How to Get Rid of Fire Ants: Simple and Safe Solutions for Your Home

How to Get Rid of Fire Ants


Fire ants infestations definitely need some quick actions to save your family and the house from it. These pests are very aggressive and dangerous not only for health but they can also become a source of a big problem to the house and the garden if no measures are taken. Being aware of the effective fire ant control methods enable you to recover your outdoor spaces without any risk and in a comfortable way.

Introduction

Fire ants are without a doubt some of the hardest-to-manage pests throughout the entire United States. They set up their nests very quickly and become very aggressive when it comes to protecting themselves. A single fire ant colony can cause a lot of damage.

Homeowners often struggle to find the best way to eliminate fire ants. How get rid of fire ants. So, here is the manual with the best tips on how to remove fire ants easily.

All About Fire Ants and Fire Ant Control

  • Physical Appearance

    Worker fire ants are dark in color, very tiny, and highly variable in size. They keep the same body proportions no matter the role.
  • Colony Structure and Ant Behavior

    A fully grown fire ant colony has one or more queens, thousands of workers and lots of larvae. These colonies can be very large and carry a population of more than 200,000. The queens are able to lay eggs up to 5,000 times a day which is the same as their body weight.

    Worker ants live for about 180 days, while the queens can live from two to six years. The entire life cycle from egg to adult is about 30 days. Fire ants are carnivorous, but also consume plant material, oils and sugars, as well as insects.
  • Damage and Problems

    They are capable of going beyond plants and setting crops on fire and can even safeties in electrical systems. They are the reason for the creation of unsightly mounds that are able to get to a height of 18 inches. Out of their aggressive nature, outdoor activities become very risky for families and pets.

Know about Flying Ants vs Termites to protect your home today!

 

Know How to Get Rid of Fire Ants

A Two-Step Method for Fire Ant Control

The Two-Step Method is the best tool in the arsenal of the fire ant control team that helps them clean up the mess that these pests have made in the spots that are heavily infested.

Step 1: Broadcast Baiting

In granular bait products, it is necessary to cover your entire yard with the granules towards the end of the summer or the beginning of the fall season. Fire ants do the work of collecting the particles of bait and then they distribute them all throughout the colony including the queens.

Only put baits out when the soil surface temperature is between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Check ant activity by putting small bait piles next to mounds and seeing if ants find them within 30 minutes. Do not carry out the application during raining or if there is a forecast of a lot of moisture.

Step 2: Individual Mound Treatments

Eliminate leftover active mounds by using contact insecticides or by giving them bait. Mound drenches may be poured into the ant nests or granular products applied around the mound perimeters. These treatments are suitable for rapid results in problematic areas.

Fire Ants vs Red Ants: Know the difference, stop the infestation!


A Few Natural and Safe Ways to Get Rid of Fire Ants

  1. Orange oil- It is a natural way to get rid of fire ants. This oil dissolves the ant wax layer and thus kills them immediately.

  2. Another milder alternative is food-grade diatomaceous earth. It is a powder and fine and it dries out ants if they go through it. When you distribute the powder, do not forget to cover the openings of the tunnels so that it gets inside. This is definitely not a quick solution, but if used persistently over time, it may become effective, nevertheless, some reapplications will be necessary.

  3. Boiling water- It is a very easy remedy, though it is not generally considered to be quite efficient, but it may give surprisingly good results in some cases. Pour approximately three gallons of hot water into the mound, which may have the effect of killing around 60% of the colony. This procedure enables you to reach the innermost parts of the nest where the queen is usually hiding.

  4. Vinegar and dish soap- They are inexpensive and readily available at home, and in addition, they can be used as resources. In this case, the ants are practically suffocated, but the queen is probably out of reach, so the queen and hence the whole nest are not necessarily eliminated this way.

  5. Using Store-Bought Products- This is another good solution. After applying the bait, it is quite important that you don’t disturb the mound, as this will allow the ants to carry the bait into the nest naturally.

Preventing Fire Ants from Coming Back

At the same time, it would be a good idea to close all the gaps and holes around the house. Ant bait can be applied along the borders of your place and definitely, food can be stored in containers with airtight lids. Floors and surfaces kept clean would be a sure way to eliminate the potential sources of ant infestations indoors.

Monitor your yard as frequently as you can for new mounds, particularly during the seasons when it’s the warmest since ants tend to be most active at that time. Treating a colony of ants early saves a lot of effort. Adhering to a treatment routine is crucial for the success of your property’s protection against the ants.

Learn- What Attracts Pavement Ants to Your Home?


Conclusion


Efficient fire ant control definitely needs patience, correct methods, and repeated application. Environmentally friendly remedies such as orange oil also enable families who are worried about chemicals to be safe. Keep in mind that the total get rid of fire ants is not practical. However, good management minimizes their threat to your property and family safety to a great extent.



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