A natural, safe fire ant control that WORKS

Most birds have learned, over the years, to eat ants. But not imported fire

ants – which are a relatively recent introduction to Texas. Maybe in a 15 or 20 generations, birds will learn how to get rid of ("eat") them. For now, though, I control fire ants by soaking the mound thoroughly with a liquid compost solution. I’m certainly no entomologist, but this homemade, non-poisonous solution works for me.  

I use a mixture of 40% orange oil, 40% compost tea and 20% liquid horticultural molasses (mixed thoroughly).  Then I mix about a half cup of this with one gallon of water, and saturate the whole fire ant mound with it (or a part of the mixture, depending on the size of the mound).  The ingredients cost considerably less than the poisonous stuff you buy in a store, and it works.

It doesn't poison them; it dissolves their exoskeleton. It takes about half an hour before the fire ants have all met their maker. Several days later I’ll add beneficial nematodes to the soil, to control them long term.

 

Black-chinned Hummingbirds

Hungry Hummingbirds     Hummingbirds have an extremely high rate of metabolism, and need to maintain their energy throughout the day. So they feed about 5 to 8 times per day.  When feeding, they actually lap nectar with tongues that are almost twice as long as their beaks (they don’t suck it). They lap incredibly fast - about 13 times per second.

 


 

Sometimes the Capistrano Swallows are a bit off

 

Cliff Swallow

You’ve probably heard of “the swallows returning to Capistrano”, like clockwork.  It was made famous in a '40s song.  St. Joseph's Day is the magic date for them to arrive at the old mission in California, and roost.  However, recent observations have them returning precisely on the stipulated day only twice. Once it was one day early. In 1993 they appeared three days early. In 2002 they arrived a whole week ahead of time, and in 1997 they were 10 days late. Nowadays, very few roost there at all.

 

The Cliff Swallows are affected by headwinds, tailwinds, and all the other intricacies of changing weather patterns in their migratory flight from South America. Also by the character of local land development. Not by superstition or faith. Very recently, the bulk of the swallows have not been roosting there at all, preferring nearby sites including highway underpasses and a high school. You see, development in the vicinity of the mission has changed the scenery very much. San Juan Capistrano used to be in the country; now the area is very "suburban".


Many Goldfinches have left north Texas by now, but some remain here. They'll head north sometime soon, and return again next fall. My advice is to leave your thistle (or "nyger") feeder up a little longer to let these stragglers eat. Hang a feeder next to it filled with sunflower seed (I prefer black-oil sunflower). The remaining Goldfinches will always have something to eat; sunflower if and when the thistle is gone; and our year-'round birds (Cardinals, Chickadees etc.) will continue to eat sunflower too.

Incidentally, the small black seed known as thistle (or "Nyger") is the only birdseed that does not stay viable for the following year.