An Easy and Non-toxic Way to Get Rid of Fire Ants

This morning I saw new labels in one of the gardens I pass on my walk each day. I could tell that the gardener had been busy cutting back and weeding, and I looked forward to seeing what new plants the labels were marking. To my surprise, each one said “ANT POISON”. While I appreciated the heads up and stepped away from the area, I was disappointed to see that another gardener had turned to using poisons. Lizards, beetles, birds, and even armadillos eat fire ants*. The poison leeches into the soil and can harm insects and earthworms who live underground. It also contaminates runoff water.

Fire ants are common in spring, particularly after a rain. They are incredibly hard workers and can build a vast network of tunnels with their characteristic loose dirt mound on top overnight. The mound serves to regulate the temperature of the tunnels. If you find one in your yard, driveway, or sidewalk, turn to a tried and true safe remedy: coffee grounds!

Simply dry your coffee grounds from your morning coffee or visit your local coffee shop and ask how you can collect theirs. Many have free bags to give away to gardeners - coffee grounds are a great slow release fertilizer, too! Make sure the grounds are dry and then sprinkle them liberally on the ant colony. It’s believed that the strong odor interferes with ants’ use of scent in the colony, so they abandon it.

I have used this method for years with great success. Sometimes, the ants seem to disappear completely. Other times, they rebuild their colony several feet away. This is often in an out-of-the-way location where we don’t bother each other. If not, I use more grounds until the ants aren’t in a frequently accessed place.

A willingness to adapt and an openness to coexisting will go a long way in making your garden an oasis for you and a safe place for wildlife.

* https://www.anoleannals.org/2014/12/23/brown-anoles-eating-fire-ants/