The Best Fire Ant Killer

Pest Strategies

If you’re looking for a top-notch fire ant killer, you’re in the right place. Read here for our top recommendations.

We’ve all experienced ants crawling on our skin at one point or another. Though many ants are harmless, fire ants bite, leaving you with a painful stinging sensation. Fire ants are one of many pests you might find in your garden that need to be eliminated as quickly and effectively as possible. Pest Strategies researched the best fire ant killers to protect yourself, your family, your pets, and your garden. Familiarize yourself with our top picks below.

1 Best for ant mounds
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BOHIZ0

Ortho Fire Ant Killer

 

What We Like: Nipping new ant mounds in the bud is a great way to keep fire ants from entering your home or destroying your plants. Using 50% acephate as its active ingredient, this killer provides easy application and satisfying results. This bottle also conveniently seals using a suctioned lid, so you can safely store it for future applications. 



2 Best for one-time use
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003I6YWHK

Surrender Fire Ant Killer

 

What We Like: Once you shake this ant-killing powder over the top of a fire ant mound, the acephate insecticide slowly seeps down into the bed. Spraying water on top of the dry powder also helps speed up the process and increase the potency of the chemicals. 



3 Best safe ingredients
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002OTWTYK

Orange Guard Home Pest Control

 

What We Like: Harnessing the power of orange peel extract, this pest control solution is considered safe. It’s a viable alternative to traditional insecticides that cause health complications if they’re accidentally ingested. The citric acid used in the liquid solution is strong enough to kill a variety of insects, including fire ants, on contact. 



4 Best spray
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7KSXHX

Ortho Insect Killer

 

What We Like: If you’re willing to take preventative measures to keep out fire ants and other pests before they appear, we recommend using this versatile insect spray. It creates a perimeter around your home using diluted bifenthrin as its active ingredient. The extendable sprayer also allows you to hold the jug with one hand and spray with the other, making application easy, accurate, and comfortable.



5 Best granules
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FYMTB2

AMDRO Fire Ant Bait

 

What We Like: This large two-pound jug of granules uses powerful hydramethylnon — an insecticide known to kill fire ants. All you have to do is sprinkle two to five tablespoons of it around fire ant mounds or wherever fire ants are spotted. The poisonous granules also work on mounds that you can’t see, as fire ants carry the bait through underground tunnels.



 

Buying Guide

Fire ant killers come in many forms. Though any product you choose should help with your infestation, finding the right killer for your needs will save you time and effort and ensure that the colony is fully eliminated. From active ingredients to lasting power, think about the below factors before you make a final decision. 

  • Type: Below are the common types of ant killers you’ll see on the market.
  • Granule: Ant-killing granules are tiny pesticide chunks that spread easily around the perimeter of your home. They’re usually designed for outdoor use to control fire ant populations over relatively large areas. Granules take effect over several days to weeks. 
  • Dust: Fire ant dust is usually sprinkled directly over a colony. It won’t result in instant fire ant deaths, but it gets soaked into the mound to kill the queen and colony in a matter of days. Spraying water on the dust after it’s applied also increases its effectiveness. 
  • Gel: These tiny syringes of thick gel allow you to inject the fire ant poison into small cracks and holes to seal potential entry points into your home. 
  • Spray: For instant gratification, choose a fire ant spray. Most sprays kill fire ants and other insects instantly. However, they may not kill the queen or wipe out the entire colony. 
  • Trap: Traps use one of the above baits to lure ants in. The ants usually take the poison back to their colony. You can place these traps in the corner of a room, behind a refrigerator, or anywhere else where you’ve seen fire ant activity in your home.
  • Ingredients: The vast majority of fire ant killer products use toxic chemicals, such as bifenthrin, hydramethylnon, and acephate, to destroy fire ants without question. However, these chemicals can be dangerous to humans, plants, and pets. Less potent options are available using natural ingredients, namely commercial-grade citric acid. 
  • Area covered: Fire ant killers are advertised to treat a certain number of mounds or a certain radius. Per-mound products typically kill between 100 and 150 colonies, while other products treat 3,000–5,000 square feet. 
  • Knockdown effect: This term refers to how long it takes for a fire ant killer to start working. Sprays usually kill fire ants and other insects on contact, while the other forms take multiple days to begin working their magic.
  • Lasting effect: The lasting effect of a fire ant killer has an inverse relationship with its knockdown effect. The faster a product begins working, the shorter it lasts. Conversely, a product that takes days to start working can last several months.

 

Fire Ants 101

It’s important to be able to identify fire ants to avoid and eliminate them. Here’s some information about fire ants to help you familiarize yourself with this common enemy: 

  • Even though you can’t see the colony, it may exist underground. It can take several months for a colony of fire ants to grow a mound that’s large enough to be visible. 
  • Fire ants feed on a wide range of foods, including fresh fruit, plant nectar, seeds, and other insects. They’re highly attracted to fatty foods. 
  • The typical fire ant colony contains over 200,000 ants.
  • Unless they’re interrupted with a killer, fire ants go through four stages of life. They start as eggs and become larvae when the eggs hatch. From there, fire ants rapidly grow into pupae, which eventually form full-grown ants.
  • Worker ants can create extensive underground tunnels capable of reaching lengths as far as 25 feet away from the mound. 
  • Single-queen colonies are the most common, but multi-queen colonies exist. They share resources and are tolerant of other colonies in close proximity.

 

 

FAQs

  • What are fire ants? 

Fire ants are a type of ant that comes in over 200 species. The most common fire ants include native fire ants, red ants, and black fire ants. Like other ants, they’re usually found in gardens and pavement cracks. Fire ants produce a painful, stinging sensation when they bite. In addition to causing pain, they can destroy plants and electric wires. 

  • Can I use a fire ant killer without damaging my plants? 

Unfortunately, most fire ant killers aren’t safe to use around your garden plants. They typically contain highly concentrated, toxic chemicals. You can find natural, non-toxic fire ant spray as an alternative, but make sure to read the instructions carefully before using them around your plants.

  • Will fire ant killers hurt my grass? 

Many fire ant killers are designed to create a perimeter around your home, so it makes sense to be concerned about potential damage to your lawn. Most commercial-grade outdoor ant killers can be used on or near grass without harming it, so long as you carefully follow the instructions on the product label. 

  • Are there any home remedies to get rid of fire ants? 

Yes. Some people pour boiling water over the fire ant colony or use fire to torch the colony. Neither of these options are particularly safe. One of the safest options is to mix citric acid with hot and soapy water and pour this solution onto the ant colony. Though effective, this option won’t work as well as fire ant killers with stronger chemicals.

 

 

Pest Strategies provides reviews of select products that are top-selling on Amazon and/or popular in consumer searches. Our team evaluates the products based on industry research, consumer reviews, pricing data, and other objective criteria. Unless otherwise noted, these product reviews are intended to help inform buying decisions for non-professionals. Because pest control products can be dangerous to your family if mishandled, we always recommend consulting with an exterminator, even if just to ask for advice on how to apply pest control products yourself.

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