Broadcast Baits - this is my personal favorite option. Buy a bait, spread it around the yard with a handheld spreader and walk away. You use far less pesticide than you do with other methods and it is safer for non-target insects. Just be sure you don't apply to wet ground and your bait is fresh - it should smell like a bag of potato chips.
Individual Mound Treatments - use a bait, dust, or drench and apply directly to the mound. Understand that you may only kill a portion of the colony and the remainder may "pop" up a few feet away.
Broadcast Granules - not my favorite because it does affect other non-target insects and you are putting out a lot of pesticide. But if you have a zero tolerance for fire ants due to allergies or other issues, this is your best bet.
Fire Ants, Mounds, Stings, Oh My!
It has been raining throughout most of Texas, which means that fire ant mounds are up and obvious. Rain does make fire ants come, it just forces them to push their mounds up and above the soil surface, making it much easier for us to accidentally step on them and become overwhelmed by stings.
Spring is a perfect time to start thinking about some fire ant treatments. Whether you had kids, pets, or livestock you want to avoid the pain of a fire ant sting, there are many options out there for. Instead of listing the millions of fire ant pesticides, lets just look at three types: mound treatments, broadcast baits, and broadcast granules.