Cob: Flying ants? and red ants in new cob bench??????

Sat Oct 12 16:17:34 CDT 2002

Yikes, just went up to look at the aforementioned cob bench which a group of us worked on last Saturday - the cob = 2 seperate stages - one underneath the other - the top cob is still wet after almost 3 days of rain - it was covered with plastic and held down with large stones so rain did not get in.  The cob is above a dry wall rock base (not dry wall used on walls inside - just rock stacked without mortar) and it is about 8 inches high now = 9 feet long on foundation of tamped earth tires (3).
However, lifting up the cover to show someone working in my gardens today, I was astonished to find literally hundreds, perhaps thousands of winged ants and llittle red ants marching up all one side and in and out theholes for drying - what do I do?  I have an organic herb farm (certified for 3 years, still using same practices) and am chemically sensitive, so I do not use pesticides of any kind.  I guess I could put tansy and peppermint on the still drying cob - I'll do that and let you know if it works.  If that doesn't, I will try essential oil of peppermint.  Has anyone else ever had ants invade their still drying cob????  
Visit me on the web at www.lapaixherbaljourney.com
and www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com
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<DIV>Yikes, just went up to look at the aforementioned cob bench which a group 
of us worked on last Saturday - the cob = 2 seperate stages - one underneath the 
other - the top cob is still wet after almost 3 days of rain - it was covered 
with plastic and held down with large stones so rain did not get in.  The 
cob is above a dry wall rock base (not dry wall used on walls inside - just rock 
stacked without mortar) and it is about 8 inches high now = 9 feet long on 
foundation of tamped earth tires (3).</DIV>
<DIV>However, lifting up the cover to show someone working in my gardens today, 
I was astonished to find literally hundreds, perhaps thousands of winged ants 
and llittle red ants marching up all one side and in and out theholes for drying 
- what do I do?  I have an organic herb farm (certified for 3 years, still 
using same practices) and am chemically sensitive, so I do not use pesticides of 
any kind.  I guess I could put tansy and peppermint on the still drying cob 
- I'll do that and let you know if it works.  If that doesn't, I will try 
essential oil of peppermint.  Has anyone else ever had ants invade their 
still drying cob????  </DIV>
<DIV>Visit me on the web at <A 
href="http://www.lapaixherbaljourney.com">www.lapaixherbaljourney.com</A><BR>and 
<A 
href="http://www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com">www.sustainabledevelopmentforwv.com</A></DIV></BODY></HTML>

Rethink Your Life! Finance, health, lifestyle, environment, philosophy	The Work of Art and The Art of Work Kiko Denzer on Art