How to Kill Red Ants in the Yard Naturally

Killing the queen sends all remaining ants searching for a new home.

You can kill red ants in your yard naturally without resorting to harmful chemical insecticides. Red ants bite humans and animals, causing irritation that can lead to an allergic reaction. Red ants, also called fire ants, build underground colonies under dirt mounds in which their queen resides. Killing red ants without destroying the queen often leads to a reinfestation within days. You can eliminate an entire colony of red ants, including their queen, by using natural methods that won't harm your pets or your garden.

Things You'll Need

• ¼ cup pure lye drain opener
• 2½ gallons water
• 12-qt. stockpot
• Stove
• Broom handle
• Thick rubber gloves
• Safety goggles

Instructions

1. Add the lye drain opener to the water in a large stockpot. Bring the mixture to a slow boil on the stove.

2. Jam the end of a broom handle into the center of the mound to open up a pathway for the hot lye solution to reach the red ant queen. Rock the broom handle in a circular motion to create a funnel leading into the base of the mound.

3. Put on safety goggles and thick rubber gloves to protect your eyes and hands from the hot lye solution. Lift the stockpot from the stove and carry it carefully to the red ant mound in the yard.

4. Pour half of the the lye mixture in a steady stream to form a circle surrounding the mound with a barrier that is about a foot away.

5. Pour the remainder of the hot lye solution directly into the red ant mound. Make a new batch of solution and repeat the process for each mound you find in the yard.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash and rinse the stockpot thoroughly after all the solution has been poured out.

References

• Fire Ant: Kill Fire Ants
• Safe 2 Use: Alternative Controls of Fire Ants