Both native and Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) can sting. Red Imported Fire Ants are very aggressive. When fire ants sting humans, they can cause irritation, nausea, and even more severe reactions.

Red Fire Ants also attack animals that intrude on their nests. Besides attacking people and animals, they can also damage plants, buildings, air-conditioning units, and telephone wires. The reason is not apparent, but fire ants seem to be attracted to electrical currents. They cause damage by nesting in places such as electrical junction boxes.

Get Rid of Fire Ants with Effective Control Products

There are two types of fire ant treatment plans.

1. Broadcast Fire Ant Bait

The broadcasting method is the first step to getting rid of fire ants. Broadcast a fire ant bait over the entire area. We recommend treating a couple of times a year during the warm months. This method will solve 80-90 percent of your fire ant infestation. If there are still troublesome mounds, treat the individual mounds.

How To Apply Fire Ant Baits

2. Treat Individual Mounds with Insecticides

Treating the mounds individually without doing a broadcast treatment for the whole yard first may be an uphill battle.

You can use the drench method of a liquid insecticide such as Bifen IT poured into the mound; make sure that the whole mound is treated with the ant killer. Pour enough volume of the liquid insecticide into the mound to kill the queens and get rid of the fire ant colony.

The most effective way is to use a rod to form vertical tunnels in the mound to facilitate the liquid mixture reaching the queens.

Use Fire Ant Baits around each mound (not on top of the mound) to get rid of fire ants effectively.

Best Fire Ant Killers

1. Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Killer - DIY Pest Control Top Recommendation

Extinguish Plus comes in three sizes: 1 lb, 4.5 lb, and 25 lb containers. Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait has two active ingredients for its killing power. It has an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR), preventing all new Ant generations. The other active ingredient kills the existing colony.

The Extinguish Plus Bait is a slower-acting bait than the Advion Fire Ant Bait, but very effective.

Since Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait is a slower-acting bait, it is recommended that you use it with Martin's Surrender Acephate-Fire Insecticide to kill the mounds as they arise, waiting for Extinquish's IGR to complete its action. We have two kits with this combination at discounted pricing called the Texas 2 Step Fire Ant Kits, small and large.

2. Advion Ant Bait

A fast-acting bait, killing the entire colony quickly. However, it does not have an IGR to prevent new Ant generations; you will need to repeat treatment with this bait to get rid of fire ants effectively.

3. Maxforce FC Ant Bait

Contains the active ingredient Fipronil. Workers take it back to the fire ant queens to feed. Does not include an IGR to stop newer generations, but it will kill the existing colony.

4. Surrender Fire Ant Killer

A one-pound container of Surrender Fire Ant Killer can treat up to 108 Fire Ant mounds. Surrender Fire Ant Killer is an agricultural Fire Ant insecticide.

Identifying The Red Imported Fire Ant

In areas where fire ants are commonly found, most people identify this pest by the mound's appearance.

Fire ants build mounds in almost any soil type but prefer open sunny areas such as pastures, parks, lawns, and fields. Their mounds can grow 18 to 24 inches in height if the soil conditions are right. The ants themselves are reddish-brown and roughly 1/8 to 1/4 inch in length.

Often red imported fire ant mounds are located in rotting logs and around stumps and trees. Colonies can also occur in or under buildings.

There are several other ant species found throughout the United States, some of them indigenous (native ant species). The Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta) is considered the worst of all ant species. Its rapid reproduction ability, aggressive swarming behavior, and painful fire ant stings have made the Red Imported Fire Ant one of the most detested insects.

The Ant was accidentally introduced into the southeastern United States during the 1930s through the port of Mobile, Alabama. Now, Red Imported Fire Ants are found in at least 15 states. As fire ant populations expand, it's important to be aware of their presence and how to spot them.

It helps to identify and understand the ant species you are dealing with before trying to get rid of them.

Fire Ant Reproduction

Total time from egg to adult Red Imported Fire Ant averages 30 days. Workers live up to 180 days, and queens live two to six years.

Red Fire Ant Diet

Red Imported Fire Ants will not only forage for food (such as small insects, dead animals, and sweet materials such as plant secretions). They will also kill insects and small animals to feed.

The Southern Fire Ant is attracted to various foods, including protein, grease, and sweet foods.

Inspecting for Fire Ants

So, you want to get rid of fire ants but need help figuring out where to start? It pays to know where these pests are living to kill them efficiently.

Most of the time, the Red Imported Fire Ant will be found near mounds in yards, parks, cemeteries, athletic fields, and other outside locations. If mounds are disturbed, they begin to swarm out of the ground aggressively and sting animals or people.

Sometimes the Red Imported Fire Ant will nest inside buildings during winter under bathtubs (when on a slab) or next to hot water heaters. The Southern Fire Ant usually nests in loose soil but can be found in woodwork or masonry. They are known to nest inside utility boxes or void spaces if weather conditions are very dry or too high temperatures.

