For many of you, fire ants are a familiar foe, and for many more they soon will be. These little reddish/brown insects came into the U.S. along the Gulf Coast from South America in the 1930s and are rapidly spreading North and Westward. Their bite is venomous and painful, and it leaves behind a nasty sore.
There are a number of products to eliminate fire ants, but often they only cause a mound to move from one area to another. Another approach is a product like Over ‘n Out from Garden Tech that is broadcast over the entire yard which eliminates existing fire ants and repels any new ones for up to 12 months.
Further Information
- Imported Fire Ants (extension.org)
- Invaders: Red Fire Ant (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum)
- Imported Fire Ants (Radcliffe’s IPM World Textbook)
Always have problems with getting rid of fire ants