Odd question.. ant hills and horses?

J

JaneMBE

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Red ants, build up a huge hill. If a horse were to disturb it, stand oin it or kick it etc, would it be a problem?

having a huge phobia about ants, I was wondering if they would smother a horse?
How do you get rid of the hills? It is making me itch and squirm even writing this! (as a child i got covered in the wretched things)
 
My sympathies, we had dozens of ant mountains, big ones, about 18" high. The horses seemed to enjoy dozing with a back leg resting on them.....weird. The ants only got cross, and presumably bit when the hill was actually broken as the horses would wander off and scratch or shake their legs. I don't think they'd do a horse any harm unless the horse couldn't get away or was particularly sensitive to their bite?



I used to attack them with a shovel, it was the only way, cut the top off and just keep on shovelling until it was level, taking breaks to get angry ants off the handle etc, vicious little sods, but I suppose they are only protecting their home. Have you got a harrow? That might finish them off for you if they are levelled a bit first.
 
Talc kills black ants in the house but I think its illegal to destroy ant hill--something about nature conserventory and woodpeckers (they feed off the ants)
 
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Talc kills black ants in the house but I think its illegal to destroy ant hill--something about nature conserventory and woodpeckers (they feed off the ants)

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Really?
shocked.gif
Oh dear. I won't voice my opinions publicly on that then.

I did find this, but it applies to Germany:
Germany has introduced new laws making it illegal to kill ants and appointed 85 ant protection officers to protect the insects. Homeowners and gardeners who attempt to destroy an anthill or underground nest will face hefty fines if caught. They must now apply for a permit from their local forestry office to have the ants carefully moved to local woods.

"People with an ant hill in their garden must under no circumstances resort to the use of poison," said senior ant protection officer Dieter Kraemer. . .
He added that ants were highly valued by German foresters for eating insects which attack trees.

 
Me? Flatten anthills?
shocked.gif
So, someone was hiding behind that rather worried looking sheep on the side of a windswept Welsh mountain!
 
hmm. The ant hill(s) are in my garden!
shocked.gif

Never seen a woodpecker here feeding on the things.

i need to get rid of them, there aint no way I can use my garden in summer with those monsters!

Please note though, I have a phobia about them and could not bash themm, they might get on me somehow and that would not be nice (for me!)

If OH has to do them then I am gone for the day, in case they march down to the house!
 
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