12 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 1740. 
DESTRUCTION OF LAWN ANTS. 
In the case of lawn ants where only a small area with few nests 
are concerned, drenching the nests with boiling water or injecting a 
small quantity of kerosene or coal oil will be effective, and similar 
treatment will apply to nests between or beneath paving stones. 
Another simple means of destroying such ants in lawns of small 
extent is to spray the lawns with kerosene emulsion (see Farmers’ 
Bulletin 127) or with a very strong soap wash, prepared by dissolv- 
ing any common laundry soap in water at the rate of from half a 
pound to a pound of soap to the gallon of water. 
An effective control method for larger ant colonies is to inject into 
the nest a quantity of bisulphide of carbon, a chemical which can be’ 
purchased at any drug store. This substance can be placed in the 
nest with an oil can, or small syringe, the quantity varying from 
half an ounce for a very tiny nest to 2 or 3 ounces or more, depending 
on the size of the nest. An oil can or syringe with a long spout is 
convenient for this purpose, as this can be inserted into the nests 
and the liquid injected without its being too near the operator’s nose. 
To facilitate entrance of the chemical, the ant hole can be enlarged 
with a sharp stick or iron rod. The depth of the injection will de- 
pend on the size of the nest—from an inch or two to greater depths. 
After injection of the bisulphide of carbon the entrance opening 
should be closed by pressure of the foot to retain the bisulphide, 
which will then penetrate slowly throughout the underground chan- 
nels of the nest and kill the inmates. The efliciency of this remedy is 
increased by covering the nest immediately after the injection with a 
wet blanket or other heavy cloth, to better retain the fumes of the 
chemical. Buisulphide of carbon has a very disagreeable odor, but its 
fumes are not poisonous to higher animals. As already noted, it 
should be kept away from fire, as its fumes are inflammable and may 
explode if ignited, much like gasoline vapor. 
PROTECTION FROM THE CARPENTER ANT. 
The method of protection from damage by the carpenter ant is 
practically the same as that employed to protect. from termites, 
namely, preventing the ants from gaining access to foundation tim- 
bers by using in the foundations only timbers which have been pre- 
viously impregnated with creosote. Ants infesting house timbers 
which have not been so protected may sometimes be reached and 
killed by the abundant use of kerosene injected by means of a syringe 
or, where the timbers are accessible, by spraying or soaking them with 
kerosene. All timbers which have been mined and weakened should, 
however, be replaced with timbers protected with creosote. 
1A special publication on white ants (Department Bulletin No. 333, prepared in the 
Bureau of Entomology) has been issued by the Department of Agriculture and may be had 
on application. 
WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1916 
