Are Grits Really The Secret To Getting Rid Of Fire Ants?

From childhood we are taught to beware of the aggressive and powerful fire ant, whose sting feels like flames burning on the skin. Though a single bite won't harm you long term, fire ant stings are known to leave a burning sensation that can last up to an hour. In a severe case of multiple fire ant stings, one woman suffered anaphylaxis and died as a result. While this is a rarity, it isn't impossible, which is why you have to take any sign of fire ants intruding into your home environment seriously, especially if you have small children and pets. Some people have resorted to using grits to deter them, leaving the rest of us wondering if this hack can truly get rid of fire ants. 

The grits hack has been posed as a solution to the average yard owner as a remedy to a fire ant problem. Allegedly, if you dash some grits over a recently discovered fire ant mound in your yard, the ants will rush to eat it. But — alas! — grits are too dry, so the ants will drink too much water, soaking the grits, and eventually, the ants explode. While that idea works as an Aesop-style fable about gluttony, this isn't likely to happen.

Fire ants only ingest food in liquid form. They can't eat grits to begin with, so you're wasting your time on this myth about pouring your breakfast over an anthill. 

If you do want to get rid of these pesky critters, you're far better using a means designed to combat ants. If you don't want to use chemicals to control your fire ant population, that's understandable. Pesticides and gardens don't always mix. However, to completely get rid of the colony, you have to kill the ant queen, which is incredibly difficult to accomplish without calling professional pest control.

You can certainly try the boiling water method TikTok user @operamommy demonstrates in a video. She boils up a pot of water and pours it all over the ant settlement. This has a 60% effective rate but will also kill the plants in that same area. Also, the chance you make it to the queen is slim. The ants can simply move her away from danger. Alternatively, you can try a mixture of dish liquid and citrus oil as ants hate the scent of citrus back peels with similar results. Pour this over the mound in large quantities until you feel certain the burrows are emptied.