Their nests outside may be seen as large crevices that spread 2-4 feet in the ground. Southern Fire Ant nests can also be found under houses, under boards or stones, or in cracks in the concrete.

Colonies frequently migrate from one site to another. The Red Imported Fire Ant queen only needs a few workers to start a new colony. They can develop a new mound several hundred feet away from their previous location in hours.

Flooding causes colonies to leave their mounds and float until they can reach land to establish a new mound.

Fire Ant Colonies

Workers in single-queen colonies are territorial, foraging only within their territory. Workers from multiple-queen fire ant colonies are not territorial; they freely move from one mound to another, which has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of mounds per acre.

Areas infested with single queen colonies contain 40-150 mounds per acre (rarely more than 7 million ants per acre). There may be 200 or more mounds and 40 million Red Imported Fire Ants per acre in areas with multiple-queen colonies.

Fire Ant Mounds

Like most Ant mounds, the Red Imported Fire Ant mound has no opening in the center. Red Imported Fire Ants enter and exit the mound through underground tunnels. When their mounds are disturbed, the workers will come out of the ground and aggressively sting the intruder.

Mounds containing colonies can reach 18 inches in height, depending on the soil type. Many times mounds are located in rotting logs and around stumps and trees.

The Red Imported Fire Ant can have huge colonies with 300-500,000 workers foraging at distances of 100 yards. Fire ant activity ranges from the spring into the fall months. During the spring and summer months, the active mounds send out winged swarmer ants whose sole job is to start new colonies. Ideally, you want to get rid of fire ant mounds before this happens. Otherwise, you will have more ants to deal with.

The Southern Fire Ant usually nests in loose soil, but they can be found in woodwork or masonry. They are known to nest inside utility boxes or void spaces if weather conditions are very dry or too high. Their nests outside may be seen as large crevices in the ground that spread from 2-4 feet.

How to Prevent Fire Ants

Two methods of prevention work well. The first, and our favorite for places with high fire ant concentrations, is to broadcast fire ant bait. Two of the most effective baits for getting rid of fire ants are Advion Fire Ant Bait and Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait.

These fire ant baits should be broadcast in early spring before the ants begin to form new colonies. It would help if you also broadcast bait again in the fall. The bait kills the queen once the worker ants gather it and bring it to her as food. Any mounds that survive should be treated individually by sprinkling the same bait around each mound base as they are noticed.

DIY Natural Fire Ant Control Strategies

Looking for a natural alternative for fire ant control? Here are the most effective non-toxic, natural solutions:

Boiling Water

Boiling water is a remarkably simple yet effective method for controlling fire ant infestations. Its greatness lies in its accessibility, affordability, and immediate impact. Almost everyone has access to water and a means to heat it, making this method universally applicable without the need for special equipment or hazardous chemicals. This eco-friendly approach aligns with sustainable practices by avoiding the introduction of toxins into the environment, ensuring the safety of children, pets, and wildlife.

When poured directly onto the fire ant mound, boiling water penetrates the tunnels, reaching the queen and other ants deep within the colony. The high temperature swiftly kills the ants on contact, offering a quick reduction in the ant population. Although it may not always reach every ant, leading to potential survival of some colony members, its effectiveness in significantly reducing or even eliminating a mound is undeniable. This method stands out for its simplicity, environmental safety, and the satisfaction of seeing immediate results, making it an excellent first line of defense in fire ant control.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural, non-toxic powder made from the fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of algae. Its greatness as a pest control method, particularly against fire ants, stems from its mechanical action—DE works by absorbing the oils and fats from the exoskeleton of insects, leading to dehydration and death. This method of action means that insects cannot develop resistance to it, making DE an enduringly effective tool in the pest control arsenal.

What sets diatomaceous earth apart is its safety profile. It's safe for use around children and pets when food-grade DE is chosen. It is an excellent option for environmentally conscious households looking to manage fire ant infestations without resorting to harsh chemicals. Additionally, DE is versatile and can be used in dry and wet applications, offering protection in various environments. Its effectiveness, safety, and ease of use solidifies its status as a great choice for sustainable, effective fire ant control.

Beneficial Nematodes

Beneficial nematodes are microscopic, soil-dwelling organisms that prey on various garden pests, including the larvae of fire ants. Their greatness lies in their ability to specifically target and eliminate pest populations without harming beneficial insects, pets, or humans. This specificity makes them an invaluable tool in the integrated pest management toolkit, offering a biological control method that aligns with eco-friendly and organic gardening principles.

Once applied to the soil, they seek out and enter their hosts, releasing bacteria that quickly kills the pest from within. This process is highly effective and fast-acting, reducing pest populations without the need for chemical pesticides. Additionally, nematodes are easy to apply, typically mixed with water and sprayed onto affected areas, making them accessible to professional landscapers and home gardeners alike. Their efficiency, safety, and ease of use underscore their greatness as a natural solution to fire ant infestations.