Fire Ants are a major problem in the southern regions of the United States and account for billions of dollars in damage to crops, farm equipment and residental property. They were accidentally introduced in the 1930's through cargo that came to the USA via the port in Mobile, Alabama and rapidly expanded across the southern regions of the country.

Fire Ant Habits

Fire Ants build mounds in the ground that can range from several inches to several feet in diameter. When disturbed, fireants emerge from the mound and aggressively attack. The workers are 1/16" to almost 1/4" in length and are a reddish-brown color. The sting is painful and usually leaves a red welt on the skin with swelling and itchiness. One or more times during the spring through fall seasons, the ants will begin a mating swarm and the queen and drone ants with long silver-translucent wings can be seen in the mound.

How to Kill Them

Although fireants may come into the house foraging for food, mounds are most often encountered in lawns and around the edges of sidewalks, driveways or other paved areas. There are bait products which can be broadcast over the yard lawn they are slow to begin working and not completely effective.

Bengal UltraDust is the most effective solution. It is odorless, water repellent and does not clump or absorb moisture. The effectiveness is not ruined by light rain since the product is water repellent but heavy rains may wash the powder off the mound.

Only a teaspoon is required on each mound. Most people use too much and product is wasted. Because deltamethrin gives off few vapors and is in such a small concentration in the product, UltraDust is not repellent like other pyrethroid fire ant products. Repellency will cause the mound to be moved by the ants before the product can have complete effectiveness.

Hot, dry weather forces fire ants deep into the ground. They also do not forage in those conditions, and if they are not emerging from the mound they will not contact the product. No bait or other contact killer works well under those conditions either.

The new instructions on the product instruct the user to disturb the mound lightly with a stick or similar object for faster and more effective action in hot dry conditions. UltraDust “Kills the Mound Overnight”!