How to Get Rid of Fire Ants

A fire ant infestation in Knoxville TN can be a nerve wracking experience. Fire ants are very protective of their colonies, so if you try to get rid of them or accidentally disturb them, they won’t hesitate to bite and sting you. Their stings lead to allergic reactions in many people, with symptoms ranging from dizziness and nausea to throat swelling and breathing complications. It’s important to learn how to get rid of fire ants safely, so read on for advice from our team at Russell’s Pest Control!

How to Prevent Fire Ants on Your Property

Fire ant hills can pop up quickly and go unnoticed until you disturb them. It can be difficult to prevent them successfully, but the main principle of fire ant prevention is taking away what they need to survive. Here are a few ways to do this:

1. Keep your trees, bushes, and plants trimmed to prevent sheltered spaces
2. Pick ripe fruit and collect dropped fruit to prevent food sources
3. Use your mulch carefully and away from your home’s foundation to prevent excess moisture

Stay alert for small mounds of dirt popping up on your property, too. Red ants around a dirt hill means you have a fire ant infestation.

Can I Get Rid of Fire Ants Alone?

It’s many peoples’ top priority to find a natural method of killing fire ants when they find a fire ant hill in their yard. Here are two ways to kill fire ants naturally that could work for you:

• Diatomaceous earth: When ants walk across diatomaceous earth, the sharp crystals within crack their exoskeletons, causing them to lose moisture and die of dehydration. You have to be exact about where you spread your diatomaceous earth, though, or else the fire ant colony will build back.
• Boiling water: You can pour boiling water down a fire ant hill to kill all of the ants. However, this will also kill any plants around whose roots are hit.

Store-bought insecticides can be used to get rid of fire ants, but when applied improperly, they can be dangerous to children, pets, and plants. Make sure to ask a professional exterminator about safe usage.

Fire Ant Control in Knoxville TN

If you want to get rid of fire ants in your yard safely and for good, get in touch with your local pest control company. At Russell’s Pest Control, our ant exterminators are trained to handle fire ants and many other ant species living around Knoxville TN. With safe and effective strategies put to work by licensed and certified pest control technicians, we will keep your yard fire ant-free. Contact us today for a free quote!