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We have been very busy out in the yard lately. Since we moved here in January we have found that clean up after winter and summer storms can be very time consuming. The yard has many trees and a few of them like to drop branches every chance they get. The trees in the front have dropped big branches that got stuck in the phone lines on two separate occasions now.

After the last storm we found a big branch behind the garage. When I went to pick it up I found that it was not solid on the inside. It looked a bit hallow. So I talked to some family members that told me that black ants tend to eat Boxwood trees. So I looked around the tree and sure enough there were black ants around it.

Before I could do anything about the ants a large section of tree had fallen. James came home the other day to find that one third of the tree had snapped and it was hanging down still partly attached. This time there was not a storm or even high winds. This is not a small tree. The section was so big that he had to cut it up with the chain saw so we could carry it away. The tree is still big. It is just missing a section. It is actually so big that unless you actually look up between the branches you will not even notice the part that broke off.

So now is where I started worrying and did some research online. I found out that the ants are not the cause of the problem. The ants just come because the tree is already wet and rotting on the inside. So getting rid of the ants will not solve the problem. We also found earwigs all over the section that fell. We love all the trees we have around the house but now I am worried that more big sections will fall. I do not want them to fall into the house or garage.

I also learned a few other things while doing my research online. First off I learned that when you get rid of the rotting parts of tree the ants will come into your house looking for more food. Eek!!! Thanks to two gardening websites I learned some things that should help me. So I will share them with you.

Getting Rid Of Ants

Mix ½ teaspoon of boric acid powder (available at the drug store) and 5 teaspoons of sugar into a cup of water; make sure the boric acid is dissolved. Then, poke holes in a small margarine container, going all around about a half inch from the top, and fill it with cotton balls. Pour the solution into this container, soaking the cotton balls, and snap on the lid. Place the container in an area away from pets and children, but where you have seen or suspect the ants of entering. They will suck the solution out of the soggy cotton balls (these balls create a footing so the ants won't drown), return to their nest, and feed the colony, thereby destroying it.

Keeping Earwigs Out Of Your House

Earwigs like to eat dead insects and dead plant material. When it gets hot in the summer they tend to come into homes. They are looking for wet conditions and paper or other fibrous things. You can help reduce the chances of getting earwigs by keeping the kitchen, basement, and bathrooms dry. Daily vacuuming and sweeping helps as does not leaving newspapers laying around. Yep, that means no more men leaving the newspaper in the bathroom. Finally we have a reason they can understand for them not leaving the newspaper laying around. Outside the home you should make sure to keep all leaves and mulch away from the house. Especially away from windows and doorways. This is like setting up a welcome mat for them straight into your home.