Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Kill Fire Ants With Home Remedies
How to Kill Fire Ants With Home Remedies. Fire ants are aggressive ants that are known to group together and attack anyone or anything that disturbs their home. This often results in bites to both animals and people. The bites can be quite painful. If your home or yard is invaded by these pests, you will want to control the infestation as quickly...
Fire ants are aggressive ants that are known to group together and attack anyone or anything that disturbs their home. This often results in bites to both animals and people. The bites can be quite painful. If your home or yard is invaded by these pests, you will want to control the infestation as quickly as possible to avoid bites to unsuspecting humans and pets. You could choose a commercial ant treatment, but these can be expensive. The other option is to make your own home remedy to effectively get rid of the ants for far less money.
Things You'll Need
Bath cleaner with bleach
Spray bottle
Mop
Worm castings
Water
Stock pot
Work gloves
Method One
Place a cup of bath cleaner containing bleach into a spray bottle. Place the lid on the bottle.
Spray the cleaner directly onto fire ants you find in your home on hardwood or linoleum floors. Also spray it around any entry points the ants are using to get into your home. Do not spray it on carpeting as it will bleach your carpets. It also can be sprayed outside your home around the foundation.
Allow the cleaner to sit for several minutes to kill the ants. Use a mop to clean the sprayed area.
Method Two
Purchase worm castings from a garden supply store or online merchant. Worm castings are worm feces. It contains a chemical called chitinase that destroys the exoskeleton of fire ants.
Sprinkle the worm castings around plants and onto the anthills.
Reapply more castings every 10 weeks.
Method Three
Boil three gallons of water in a large stock pot.
Wear work gloves and dig a small hole into the top of the top of the fire ant hill. Use caution to keep ants off of your skin.
Pour the boiling water down the hole to scald and kill the fire ants. Use caution pouring the water to avoid burning yourself.
Repeat as necessary. If the first treatment does not kill the queen, the colony may move to another place in your yard. If this happens, repeat the process.
Tips & Warnings
Boiling water will kill any ants it comes in contact with; however, it may also kill the grass in that area and it may not grow back.
Avoid using treatments on other types of ants. Other species of ants can help keep the fire ant population under control. Focus on areas where the fire ants are specifically.
Be aware when using any treatment method. Since fire ants are known to swarm when they feel threatened, they will likely try and attack you. Be prepared to move out of their way if swarming begins. Also, wear long pants, socks and close toed shoes to protect yourself.
