Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344 Likes: 101
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Joined: Jun 2016
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You can keep your fire ants...no thank you!
Fish on!, Noel
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 887 Likes: 3
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Joined: Mar 2014
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I'll swap you guys some fire ants for your snakes. I've never seen so many mounds pop up at once.
Of course they bit me before I saw the mounds. I was walking around pond last night and the # of fire ant mounds are crazy! I need to find a pond safe treatment fast.
1.8 acre pond with CNBG, RES, HSB, and LMB Trophy Hunter feeder.
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,954 Likes: 184
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,954 Likes: 184 |
Ugh fire ants suck! They are bad around here also
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 557
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 557 |
Pond safe treatment on fire ant mounds? Boiling water. Or urine.
Leave the mount alone (so that the queen doesn't grab her heels and run), boil enough water to completely saturate the mound, and then pour the boiling water down the mound. Boiling water will kill the queen and all other ants it hits.
The key is the queen. Don't disturb the mound and have enough water to flood it out.
Regarding urine, it also can work. Just enjoy those 64 ounce gatorade bottles, save up the urine, remember to cap it after each urination, and then when you have enough in the jug go drop it on the mount same as boiling water. I think boiling water is more effective as instant death, but I have learned that fire ants do not like to get pissed on, so I started saving the urine up and man does it make them move away. But they just move to another area. Urine will kill some ants, but not as many as boiling water.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,059 Likes: 278
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,059 Likes: 278 |
A long time ago a friend went to work for a pesticide company. They wanted to test their new fire ant concoction and he went to my place. They concluded that their new poison was no more effective than any other one. In other words, it didn't work.
Now, I dig/stir up a nest, squirt it with charcoal lighter fluid, and torch it. I do it over the course of several days. It works somewhat but they always seem to regroup.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 557
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 557 |
A long time ago a friend went to work for a pesticide company. They wanted to test their new fire ant concoction and he went to my place. They concluded that their new poison was no more effective than any other one. In other words, it didn't work.
Now, I dig/stir up a nest, squirt it with charcoal lighter fluid, and torch it. I do it over the course of several days. It works somewhat but they always seem to regroup. Try boiling water. Or your lighter route, but don't disturb the mound. As high as the mound is it is also deep. The queen is at the bottom. By the time you start to make too much noise above or worse touch the mound the queen is gone. That is likely why you see the regrouping - you've made your presence known and the queen departs.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,059 Likes: 278
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,059 Likes: 278 |
A friend told me that he stirs the mound and then sprays with pesticide. He does it several times and then spreads poison granules. His theory is that by reducing most of the workers, they are suckers for the poison and feed it to the queen. However, my bee keeping experience tells me that they can raise a new queen in a hurry.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 997 Likes: 57
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 997 Likes: 57 |
I observed a higher percentages of non-rattling rattle snakes over the last 8-9 years on our west Texas property. This was before we got a population of Javenina(no hogs).
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,954 Likes: 184
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,954 Likes: 184 |
Dawn soap and 5 gallon bucket and drench them ... kills the s... out of them
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 557
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 557 |
A friend told me that he stirs the mound and then sprays with pesticide. He does it several times and then spreads poison granules. His theory is that by reducing most of the workers, they are suckers for the poison and feed it to the queen. However, my bee keeping experience tells me that they can raise a new queen in a hurry. Dave - Your mileage will definitely improve if you leave the mound undisturbed before treating it. The queen will scoot right fast when it is disturbed and so if she survives you're just going to get a new mound elsewhere. From http://fireant.tamu.edu/controlmethods/ : "These treatments are most effective when ants are nesting close to the mound surface (as they do when the temperature is mild). Colonies should not be disturbed during treatment."
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,059 Likes: 278
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,059 Likes: 278 |
Looks like I stand corrected. Thanks. I really only mess with the ones close to the house and on the point where I keep my feeder. So far, they haven't gotten into the feeder but I can't figure out why. They must not like fish food.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 400
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 400 |
Ok guys, I discussed the snake vaccine with my vet. The shot is good for pit vipers, so it should work for rattle snakes, copper heads, water moccasin. It's cheap insurance, my vet charges 16 bucks. We were going to do it today, but my pup has a urinary infection and was running fever.
