# Fire Ants



## oops1 (Aug 16, 2012)

What's the most effective fire ant killer?  I usually just buy the granular type and spread it on the mounds. Here lately. ..they have gotten out of hand and now I have them in the kitchen cabinets. I can't locate where they are entering the house. I need these things gone. Any insight or eradication techniques would be appreciated.


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## BriarPatch99 (Aug 16, 2012)

Spray the yard and if you can get under the house with Termidor SC... it will kill the fire ants and termites at the same time ... it is not labeled for indoor use(spot treatment only) ... 

It will seem that the ants are not being killed, but in fact it does it slow and keeps them out of the treated area for long term ....

It works best in the yard just before a light rain or you can wet the ground with a sprinkler.... 

Read down in the link for more info ...

http://www.amazon.com/Termidor-SC-20-oz-678529/dp/B002ZUCUGU

You may find it cheaper at a local supply ....


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## rjseniorpro (Aug 16, 2012)

*fire ants*

In the yard use Club Soda, yeh...it works, it kills the queen, don't harm the lawn and they will get out of Dodge. One 12 ounce bottle will treat 3 hills.


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## cowhornedspike (Aug 16, 2012)

Scoop a shovel full of one mound and dump it on another one, watch the ant war and in a few minutes you will have a pile of dead ants...won't kill em all but they sure kill a bunch of each other.


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## dawg2 (Aug 16, 2012)

cowhornedspike said:


> Scoop a shovel full of one mound and dump it on another one, watch the ant war and in a few minutes you will have a pile of dead ants...won't kill em all but they sure kill a bunch of each other.



Nope.  The mounds are related and they will not fight.  It causes stress and they will relocate their mound, but they will not kill each other.  Same thing with a hose.  If you get a mound in an area you don't like, spray it woth a hose (heavily) several times and they will relocate.


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## oops1 (Aug 17, 2012)

BriarPatch...That stuff looks like what I need...Gonna give it a whirl. If it doesn't work the wife says I'm fired and have to hire a bug man. I've had a handle on things for about 10 years but lately they have gotten the best of me.Thanks again.


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## cowhornedspike (Aug 17, 2012)

dawg2 said:


> Nope.  The mounds are related and they will not fight.  It causes stress and they will relocate their mound, but they will not kill each other.  Same thing with a hose.  If you get a mound in an area you don't like, spray it woth a hose (heavily) several times and they will relocate.



I stand by what I said.  Done it many times.  Since this is "on-topic" that is all I can probably say about that here without looking like I am arguing.


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## jimbo4116 (Aug 17, 2012)

Use a cypermetrhin and spray a band at the base of your house's foundation covering about a foot of soil and a foot of the foundation wall.  Spot treat mounds in yard.  Retreat about every three months.

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/c...tm_content=cypermethrin&utm_term=cypermethrin


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## dawg2 (Aug 17, 2012)

cowhornedspike said:


> I stand by what I said.  Done it many times.  Since this is "on-topic" that is all I can probably say about that here without looking like I am arguing.



Go to item # 17 on this link: http://www.uaex.edu/other_areas/publications/PDF/FSA-7052.pdf

To the OP: There is good info on fireants in that article.  There is no magic treatment. It takes constant maintenance to keep them out.  I use Amdro.  It does not work fast, but once it does it takes a long time before they show back up.


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## Oldstick (Aug 17, 2012)

Use a little Bengal powder to sprinkle around the mounds.  

And the Bengal spray seems to work really well (and long time) in the house for both roaches and ants.  Costs more than the others but worth it.

Are you sure it is fire ants coming inside the house?


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## cowhornedspike (Aug 17, 2012)

dawg2 said:


> Go to item # 17 on this link: http://www.uaex.edu/other_areas/publications/PDF/FSA-7052.pdf
> 
> To the OP: There is good info on fireants in that article.  There is no magic treatment. It takes constant maintenance to keep them out.  I use Amdro.  It does not work fast, but once it does it takes a long time before they show back up.



I read it.  Good article and thanks for posting the link.

Take a shovel and try it and then tell me they won't fight.  Like I said initially, it won't kill them all but there will be a pile of dead ants afterwards. They absolutely will fight till all of the "invaders" and many of the residents are dead.  I have never seen any "relation" between mounds, even those in close proximity, keep them from fighting.

Not arguing against the fact that it may cause them to move also.


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## oops1 (Aug 17, 2012)

Oldstick said:


> Use a little Bengal powder to sprinkle around the mounds.
> 
> And the Bengal spray seems to work really well (and long time) in the house for both roaches and ants.  Costs more than the others but worth it.
> 
> Are you sure it is fire ants coming inside the house?


Yes, I had to throw out a bag of goldfish (the crackers) just now because they were swarming in the cabinet again. Put everything back in there last night before goin to work. It was ant free last night. Can they live inside a house without a dirt mound? I've looked everywhere and can't find where they're comin in. If I could deal with the insiders first, I could take care of the yard mounds with the delayed treatment stuff.


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## shakey gizzard (Aug 17, 2012)

I doubt their fire ants! Need pics!


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## BriarPatch99 (Aug 17, 2012)

> If it doesn't work the wife says I'm fired and have to hire a bug man.



Most likely that is what the bugman will be using too...!!!  

Look down in the link for other pest besides ants ... that it works for ...  

I got three years of ant free yard with the treatment before last.... I just sprayed again about a month ago ... seeing very few at this point.... it does work slower than some products .... but last for a long time...


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## oops1 (Aug 17, 2012)

I just got back from the DIY pest store and that Termidor was 98 beans...I'll have to order it through amazon.and yes shakey...they're most certainly fire ants.


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## jblakehunter (Aug 17, 2012)

I second the Termidor. Definitely rare to have true fire ants in the house, but anything is possible. You can also try Ebay for the Termidor as well. It is expensive, but worth it. When you do spray, it works great directly on the ant trails themselves. Just make sure you lightly mist them. You don't want to change what they're doing so the chemical gets back to the colony. As far as surviving without dirt, I've discovered ant nests in insulation inside walls or in the floors over a crawlspace before. Even in the insulation in attics before. Ants suck. Worst insect I ever deal with.


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## Seth carter (Aug 18, 2012)

ive seen nests in insulation thousands of little tunnles full of ants running threw it


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## wranglerjoe1968 (Aug 18, 2012)

I do not have fire any but have the little sugar ants driving us insane.  Anyone got any tips on them.


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## BriarPatch99 (Aug 18, 2012)

Spray the cabinets, baseboards with Raid Ant & Roach killer.... 
Treat the outside/under the house/yard with Termidor SC  ...
It will take care of many different pest.... read the link I gave above ...it goes into more detail...


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