Controlling Fire Ants with Boric Acid

The sale of grass sod and woody ornamental plants for use in landscaping is largely to blame for the spread of fire ants.

The sale of grass sod and woody ornamental plants for use in landscaping is largely to blame for the spread of fire ants. Fire ants will regularly spread during a particular season and are reddish-brown to black in color. Some of the specific reasons fire ants migrate include after a flood, natural flights, movement with nursery stock, and the above mentioned seasonal relocations. During mating flights fire ants can be blown as much as twelve miles. Fire ants are capable of injecting poison multiple times with their abdomen down after biting down on their prey with their powerful jaws. A fire ant colony can contain up to 250,000 ants, with some going down as deep as five feet to access the water table.

Damage Caused by Fire Ants While they prefer insects, fire ants will also eat plants, snakes, turtles, grass, fruit, wildflowers, and mice. During mating the male will fly up into the air to be met by the female. After mating the male quickly dies which the female (now a queen) travels within a mile of the existing colony in search of a moist site. If a site is found the new queen digs into the soil and seal it around herself.

Using Boric Acid to Kill Ants There are many different uses for boric acid, also known as boracic acid or orthoboric acid. Some of the most common uses of this mild acid include flame retardant, antiseptic, and insecticide. Boric acid is also regularly used in nuclear power plants to control the fission rate of uranium. This substance dissolves easily in water and is usually found as either clear crystals or white powder. It is a relatively non-toxic insecticide when compared with other products and is very effective on fire ants and fleas. It is so powerful that it is the main ingredient in many commercial insecticide products. You can kill ants by placing the powder directly in the areas where you find ants. The lightweight powder clings to the legs of the ants, and eventually kills them by causing fatal chemical burns.
 

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