steve hiker should be happy

“The Associated Press reports that a fire ant suppression study has been so successful in South Carolina that it's been expanded to four other states. The Clemson University project involves a combination of insecticides and a fly that kills ants by laying eggs inside their bodies. The fly larvae then slowly eat the ant's head. YUM!”

“50 years from now they will discover that the fly is worse that fire ants. At least for something, maybe not for the same reason fire ants are bad.

Of course, fire ants have only recently invaded my area, and I don't have any mounds in my backyard, so WTFDIK.”

“I concur. The idea of "introducting" additional non-native predators hasn't seemed to work in the past, because the plans are so short-sighted.”

“Yep. The flies will end up destroying some indigenous species that was doing something beneficial, or something. Damn the fire ants, but gotta learn to live with em.”

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUKKIN MINDS? Fire ants are OF THE DEVIL. Pure savage hell!!!!

Hey if a nuclear bomb would get rid of fire ants I'd consider it. You people are nuts. Scared of a little fly compared to fire ants? NUTS!

Let's look at the critics:

Bitpusher admits fire ants have only recently invaded his area -- YOU'LL CHANGE YOUR TUNE SOON BIT

Stumprider lives in Illinois -- no fire ants.

Phaedrus lives in California -- no fire ants (until very recently in Orange County)

THE ONLY GOOD FIRE ANT IS A DEAD FIRE ANT -- BY ANY MEANS”

“Running girl do you have a web link to the article? I'd like to check it out. I've heard of that fly being tested in Florida a few years ago but haven't heard anything since.

Which other four states is this godsend being used in?”

“Cool! A new acronym for the list.

But WTFDIK?

RTFM!”

“steve, what i posted is all i know. it was just a little blurb. i thought of you right away.”

“Steve, I lived in NM up until a year ago. I know all about them. I found that a good dose of ditumaceous earth twice a week for two weeks on all spots they cropped up got them to move to my neighbors yard. Problem solved.”

“Steve is right on this one.”

“I have only one aunt left. I'd kinda like to keep her.

BTW there are fire ants in Illinois.”

“I saw an episode of "King of the Hill" where they used that fly to kill ants.

What relevance this has, I know not.”

“Once the ANTS are consumed by the flies, what will they eat next? Elderly or infants?”

“LOL Stump! Maybe they'll eat you.

BTW a few years ago they attacked a hospital patient here in Louisiana, killing him. Swarmed his head, went down his airpipe, killed him. Viscious creatures.”

“Fire ants, that is (not flies).”

“whoa...remind me not to be hospitalized in Louisiana”

“I didn't think I would ever find myself totally agreeing with steve hiker on an issue,,,,but,,,,he is correct. Fire ants have become a probelm in Memphis and yes, bitpusher, when they invade your yard, you will go to no ends to exterminate the little bastards.

I have been using Ortho Fire Ant Killer with pretty good results so far.”

“Violin's foot?”

“Yes, the Ortho stuff works well, but what happens here in Texas is the fire ants eat all the scorpions. So, if you kill off the fire ants, the scorpions come back...

Hmmm..talk about the lesser of two evils..it's much easier to keep fire ants out of the house than scorpions!!”

“I use a blend I call bug juice. It's strong chewing tobacco tea, generic listerine, and a little dish soap to increase absorbability. I use it in a hose end sprayer for most of the yard, but stronger concentrations in a spray bottle for other nasties. Drops wasps and widows in seconds. Smells a little funny for a few days, but really keeps the fire ants out of the yard.”

“I don't know if you can get a bug spray with nicotine sulfate in it anymore, but the nicotine in the chewing tobacco is probably doing most of the work in that formula. Nicotine sulfate used to be the main ingredient in a lot of bug sprays.”