I Found Fire Ants

[mangum]

Went to a local park yesterday evening, started digging a target then realized very quickly I was digging in a fire ant nest. So all I got out of yesterdays hunt is a swollen hand ... (and a crap load of trash & pull tabs)

 

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[cactusrat]

Why do Fire Ants seem to always build their nest next to a good target?


Fire Ants are a every day occurrence in the woods, pastures, parks, road right a ways, and yards around here.

In between work and play, I get stung by ants every week.

Another good reason to wear gloves.

Oh yea, I HATE fire ants!

 

[old digger]

OW! OUCH! OW! OW! OUCH! CRAP! OUCH! Darn ANTS! Hope your hand gets to feeling better. Out here in Mt. I usually check out the red ant hills for fossils (star crinoids, and trade beads, and have found a few. The ants either collect them or remove them from their burrows and place them on their mounds. Possibily the smalls little rocks insulate or warm up the nest below, not certain. Better Luck next time!

 

[ticm]

Went to a local park yesterday evening, started digging a target then realized very quickly I was digging in a fire ant nest. So all I got out of yesterdays hunt is a swollen hand ... (and a crap load of trash & pull tabs)

Noting much worse then a bunch of pissed off fire ants.

 

[Chips]

Reminds me of leprechauns guarding a pot of gold. Over here we have annoying yellow jackets (wasps). I got stung two weeks ago :< but hey am going back there again. There were some nice readings coming back from the detector.
We're not crazy , we are detectorists.
Good luck out there

 

[Mzjavert]

With Fire Ants you just need to follow the instructions...One bottle of rubbing alcohol + one match = fire ants are really fire ants...

 

[Tenspeed]

I hope you are enjoyng the MXT Pro Josh. Sorry about the fire ants. John and I both found them when we were hunting Saturday (at least I got a silver ring with what I hope are diamonds). They do hurt and seem to be everywhere now.

Keep at it and the silver will come. Got number 93 yesterday in a 64 Roosevelt.

 

[stefen]

Kerosene works too...

 

[ivan salis]

fire ants called that because of 2 reasons --#1 if they sting you--you feel like your on fire --and #2 the best way to get rid of em is to pour a bit of gas on their nest and let it soak in for a bit (to get the flammible fumes deep within the nest )and then its --flame on time --die die die you stinking ants -- once at night i walked out to my car to get my detector out and did not know i had parked next to HUGE ant nest -- first thing i knew I was bit from ankle to knees on both legs by over 100 ants (counted the bite marks later on)-- i had so much ant venom in me that by the time i got to my house door I was shaking like a leaf *(think I was going into shock) thank god the wife had both benydril pills and calimine lotion with benydril she gave me pills and rubbed both my legs down with lotion --most likely saved my life . --I could not go out like that -- well how did he die?---oh a ant bite killed him.

 

[bsloan]

OW! OUCH! OW! OW! OUCH! CRAP! OUCH! Darn ANTS! Hope your hand gets to feeling better. Out here in Mt. I usually check out the red ant hills for fossils (star crinoids, and trade beads, and have found a few. The ants either collect them or remove them from their burrows and place them on their mounds. Possibily the smalls little rocks insulate or warm up the nest below, not certain. Better Luck next time!

I can't remember for sure if it's in Az or NM, but a lot of people collect garnets from the ant hills. Great lookin' stones if you can find them.

Bill

 

[worldtalker]

Noting much worse then a bunch of pissed off fire ants.

Yes there is, a bunch of pissed off yellow jackets!!!!!!!

 

[PYRATE]

Bad luck... I hate the tiny critters with a passion.

We've only had a problem w/ fire ants in the QC for about 10 years now, but they've completely taken over some areas.

Best advice is to watch for the mounds, but if stung anything mildly acidic like vinegar will help if applied immediately (their venom is alkaline)

 

[WHADIFIND]

Went to a local park yesterday evening, started digging a target then realized very quickly I was digging in a fire ant nest. So all I got out of yesterdays hunt is a swollen hand ... (and a crap load of trash & pull tabs)

Fire ants gotta eat too.

But, we don't HAVE to offer ourselves up on the menu. LOL

My sympathies.

HH!

 

[JimDon]

Got bit four times two weeks ago and the welts are just going away now. It was a good hunt and glad you could join me. Would have missed my gold chain of we had gone to my first choice site.

 

[mangum]

I hope you are enjoyng the MXT Pro Josh. Sorry about the fire ants. John and I both found them when we were hunting Saturday (at least I got a silver ring with what I hope are diamonds). They do hurt and seem to be everywhere now.

Keep at it and the silver will come. Got number 93 yesterday in a 64 Roosevelt.

Hardy, I am enjoying it, ready to do some relic hunting soon too!

 

[oldsalty19]

 

[gypsybandit]

hate fireants and poison oak roots... be careful my friend .. hunt safe..GLOVES.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Yeah, when I moved down south I had no idea what fire ants were. Sad to say, I know well what they are now! Steer clear!

 

[cntrydncr1]

ouch!! I had 2 bite and was in agony for 2 weeks. I hate them!

 

[IAMZIM]

OW! OUCH! OW! OW! OUCH! CRAP! OUCH! Darn ANTS! Hope your hand gets to feeling better. Out here in Mt. I usually check out the red ant hills for fossils (star crinoids, and trade beads, and have found a few. The ants either collect them or remove them from their burrows and place them on their mounds. Possibily the smalls little rocks insulate or warm up the nest below, not certain. Better Luck next time!

That is really interesting... I have personally seen where ants have used cape emeralds, garnets, diamonds and other gemstones on thier mound piles in southern Wyoming. It is speculated that they use them to "armor" thier mounds. I have also heard of emerald hunters looking for emeralds on ant mounds to figure out where a good area would be to dig for the emeralds.