Finding fire ants on your property can be a frightening discovery and a major pest control problem. These ants are very aggressive and known for their painful sting. If bitten, many people suffer from irritation, nausea and other severe reactions. Getting rid of the colony can be difficult once they’ve moved onto your property. The five methods can be useful for taking control and sending them in another direction.
Broadcast Bait
This method is the first step to treating your problem. Broadcast fire ant bait across your entire yard. It’s best to do this several times a year, but its most effective during warmer months. Treating your property in this way can be incredibly effective. You can treat 80 to 90 percent of your fire ant infestation by employing this simple method! If there are mounds left over in the yard, treat them individually.
Treat Individual Mounds
Treating mounds one by one can be a hassle. If you don’t do a broadcast treatment first, your work treating individual mounds could be useless. Targeting one mound at a time gives the ants time to move around your yard and doesn’t address the whole problem. After a broadcast treatment you can use the drench method to target individual mounds. Grab a liquid insecticide and pour it into the mound. Be sure to cover the entire mound. Pour enough of the insecticide into the mound to kill the queen deep within. Be sure to use fire ant bait around each mound; don’t place it on the top.
Rod Method to Target the Queen
Using a liquid insecticide on a mound is the key to removing a colony, but if you don’t kill the queen the treatment is useless. Leaving the queen behind allows for more fire ants to come back and a new mound will pop up again very soon. The most effective way to reach the queen is using the rod method. Grab a rod and form vertical tunnels that reach deep into the mound. This allows the mixture to reach the queen and stop the colony from reproducing again.
Hot Water Method
If you’re not a fan of using chemicals to treat problems in your yard, using hot water to treat mounds is a popular at home remedy. Pour hot water directly onto the mound and surrounding area. Water that’s almost boiling is perfect for this method. This method is easy to use but isn’t as effective. Studies show that this style of treatment works about 60 percent of the time. This method can also harm plants nearby.
Organic Treatment: Diatomaceous Earth
This method of treatment is better for your yard is very harmless. Diatomaceous Earth is a powder that consists of fossilized marine phytoplankton. When poured into the mound it goes to work targeting ants one by one. The powder sticks to the exoskeleton of ants, causing them to dry out. It can also cut through the exoskeleton of these ants. The great thing about this powder is that it isn’t dangerous to pets or children. It’s a safe way to deal with your fire ant problem without hurting the environment, yard and loved ones.
