I have these peppercorn looking mounds and I have no idea what they are. When you step on them they crush like powder but no ants come out.. there is a hole. I have seen termite trails and these do not look like them at all. it just looks like someone gently dropped black BBs.
I've put Diatomaceous earth on them but have no idea if that is having an effect.
any insight would be awesome!
Thank you!
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applestar
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If they WERE slime mold or tiny mushrooms, I would assume they had matured and the powdery substance would be spores.
OK -- are they ALL spherical like peppercorn and peppercorn size? Or are they more irregular and somewhat larger... And do they sometimes look like tiny volcano lava welling up? They could be earthworm castings.
BTW, why put DE on them if you don't know they're good or bad?
OK -- are they ALL spherical like peppercorn and peppercorn size? Or are they more irregular and somewhat larger... And do they sometimes look like tiny volcano lava welling up? They could be earthworm castings.
BTW, why put DE on them if you don't know they're good or bad?
all spherical... no volcano either just a mound.
given my past issues with the yard... I tend to kill first ask questions later... I am always comforted by the fact that if they are good there are thousands more in my yard doing whatever it is that they do. Also - I have renters next door who do NOTHING to their yard so right now there is a 12" wide layer of DE along the fence line.
Keep in mind I have nothing against fleas, ants or any other annoying bug I just prefer them not in my yard. if you have not priced flea protection lately holy junk man 360$/yr for 2 dogs... just for flea stuff... if I happen to kill a few earthworms with the DE... that is 10lb for $25.. so be it. sorry.. I digress...
anyway... DE only went on the bigger mounds... there are prolly 50 more that are still safe.... ....for the moment ;]
given my past issues with the yard... I tend to kill first ask questions later... I am always comforted by the fact that if they are good there are thousands more in my yard doing whatever it is that they do. Also - I have renters next door who do NOTHING to their yard so right now there is a 12" wide layer of DE along the fence line.
Keep in mind I have nothing against fleas, ants or any other annoying bug I just prefer them not in my yard. if you have not priced flea protection lately holy junk man 360$/yr for 2 dogs... just for flea stuff... if I happen to kill a few earthworms with the DE... that is 10lb for $25.. so be it. sorry.. I digress...
anyway... DE only went on the bigger mounds... there are prolly 50 more that are still safe.... ....for the moment ;]
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applestar
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- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Wah. Now I WANT to know what they are! 
So they are round and BB sized? I think I misunderstood before -- you're saying there is a hole in the bottom OF the .. er .. Dirtball? Not in the ground below? Are the holes always on the bottom side?
Only two critters I can think of that make perfectly spherical earth balls are dungbeetles (but theirs are much bigger, aren't they?) and potters wasps (about 1/2" diameter, and I find their mud balls stuck on walls, window screens, and garden furniture, not on the ground).
San Antonio... As in Texas, right? So maybe these are something I'm not familiar with.... Hmmm....
So they are round and BB sized? I think I misunderstood before -- you're saying there is a hole in the bottom OF the .. er .. Dirtball? Not in the ground below? Are the holes always on the bottom side?
Only two critters I can think of that make perfectly spherical earth balls are dungbeetles (but theirs are much bigger, aren't they?) and potters wasps (about 1/2" diameter, and I find their mud balls stuck on walls, window screens, and garden furniture, not on the ground).
San Antonio... As in Texas, right? So maybe these are something I'm not familiar with.... Hmmm....
They sound to me like the mounds dew worms/night crawlers make. Dew worms will come to the surface for oxygen when there is a heavy rain or when the lawn has been well watered. They do no harm and actually aerate the lawn. Not great having to walk across these mounds or mow over them. I just try and ignore them but you could rake the mounds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnPB0sS ... ata_player
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLhIXgG ... ata_player
My apologies... recorder did not fet the orientation correct
Let me know what u think
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLhIXgG ... ata_player
My apologies... recorder did not fet the orientation correct
Let me know what u think