As soon as she gets well, I will get her the shot.
The vet says if they get bit, it helps with the reaction.
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57 |
Thank you for posting about the vaccine. Going to look into that
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Tracy
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 997 Likes: 57
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 997 Likes: 57 |
Name the thing that doesn't belong in this picture. Tis the season.
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,796 Likes: 71
Hall of Fame 2014
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Hall of Fame 2014
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,796 Likes: 71 |
answer....my bare foot!
what kind of snake is that?
Fishing has never been about the fish....
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,507 Likes: 269
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,507 Likes: 269 |
I note that the door is unlocked but you have a hidden guard snake !
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Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 61
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Joined: Aug 2015
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I can't believe a rattlesnake is laying there "thinking" oh, here comes a hog! Shhhhhh! He might eat me! Haven't you ever heard of 100 Rattlesnake syndrome? It is similar to 100 monkey syndrome.
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 997 Likes: 57
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 997 Likes: 57 |
answer....my bare foot!
what kind of snake is that? Juvenile cotton mouth.
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,012
Hall of Fame
Junior Member
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Hall of Fame
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Did you give him (or her) a "love tap" with a shovel? If so, I guess you'll have to find another guard
1 ac pond LMB, BG, RES, CC
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Joined: Nov 2014
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Joined: Nov 2014
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I'll swap you guys some fire ants for your snakes. I've never seen so many mounds pop up at once.
Of course they bit me before I saw the mounds. Wood county for me and they are bad this year where I live. Saw a black rat snake up by the house which is fine with me as long as it doesn't bother me much. I really dislike mice more than non-venomous snakes.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,059 Likes: 278
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,059 Likes: 278 |
Bad in Montague County also.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57 |
I have less snakes this week than I had last week. I have killed around 15 in the last couple of weeks, 3 were venomous wm and two were copperheads. The rest were water snakes. I used to let some pass but not any more, I hate the dam things.
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Tracy
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712 Likes: 3
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712 Likes: 3 |
I sure got a snake surprise last night while out with my flyrod.
My ponds have been way above full-pool for the last several weeks. Thus, my pond water edges are up in the high weeds and bushes around the edges of my ponds.
The water temperatures have finally gotten the fish active in just the last few days. Because of the high water, I still can't get close to the water's edge in most places. The fish are greatly enjoying these areas.
Yesterday evening I was using my 4/5 flyrod with about a #6 long-shank wire hook, baited with one of Dave Davidson's scary "Texas Jumper" worms. I was casting it as close to the weed edge as possible. I was getting quite a few small/medium bluegill, some small LMB, and even a few small channel cats.
Then I got something that was really odd as soon as the baited hook hit the edge of the weeds and brush. It felt like a stick, but then it would pull back into the weeds.
As I pulled it to where I could finally see it, I saw that it was a very aggravated and extremely agitated black racer snake, about 4-foot long.
We have a lot of black racer snakes in our area. Lots of them are out looking for spring break one-night-stands when our spring-time temperatures get into the 70s/80s.
Over the years, I've moved countless black racers from around the house and garage. The worst things they usually do is peeing all over my arm when I pick them up to safely move them.
This one had no intention of letting me pick it up to pull the hook out of its mouth. It was also in and out of the water. With the equivalent of about a 2# leader, I couldn't do much to lift or guide it. Even if I could have done so, I don't think I'd have had much luck grabbing it just behind the head to keep it from biting me. I've never seen such an angry black racer before.
I finally let out a number of feet of line, snapped my flyrod as hard as I could in hopes of breaking the leader. After several snaps, the hook pulled out of the snake's mouth. It lodged in my left pinky finger!
The snake won!
The worm was missing.
Ken
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Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
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My First
by x101airborne - 05/05/24 07:39 AM
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