{"id":347,"date":"2015-08-09T19:58:41","date_gmt":"2015-08-09T19:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/insightpest.wpengine.com\/?p=347"},"modified":"2022-08-22T15:22:14","modified_gmt":"2022-08-22T21:22:14","slug":"how-to-get-rid-of-fire-ants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insightpest.com\/how-to-get-rid-of-fire-ants\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get rid of fire ants"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Bug Doctor: Adam Villareal, owner and president of Insight Pest Solutions, entomology nerd, and family man. To help demystify the world of bugs, the Bug Doctor answers your questions during our weekly \u201cAsk the Bug Dr.\u201d blog feature. You can submit your bug and pest control inquiries for him on our Facebook page<\/a>, by tweeting @insightpest, or commenting below.<\/p>\n

How can I get rid of fire ants in my yard?<\/h2>\n

\"Fire<\/p>\n

Photo credit: Marufish<\/a><\/p>\n

Who hasn\u2019t unwillingly stepped on or near a fire ant mound, eliciting painful bites from the insects?<\/p>\n

Fire ants will build their mounds in almost any location. They don\u2019t have a central opening and when a mound is disturbed, fire ants will scurry out rapidly to bite and sting.<\/p>\n

What should you do if you see fire ant mounds outside of your home? Perhaps you want to avoid getting bitten while walking outside for your morning paper or you want to make sure your children can play outside without the fear of fire ants.<\/p>\n

There are three main ways of getting rid of fire ants<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1. Granular baits:<\/h3>\n

These baits contain food that is attractive to fire ants as well as slow-acting insecticides or insect growth regulators. They are easy to apply, inexpensive and typically effective. But baits do take some time: they may take two to eight weeks to fully work. Baits are an excellent way to prevent large fire ant mounds in your yard. They would eliminate small colonies before they grow into larger ones. You may want to treat your yard one to three times a year.<\/p>\n

2. Mound treatments:<\/h3>\n

These treatments contain fast-acting insecticides that you apply directly to fire ant\u00a0mounds to kill the fire ants quickly. These can be either dry powders or liquid drenches. Dry mound treatments take a few days to work while liquid drenches should kill ants within a few hours. However, they do require more time to mix and apply.<\/p>\n

3. Broadcast insecticide treatments:<\/h3>\n

These are typically granular products but they do not contain any food. Instead, they\u00a0contain long-lasting contact insecticides. Ants which come into contact with treated soil are killed. These products can be more expensive than the other two control methods and are usually used in the most sensitive areas around a home. Baits may be used for the rest of the lawn.<\/p>\n

Be sure to check out our friends at Tips Bulletin here<\/a>\u00a0for more tips!<\/p>\n

Sources:<\/p>\n

\u201cFire Ant Control: The Two-Step Method and Other Approaches,\u201d eXtension.<\/p>\n

\u201cFire ants in Mississippi,\u201d Department of Entomology, Mississippi State University<\/p>\n

Was this information helpful? \u00a0Please comment below and share your experiences. We would love to hear from you. For more expert pest control tips, check out our guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Do you have a question about bugs or pest control? We\u2019d love to help. Let us know on our Facebook page<\/a>, in the comment section below, or by tweeting @insightpest. You may see the Bug Doctor\u2019s answer to your question in a future post.<\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Bug Doctor: Adam Villareal, owner and president of Insight Pest Solutions, entomology nerd, and family man. To help demystify the world of bugs, the Bug [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":2458,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Best Ways to Get Rid of Fire Ants - Insight Pest Solutions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Don't let fire ants take over your yard! While getting rid of fire ants may seem impossible, there are actually several proven methods for keeping these invasive pests off your property. 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