What home remedies get rid of fire ant mounds? ASK THE HORT AGENT
Question What home remedies get rid of fire ant mounds?
Answer Some homeowners seem to have a fascination with solving their own problems. While being self sufficient and/or knowledgeable is probably a good thing (and very much disappearing), only the knowledgeable part is good when implementing fire ant control.
Home remedies can be inefficient, expensive, dangerous and even illegal. Most home remedies don’t even work at all.
Pesticides certainly have a conscious and subconscious reputation of being dangerous. They can be dangerous. After all, many of them are designed specifically to kill pests like fire ants. Kill equals danger, right?
The fact is that pesticides can be used responsibly to manage fire ants with very little impact on humans or any other non-target animals. The key is “responsible” usage. In this context, responsible means reading the label and following directions. By the way, a pesticide label is a legal document.
Home remedies don’t come with directions or warnings. Many home remedies may be safe when used for their intended purpose. However, these same products may not be safe when used as pesticides.
The best example is gasoline. Believe it or not, gasoline is a common home remedy for fire ant control. When used in a lawn mower or some other engine, gas makes the wheels of progress turn. When poured on a fire ant mound, gas can damage the soil, surrounding plants, ground water and wildlife. Ranger Tom Steves, NC Forest Service, says that folks also start many wildfires by igniting the gas after pouring it on fire ant mounds. I guess it’s not good enough to be dead, folks also want them to burn (this may be a philosophy left over from Gen. Sherman – I’m not sure).
Besides the environmental damage, gas is expensive. At $3 per gallon, who can afford to pour gas on an ant? Most pesticides are far more economical and less damaging to the environment.
The food products fall under the inefficient category. Grits, rice, bread crumbs, powdered milk and many other food products are poured on fire ant mounds. The simple fact is, “they DO NOT work.” Ants do not swallow dry food which later expands (like a dry sponge getting wet) killing the poor ant. If grits killed fire ants, then there wouldn’t be any fire ants living around corn fields. Save the grits for breakfast. Make the fire ants find their own breakfast.
Pesticides sold as baits and mound treatments (dusts and drenches) are more efficient, more economical and safer than home remedies. Most home remedies merely chase the colonies around the yard. For more recommendations on fire ant treatment options, visit http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1191.htm If you have further questions, call me at 910-893-7533 or email me at gpierce@harnett.org
Boiling water is the only home remedy that really works. However, how much safer do you think it is carrying three gallons of boiling water from the stove to the fire ant mound? I generally don’t tell folks about this option because I know there will be people lined up in the emergency room explaining how they were killing fire ants with boiling water. The nurse is certainly going to ask, “Was it worth it?” The funny thing is that some guy is going to say “yup, I was out of gas.”
Gary L. Pierce
Horticulture Extension Agent
Harnett County | 
