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Red Ant fix?

Posted on 9/12/25 at 7:58 am
Posted by Wraytex
San Antonio - Gonzales
Member since Jun 2020
3411 posts
Posted on 9/12/25 at 7:58 am
we've got these big mounds on the place and we've tried terro and a few other baits. Does anyone have anything that works? These are the big 3/8" long rascals that have a single big hole in the ground and clean off about an 8' circle around.
Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
19161 posts
Posted on 9/12/25 at 8:05 am to
Unfortunately, my experience with red ants is you can poison the colony with the granular insecticide and it will kill a good bit of them, but not all of them and within a few days they will move and set up another colony.

I have a vegetable garden and they love to make their home in some of my rows and when weeding I'll find them----------or to be more exact, they'll find me and light me up. I poison the colony and they just move to a new neighborhood in my garden.
Posted by Major Dutch Schaefer
Location: Classified
Member since Nov 2011
37918 posts
Posted on 9/12/25 at 8:17 am to
quote:

a single big hole in the ground


Pour gas down hole, light match.
This post was edited on 9/13/25 at 8:01 pm
Posted by Wraytex
San Antonio - Gonzales
Member since Jun 2020
3411 posts
Posted on 9/12/25 at 8:28 am to
That's a lot of gas

I guess we'll just have to really get lavish with the bait.


I haven't tried diatomaceous earth yet.
Posted by Marlo Stanfield
Member since Aug 2008
2240 posts
Posted on 9/12/25 at 9:13 am to
Termidor. Mix it and spray it around the perimeter.
Posted by Tree_Fall
Member since Mar 2021
1072 posts
Posted on 9/12/25 at 9:26 am to
"Red ant" means different things to different people in different places. For fire ants I've had good success using Amdro or Advion. LSU did the initial testing of Amdro. The tricks with granule baits are: 1- Do not disturb the mounds just sprinkle lightly on and widely around them. Disturbing can make the colony move. 2. Reapply if you get a heavy rain and do not water for at least a week. 3. Be patient, killing the numerous queens can take a couple of weeks.

A few years ago, I got a tour of Angola prison farm and never saw an ant mound in the tended fields or lawns. Asking an assistant warden what poison they used. I was told inmates would dig out the ants mixing dirt from different mounds. That seemed to work but took a lot of labor.
Posted by ronk
Member since Jan 2015
7443 posts
Posted on 9/12/25 at 10:53 am to
Advion for bait and Talstar Xtra twice a year.
Posted by rodnreel
South La.
Member since Apr 2011
1507 posts
Posted on 9/13/25 at 6:05 am to
I spray my hold yard with Bifen IT, It will keep them out of my yard for about 4-5 months. I have a tank sprayer with a boom nozzle that sprays a 18' wide path.
This post was edited on 9/13/25 at 6:06 am
Posted by NBR_Exile
Houston via Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2012
1680 posts
Posted on 9/13/25 at 9:23 am to
Spectracide Fire Ant killer usually does the trick. Maybe they just move on to the next yard but at least they're not in mine.
This post was edited on 9/13/25 at 9:41 am
Posted by turkish
Member since Aug 2016
2243 posts
Posted on 9/13/25 at 10:08 am to
As much as I hate fire ants, I can’t imagine sterilizing the entire yard of any and all insect life is a good thing. I’ve been tempted to do this but I can’t bring myself to.
Posted by Dallaswho
Texas
Member since Dec 2023
3331 posts
Posted on 9/13/25 at 10:12 am to
quote:

As much as I hate fire ants, I can’t imagine sterilizing the entire yard of any and all insect life is a good thing. I’ve been tempted to do this but I can’t bring myself to


I don’t have a problem with this. I have a 15 gallon sprayer for a 0.6 acre lot.
Posted by Craw Dawg
Member since Jan 2023
735 posts
Posted on 9/13/25 at 11:22 am to
Raid Wasp & Hornet works real good...
Posted by PillageUrVillage
Mordor
Member since Mar 2011
15639 posts
Posted on 9/13/25 at 11:31 am to


Inexpensive and effective.
Posted by PerplenGold
TX
Member since Nov 2021
2207 posts
Posted on 9/13/25 at 1:38 pm to
quote:

San Antonio


If you're the patient sort, Crazy Ants are headed your way. They're in Hays County already. They don't bite but they might leave you longing for the old days of obvious mounds.

ETA- Crazy ants will run off the reds along with scorpions, roley polies and lots of other things.
This post was edited on 9/13/25 at 1:40 pm
Posted by cgrand
HAMMOND
Member since Oct 2009
46074 posts
Posted on 9/13/25 at 3:32 pm to
quote:

I can’t imagine sterilizing the entire yard of any and all insect life is a good thing
it’s a terrible thing, a massive disruption to the food chain which results in an unhealthy and much harder to maintain property. I have a red ant problem as well but I just spot treat the mounds with spectracide. Mostly all I care about is keeping them out of my beds and garden
Posted by rodnreel
South La.
Member since Apr 2011
1507 posts
Posted on 9/13/25 at 7:42 pm to
I live in the country and critters bring in flees, ticks, and chiggers. The whole yard application keeps everything in check including mosquitoes.
Posted by Reubaltaich
A nation under duress
Member since Jun 2006
5323 posts
Posted on 9/14/25 at 5:28 pm to
quote:

Talstar Xtra twice a year.


Or Taurus SC, basically the same stuff. I get a 5 gal bucket and mix some up with water and pour on the mound(s).

Also spray around the perimeter of the house. No ants, roaches, spiders, termites, bugs...

Also dug a trench around the house and mixed with water.

Amdro granules work great but is very pricey.

Ortho Fire Ant Killer seems to work just well and its a lot cheaper than Amdro.
Posted by indytiger
baton rouge/indy
Member since Oct 2004
10206 posts
Posted on 9/16/25 at 2:14 am to
This man knows. Orthene, or anything with Acephate. Its a white powder that smells like vomit. I keep a botle on my riding mower and spot treat as needed. Works the best IMO.
Posted by Bayou
Boudin, LA
Member since Feb 2005
41167 posts
Posted on 9/16/25 at 6:25 am to
Bifen granular each Spring. Two wide bands of it around home perimeter.
Posted by BoogaBear
Member since Jul 2013
6916 posts
Posted on 9/16/25 at 7:24 am to
Get a shovel and scoop one mound and put it on another mound and vice versa.
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