Fire Ant Control Cost

• Do-it-yourself bait and/or insecticide can cost $10 -$50 or more, depending on the size of the property and the number of fire ant mounds.
• Having a pest control or landscaping service treat the property with bait designed to eliminate fire ants can cost $100 -$300 or more, depending on location and the size of the property. For example, Meier's Landscape Maintenance in Texas charges $69 each for twice-yearly treatments on an average lawn, or $138 a year. Larger and/or heavily infested properties will cost more.

• Imported fire ants cannot be completely eradicated, but they can be controlled. Typically a two-step method is used -- once or twice a year doing a general broadcast of poison bait, followed in several days by individual treatment of nuisance mounds with an insecticide, which can be in a dust, granule, bait or drench form.
• As an alternative to insecticide, pouring scalding or boiling water (190 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit) into individual mounds works 20% to 60% of the time, according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension. The university warns against home remedies such as pouring gasoline or other petroleum products, battery acids, bleaches, ammonia or other cleaning products into fire ant mounds These substances may be dangerous, can harm the environment and have not been proven effective against fire ants.

• Get estimates from several companies. Find out how long each company has been in business, what type of training and experience the employees have, and what sort of guarantee is provided. The National Pest Management Association lists tips for choosing a pest control company.
• The National Pest Management Association and the Termite Institute offer online locators to search for a local exterminator.
• Ask for (and contact) references from satisfied customers and check whether company has had any complaints with the Better Business Bureau.

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