Garden-safe Fire Ant Killer
(as described by a manager at a local nursery)
Supplies
- 5 gallon bucket of water
- shovel
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Turpentine (not “turpAtine” sold at places like Walmart)
- 1/4 cup ammonia
- 1/4 cup Lysol® cleaner
- 1/4 cup Dawn® dish washing liquid
Instructions
- Add each of the ingredients to the bucket of water and mix gently. (Add the Dawn last to keep the suds at bay.)
- Quickly and carefully, dig up the fire ant mound at lest 1-2 feet into the ground. Remember the queen lives at the bottom. Work quickly so you don’t get stung.
- Gently, pour the entire 5-gallon bucket into the mound. The water will carry the ingredients deep into the mound. The suds will coat the ants. If you dug down far enough, you have a good chance of killing the queen.
Notes
- I like to leave the mound uncovered for a day or two to monitor activity. If necessary, I make another batch, dig further down and try again. When I stop seeing activity, I cover the hole back up.
- My grandfather shared this recipe with everyone on his street. They had enormous success in getting rid of the ants in their corner of the neighborhood.