r/composting • u/FreakyGlock • Jun 06 '26
Humor Ants Declared War
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So I climbed on top of my pile to shovel a hole in the center and I felt a sting on my ankle. They were all over my pants and all the way up to my thighs. Jumped off the pile, frantically started stripping my pants, socks and shoes off.
Now it is war. Hopefully the neighbors didn’t see much. 😂
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u/Mysterious-Alps-5186 Jun 06 '26
In canada when it comes to a agreesive enemy we break out the good ol Geneva checklist!
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u/tinymeatsnack Jun 06 '26
Soak it!
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u/FreakyGlock Jun 06 '26
It’s been raining hard all day so hopefully they’ll move out now.
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u/Amateur_Liqueurist Jun 07 '26
Not rain brother. Golden rain.
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u/pdel26 Jun 06 '26
All you need to do is spray with a hose while you turn it the next few times. It's too dry. Keeping consistent moisture will make the ants move out and decomposition happen faster
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u/ImaginaryRest2203 Jun 06 '26
Piss on them
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u/mothershipgenetics Jun 07 '26
This is the way. Unironically. Piles too dry if ants are that plentiful right?
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u/toxcrusadr Jun 07 '26
Actually this is probably what it needs: more nitrogen. Pile looks like it has a lot of sticks and shredded wood and stuff. Would make good mulch in its present state but needs nitrogen to compost faster. Diluted ammonia works and may even chase off the ants.
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u/FreakyGlock Jun 07 '26
Definitely lots of wood. It was a couple chip drops. It was double this size but I used about half as mulch, now I’m letting it break down. I’ve been adding grass clippings as I mow my lawn and it’s been raining non stop.
First attempt at composting. My plan is to let it decompose until next year and then hopefully, I can use it to amend my poor sandy soil which nothing grows well in.
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u/toxcrusadr Jun 07 '26
You’re doing great! Keep going. If the ants are a real problem, boiling water discourages them. You can use molten lead a la the Hunchback but it kinda ruins the product.
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u/biochemical1 Jun 06 '26
I had some in my pile, turned it and soaked it down. Now they set up shop about 10ft away in a old pallet turned plant box. Biting bastards.
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u/decomposition_ Jun 06 '26
Beating the dead horse of “piss on it hurrdurr” aside, they’re good for your compost since they are moving things around and aerating your pile
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u/dhoepp Jun 07 '26
I caught a whole bunch of ants fighting the other day. This was the closest picture I got.
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u/BallsForBears Jun 08 '26
Funny, my compost pile is the only place I don’t have ant problems. Guessing it’s too hot for them
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Jun 06 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Glittering-Art2922 Jun 06 '26
DE doesn’t work on these guys like that… I’ve dumped copious amounts into some of my serious infestations and they literally just move a couple inches away and carry on like nothing happened. I guess it kills the really young ones and the larva but the workers just pick it up and move it. I’ve watched it too many times now. I now use a torch, it isn’t all that effective but it definitely satisfies me a little bit 😅
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u/Jamstoyz Jun 06 '26
A torch? What ever happened to the good ol magnifying glass 😄
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u/Glittering-Art2922 Jun 07 '26
I never was one to enjoy the killing or suffering of anything, but now they tear my son up and I feel like scorching the earth 😅 must be my dad-mones or something.
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u/somedumbkid1 Jun 06 '26
Now that's a stroke of luck. Now you don't have to do anything but draw from the pile when you need it. Ants in your pile is the best.
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u/sushdawg Jun 07 '26
Fire ants are awful. I abandoned a compost pile entirely because of them.
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u/somedumbkid1 Jun 07 '26
Luckily I don't have them where I live. Or maybe I do and just have been lucky. Who can say?
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u/florpynorpy Jun 06 '26
In the grim darkness of compost, there is only war.