Hi Chris, We have a problem with fire ants and I wear flip-flops while I garden. I know it's not very smart, but it's too hot for tennis shoes or boots or Crocs. So I get bit a lot and complain often. You have my sympathy.

We use two different products. If I need to kill them instantly so that I can plant something, I use Spectracide Triazicide Once & Done Insect Killer Concentrate. This is a liquid that you add to water and spray on the mound.
http://www.spectracide.com/ProductCategories/OutdoorInsecticide/TriazicideSoilTurfConcentrates/

I prefer to use Spectracide Fire Ant Killer Plus Preventer Bait Once & Done. This is a granule (like Amdro). My husband puts it in a canister with large holes so that I can shake it on any mound that I see. The ants carry it into the mound, eat it and die (hopefully killing the queen). You don't add water and you don't want it to get wet from rain or sprinklers. It takes a couple of days for it to work. But it is easy and we've had good results with it.

Good luck!
Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: Spectracide Fire Ant Killer

Chris, I too can sympathise with you. I guess the only good thing about our recent drought was that the fire ants all but dissapeared. I am usually battleing them all summer long, but there were no mounds in my garden this summer. However, all good things must come to an end, and since we've begun to get some rains, the buggers are back with a vengeance!! I've tried lots of things and so far nothing really seems to work. They usually just move their mound to another location.
Kathy, I haven't tried either of the items you spoke of though, so I'm thinking I'll give them a try next.
Jan

I had some fire ants build in my daylilies and this is what I did to get them out. I sprayed their bed with roach and ant spray and sprayed all around the perimeter of the bed to prevent ants from leading new ants into it. I then repeated the spraying all around the beds and the ants haven't come back. I then built my builds up to the point that the bottom of the soil level is about waist high on me.

Thanks for the suggestions. My main concern with using a poison was the potential harm to the daylilies. If no one suffered any daylily losses from using them, I'm off to blast the suckers.

Chris, I use the dry Spectracide Fire Ant Killer in my seedling bed all the time. It has never hurt them even when they are very small. I have sprinkled it all over the bed, even on top of the seedlings - no problem. But I haven't used the spray (Concentrate) in that bed. I don't think it would hurt them, though - but I'm not positive.
Kathy

We have fire ants here and I use used coffee grounds there is a plus plus using coffee ground. Earth worms love it ants hate it and move on just get enough to spread entire area. This does not kill them just makes them move to a new place. I don't care where they move to so long as it's not in my yard :)