What is the best and safest way to get rid of fire ants outside the home?

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   bethperryposted 9 years ago

   What is the best and safest way to get rid of fire ants outside the home?
   
   Every year fire ants take up residence between the cement tiles on the roadside border of our property. We have tried a few suggestions to get rid of them permanently - dousing their nests with gasoline and also spraying the nests with salt water, and when these failed we used pesticides. These techniques work for awhile, but every spring the nests return. The fire ants don't come into our home, but they will bite people standing or walking beside the curb. Any suggestions on how to rid the curbside of this nuisance is appreciated!

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   mrpooperposted 9 years ago

   Tell them the Uncles are at the stripper bar. lol

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      bethperryposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      LOL!

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   tsmogposted 9 years ago

   Consideration of how fast seems maybe an issue? I know that Splenda works great for ridding ants for me and many others. It is not a fast cure. However since using it regularly since 2009 I have no ants that I ever see. I had problems with Argentine ants and garden ants. Splenda contains chlorine in it.
   
   Some say myth, yet my experience and many more say not. Again, I have not any ants or infestations any more. About the same price as pesticides really by volume or less. The best part is it is not harmful to pets or children unless a box full is consumed at one time or there about. Costco or Walmart?   
   
   To rid them fast boric acid works wonders. As a powder form you can spread it. Mix it into a liquid and dump it into the nest and saturate the soil around it. It is safe if not ingested. If there are pets and children think twice if an area for their traffic. Maybe stake it out with twine and colored flags.
   
   One important thing to remember is an ant mound is populated by thousands and not hundreds of ants. It is not uncommon for a mound to have 100,000 ants to 300,000 critters. The war begins when you begin the war. The war is won during the fall and winter months before they breed and new arrive.
   
   That is when to treat with powders heavily. More a preventative measure. Keep them away instead of the battle of eradication. It will be an annual event in the months from July through the winter months to keep them away before the spring and summer.
   
   Once you claimed your kingdom back then it is merely walking about. During the pleasant months of the year of spring and summer patrol the grounds for outsiders scouting for new rich kingdoms to attack. Be sure to scout out neighboring encampments and bases at your neighboring yards too. They are sneaky demons of terror and very greedy wanting all the land.
   
   Remember it is your kingdom . . . that they want. Think about getting 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu That book teaches it is best not to go to war. It is best to be strong . . . become stronger than those invasive critters before they ever arrive. Claim you kingdom from ants. A bonus is you will have more crickets at night singing songs of delight as they will have no fears of being consumed by those pesky devils anymore. Nice!

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      bethperryposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      tsmog, thank you much for the ideas! I will try the Splenda first and if it fails, will do the boric acid (although I am pretty sure the sprays we tried last year contained that chemical). And I will re-read The Art of War - it has been awhile!

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