Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Fire ants and the Mongoose



Okay, here it is 0030 and I forgot to post a Blog entry. My schedule gets discombobulated in North Carolina.
Do you have fire ants where you live?
WE had a discussion here in the motor home today about the suckers. I understand they are native to Brazil and entered the USA at the port of Mobile in the 1930s.


I had heard a comment about some tough ants inching up from Florida to North Carolina in the 1970’s but thought nothing about them. On one Christmas trip to Florida with Sonny & Colette we were driving North on I-95 when Sonny said 'pull over at the next little white hill you see on the side of the road.' I saw one and did.


Sonny got out and kicked the hill. He got the surprise of his life. He had a tough time getting them off his leg and out of his shoe.  He also got bit  a few times.  He had also read that Fire Ants were on their way and he wanted to meet them. HE DID!
 (Below, from the internet, Fire ant bits or stings)

It is amazing to me how they have spread. I doubt if we will EVER rid the USA of them. 


(I have seen plenty of pastures in Florida with this many hills)

The country of Jamaica was once over run with huge rats. Someone came up with the idea of bringing in the mongoose to kill the rats that were destroying the Sugar cane.  Now there are less rats in Jamaica but millions of the mongoose (I heard while there). They have about made extinct all birds that nest on the ground.

I guess that backs up the statement heard often, “The cure is sometimes worse than the problem.”

If I am wrong about Jamaica please let me know I hate to be the origin of fake news!
Nite y’all.  And………..
Nite Shipslog

1989 Fords



9 comments:

TARYTERRE said...

Fire Ant bites are the worst. I avoid those hills when at all possible.

Rick Watson said...

I don't know about Jamaica but there's a bunch of them here in Empire.

shirl72 said...

Working in the yard I got bit by a fire ant on my foot. It took forever to stop itching. I should have had socks on..I wasn't aware they were that bad. I have never had a problem before this year. It finally got better after putting Neosporin on it every day. I will wear socks when working in the yard.

Lisa said...

We get fire ant hills in our yard sometimes. Nick pours a killer solution on them but im sure they just go build elswhere. I was bit by an ant once and it burnt and stung a lot! Im not sure it was a fire ant because there wasnt a swarm of them but it sure hurt like fire! Now excuse me while I google "mongoose"

From The West side
Lisa

betty said...

I am not sure we have fire ants here, but I know we got scorpions. Also got the killer bees. Better to always be careful when outside.

Betty

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

My first exposure to fire ants was when visiting one of my sons when he lived in Mississippi. They are horrible. Thankfully they do not exist in my part of the country. One more reason I love Ohio. We are having some very summer like days here right now hope you are having some great days there too.

Dar said...

Like 'MA' in Ohio, Hi MA, this far north in WI we don't have fire ants but we sure have the Asian Beetle that was brought in to control the Army Worms which we still have oodles of. It's a lose-lose situation, I guess....
We also do get tornadoes as was on the national news this morning showing Chetek's damage just 10-12 miles from Andy's home. The tornado followed right down my son's road, skipping right over his house, thank God. My prayers for the families that did loose their lives and homes. Too close to home.
love n' hugs.......step carefully. Those nasty fire ants are not friendly as I know well from TX visits.

Unknown said...

YOU would NEVER be the source of 'fake' news. LOL

Paula said...

Yes we have fire ants here and they are plentiful.