We live in Chilliwack, B.C. and have thousands or red ants. I have contacted local pest control and they informed me that they don't know the species of the ant but they are not an actual fire ant. Our problem is that we have a baby and next year we will have to move because she can't play in the yard as it is. The bites are painful and burn, we can't do yardwork, kids can't play out there, very frustrating! Needing remedies!!! Sarah Liz
Two chemical products work well permethrin and sevin(Carbamate) but I wouldn't recommend them where children play. However, you could spray an area in the evening after the children are in bed. Another fairly safe approach would be to use a hose-end sprayer and just spray your whole yard with Safer's soap once a week for 4 to 5 weeks. That will killbeneficial bugs as well for a while. The ants must be breeding(nesting) somewhere. Have you tried to find the nest(s)? Covering the nests or openings to the nest with laundry borax should work if the ants have to track through it to enter the nest. Boron poisoning is slower then chemicals. Even pouring a noxious liquid like diesel fuel into an ant hole will move them. Also the ants need food. What are they feeding on? Are they farming aphids on some trees?
