Fire ants are definitely one of the most annoying things we can have in our yard. They can be a big nuisance in our homes as well as outside. If you have kids and pets spending a lot of time outside, you have to keep them away from these fire ants to avoid their pustule-causing stings. A single sting to a person with allergies can ultimately cause an anaphylactic shock. These tiny troublemakers can also put a toll on our livestock. That is why to solve this; we find ways to get rid of these pesky fire ants before they kill us. The easiest way would be to spray insecticides to illuminate them, but using harmful chemicals can harm our kids and pets. But the good thing is; there are safe ways to do this.
Here are five tips for keeping your kids and pets safe from fire ants.
1. Use non-poisonous methods.
If you have kids and pets, you would want to use ant deterrents that are friendly to the environment and is safe to use. Using homemade insecticides will allow you to eradicate the fire ants without having to worry about poisoning your pets and kids. Most of the ingredients in making a homemade insecticide can be easily bought in the market. It is even possible you already have it in your pantry. Some examples would be orange peels and club soda. Ants are repelled by citrus oil and the carbon dioxide in the soda can suffocate the ants.
2. Use hot peppers.
Another safe way of keeping fire ants away from your pets and kids is by locating their nest and pouring boiling water with hot chili peppers in it. All you have to do is bring a teapot to boil and place about 4 hot chili peppers. Do this away from your kids and pets to keep them from getting burned from the pepper and hot water. After that, pour the hot chili pepper juice into the ant’s nest. It will automatically kill the ants and prevent other ones to live in it.
3. Use effective fire ant treatments immediately if your kids or pet are stung.
A fire ant’s sting can cause a lot of trouble and annoyance to both humans and animals, which are why if your kid or pet gets stung, use fire ant treatments right away. Applying a cold compress immediately can reduce the swelling and adding a hydrocortisone cream can relieve the itching.
4. Look for the ant queen.
In order to prevent more eggs from being hatched, look for the ant queen and eradicate it first. That way, you don’t need to worry that your kid or pets could meet more ants in the future.
5. Cover the entry points in your home.
Any cracks and crevices in your home should be sealed to avoid ants from getting inside your home. Also, make sure to wash the surfaces that have been walked upon by ants to eliminate the pheromone trail they leave behind. This is what they use to find their way back.
