4 Ways to Get Rid of Fire Ants in Your Yard
This year is my family’s first spring in our new house. Once the snow and ice cleared, I couldn’t wait to drag my hubby out on the property to start my “honey do” list for sorting out where flowers and plants would go. However, within twenty seconds of walking around I became extremely frustrated. I had a whole military with various branches of service that had taken up residency on my land and wasn’t paying me any rent. Everywhere my eyes landed I saw mounds of fire ants! I wanted to know, “What kills fire ants instantly?” Because honey we were about to go to war.
My first thought was, “Babe we need to buy an Anteater.” But, after a quick Google search $3,500 was out of the budget. Thankfully, after some research I was able to find out how to make them disappear with a few things we already had around the house. From there I started mapping out how to permanently win the war by discovering 4 ways to get rid of fire ants in your yard.
Before you start taking out full platoons you first have to understand what fire ants look like, what makes them different from other ants, and how they live.
How to Identify Fire Ants: Fire Ants vs. Red Ants
The first thing to understand is that there’s a huge difference a regular red ant and a fire ant. Most notably is the size difference and color. Fire ants can have a red and black body. They also have a stinger. Generally, you can walk around normal ants and they will be unphased by your presence. In some cases, they may even retreat in the opposite direction. However, fire ants have a tendency to go into attack mode and signal for reinforcement. This can be dangerous to pets, farm animals and small children. Once they start to attack, they swarm and start biting or stinging all at once. Trust me it’s no fun having these boogers group together and crawl up your boots!
The Difference in how they live: Trees vs. Nest
Most ants prefer to build their comes in trees, while some will forge little barracks underground. However, it very easy to identify a fire ants’ home as they love to build big mound nest. They usually setup guards along the perimeter and have a trail of soldiers coming in and out of the nest hauling in food for their queen and colony.
Method 1: How to kill fire ants naturally
If you want to get started quickly with destroying these pests out of your yard, I’ve got you covered. I’m sure you’ve got one of more of these ingredients stored around your home.
Disclaimer: It’s important, I mean really crucial that you protect yourself! These things do not fight fair! So, no matter what method you choose to start or end with, secure your skin! I recommend wearing gloves, long sleeves, long pants, socks pulled up over the outside of pants and shoes! Not just any kind of shoes either (if you have flip flops on, rethink your life choices right now sweetheart) boots are the better option here.
Boiling hot water
It’s a quick and dirty method. It requires water and a long stick (Use a broom handle, or a garden tool handle if that’s all you’ve got). Simply get you a big pot, fill it with ¾ of water and bring it to a roaring boil. Really make sure it’s a roaring boil because we need this attack to really count. Once it’s ready you have the option to add a few drops of liquid dish soap after you’ve taken it off the burner. Take your broom and poke a couple of long holes into the mound. Then immediately follow up with that boiling hot water! Now step back and smile the smile of satisfaction! Those puppies are going to start bubbling up deader than a doorknob.
Vinegar solution
For this one you’re still going to need of some sort of a stick, but the solutions a bit different, and takes a few seconds longer to kick in on the kill factor. Required supplies are a pouring container (milk jug, water bottle, etc.), tap water, vinegar (I prefer concentrated vinegar, but food grade will work too) You’re going to do a 50/50 ratio mix of water and vinegar and optional a few drops of dish detergent. Mix this concoction together and pour directly on the mound after poking your holes. You can also place this is in a spray bottle for touch ups afterwards.
Coffee Grounds
Now if you’re super patient and you make coffee everyday anyway and toss out the grounds instead of placing them in your compost (hint, hint), then using coffee grounds is an option. But, let me warn you this will take a few days like almost two weeks to see a difference. You just take your used coffee grounds and pour them on top of and around the nest. That’s it. There’s something about caffeine that their little bodies can’t handle and it kills ‘em slowly. So, if patience and torture’s your thing? You’re welcome!
Cayenne Pepper
Now, I haven’t seen where this one really “kills” them per say but it definitely annoys them and they move their nest. Plus, if you’ve got a naughty furry family member like I do, then this serves as a decoy from the alleged yummy spicy walking snacks.
Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
Now if your kill style is more of like Michael Myers then you’re going to love this little zinger. Diatomaceous Earth is non-toxic to both pets and kids, yet slices and dices our enemy ants. As they walk over this powder substance it sticks to their bodies and slowly slices their joints and exoskeleton. Just sprinkle this on and around the mounds and walk away.
Method 2: How to kill fire ants in the garden
I don’t know if you’re like me or not, but I do NOT like sharing my food. Nor do I enjoy toxic infused food, so I completely understand the urge to “just let them be”, but no, we don’t have to settle. For this round we can just delegate our war and play devil’s advocate by pitting them against one another.
Make them fight each other
Sound silly I know, but it totally works! Let’s say that these fire ants have setup shop right in the middle of your garden. No problem! Just go find a neighboring mound and move them on top of the offending mound with a shovel. I kid you not. These buggers are so territorial that they end up fighting each other to the absolute death. All you need to do is sit back and enjoy the gladiator fights. No chemical intervention required.
Method 3: How to win the fire ant war: Pesticides
Now I’m the type of gal that doesn’t like dilly dally around. I like to get things done, get them done fast, and preferably done correctly the first time. With that being said, I leaned more towards this method because I didn’t want to even think about those fire villains anymore (no offense to ant man)!
Bait & Switch with Boric Acid
Using this method can be toxic to pets and children, so corral the kiddies away for this part of the show. Preparation is easy, you’re going to make a tasty dessert for the fire ant family in either a powder or a liquid form, then queue the corpses.
If you enjoy spraying and walking away then mix eight teaspoons of sugar and one teaspoon of boric acid to one cup of water. For a power method you are going to mix one cup of powdered sugar with one teaspoon of Boric Acid. The reasoning behind this measurement is if you don’t add something sweet, they won’t eat the boric acid alone. The sense it and they avoid it at all cost. Also, if you add too much boric acid with the sugar, you’ll kill the soldiers before they can take it back and share it with the colony and the queen. We are being very calculated here. We want this to be the gift that keeps on giving!
Sit on the mound fearless with Permethrin
Permethrin by far is my most favorite way to instantly kill red fire ants! It’s not harmful to humans, pets and can be used around produce. And most importantly, it kills them dead on the spot! You can get a premixed solution here or concentrated solution here to use as much or a little as you need. Just follow the instructions on the bottle and you’re good to go!
Method 4: How to Prevent Fire Ants
Shutdown any reinforcement with a Broadcast insecticide
Let’s be thorough and cover all of our bases. It’s unrealistic that you’ll be able to locate and reradiate all of the fire ants in your yard, especially if you live on a few acres like my family. But there’s still hope! To get to all of the places you can’t find or don’t know about use granular baits. These baits are inexpensive, safe for pets, farm animals and wildlife critters. Just no so much for your fire ant invaders. Simply shake these puppies all over your lawn and let them do the work. The fire ants will take them back to their shop and kill the entire crew. As an added bonus it takes care of a lot of other invasive insects and well, such as those eight-legged freaks I cannot stand!
Tell me, what’s your favorite method? Share any methods you may know of that I didn’t mention! If this article was helpful, please share or add to your pins in Pinterest! If you’d like to keep up with all of me and my family’s shenanigans consider subscribing to my newsletter.
