Thai ants are active animals
House and garden are sprayed every two months by a company that claims to control vermin. That is a dire necessity, because otherwise the entire trade will be in the hands of cockroaches and ants in the shortest possible time.
Fortunately, we have almost no problems with cockroaches in the current house. When we still lived in a townhouse it was a bit different. After the spraying, about thirty very large cockroaches walked like idiots through the house, coming from the drains. When the world ends, these beasts will live…
But then the ants! And not one kind, but a piece or four. The red ants are mainly found in the mango trees, which are very similar to our forest ants. They can bite badly, although the itch is over after a few minutes. The pest controllers try to use spray to hit the nests in the trees, made of bent tree leaves. Don't stand under it when a few million raging ants fall down.
Just as big are the black boys, who busily scour the terrace for something edible, but don't feel like wasting their poison on people. So they are difficult, but harmless, just like an even smaller species. That makes the kitchen unsafe. Leave something edible on the counter and these ants will attack it. I haven't caught them biting yet.
A few months ago I was sitting on an old desk chair at a garage. Back behind the wheel it started to itch everywhere. The result of biting tiny ants. My girlfriend pinched them to death on my neck while driving, but the bugs left big bumps. So not recommended.
Destructive are the termites, small, white creatures. They eat at the woodwork and when you realize that, it's already too late. My German neighbor was able to demolish and replace his entire kitchen. The woodwork is burned outside.
When the fighters have sprayed their stuff in the house and garden, we are out of trouble for a few weeks, against payment of THB 600 per time, depending on the size of the house and garden. To do this, they also check for termites and inject special poison into holes that they prick in the woodwork with an awl. According to them, the 'normal' poison is not dangerous for humans. But every time there are different Thai syringes, so whether that is correct is still very much the question.
Nb This article was written when Hans Bos was still living in Bangkok, he currently lives in Hua Hin.
You can fight the red ants in the (mango) tree biologically by removing the nests or having them removed.
The ants themselves and their eggs are a delicacy in Isaan. I'm crazy about it myself.
With regard to the small black and large ones, you have to be careful not to leave any leftover food, including crumbs. Then it should work out…
The little red one is really a brood of vipers, if you don't disturb their nest by unwittingly sitting near it or destroying it unknowingly, there's not much to worry about either.
Be aware that these ants have an important function.
Regards Joy
The big red ants do indeed love the mango tree.
It was close to my house so I cut it down. (Have it cut down)
I will buy those mangoes at the market.
Furthermore, you are a happy person with only 4 different types of ants.
I have a whole assortment that alternate over the course of a year.
Those little red ones (I think a transparent body with a red head 0,5mm in size) bite viciously.
Then there are those very small, barely visible, that emerge in huge numbers, if there is something to eat.
Then various other flavors of red and black.
And to top it off the ants? digging through my grout.
Incidentally, pesticides are only harmless to the Thai.
As a foreigner I would steer clear of them spraying, then venting thoroughly, and cleaning up anything food related after the poisonous clouds have descended.
Cockroaches are basically found in the port cities. Spraying does not help, as soon as they feel poison they drop the eggs and 3 months later I have cockroaches again. So spray in cavities and along skirting boards within 3 months.
Spraying your entire garden is nice and healthy for you and the neighbors. In Thailand poison is sprayed, which is no longer allowed in the rest of the world and then without a mask, at most a balaclava.
The very small ants in the kitchen can even go into closed sandwich spread jars, even the peanut butter. That's why the refrigerators in Thailand are so big.
My new laptop has been colonized by the little red ant…nothing you can do about it…the keyboard has become unusable.
we have insect repellent in the socket in every room. Then we also spray everywhere once a week. Must say, for the time being the nice animal remains free
Eh it's a misunderstanding to think that the red and heavy ants are nice. My wife is terrified of the black. When bitten by this, she gets red spots and shock reactions. Hypersensitive.
I spent about 5 weeks back at my mother-in-law's house pruning the mango tree and so I got bitten by the yellow one in 4 places.
Do not post photos, but I had 4 dark red spots of at least 15 by 8 cm that blistered. Had the idea that the skin was dissolving. Didn't look. Like severe burns.
Went to the hospital and got two creams and pills from the dermatologist. To be sure, photos forwarded to the GP in the Netherlands. With the description and photos of the ants. Fortunately, I got the same advice as from the dermatologist here. Am 5 weeks further but the spots are still visible.
So the ants are not as nice as some here scare.
To keep ants out, even though everything is open all day, I use blackboard chalk. The old blackboard chalk works excellent, draw a continuous piece on your tiles I do that on my terrace and they do not cross the line, make sure there is no break in the line. After mopping/cleaning, put a new line…. As already written, they are also useful critters….