Dealing with Ants in Your Lawn?
Fire ants are more than a nuisance in Middle Georgia — they’re a safety concern. We’ll eliminate them and keep your yard safe for your family.
Symptom overview
What This Looks Like
Ant mounds in the lawn are a nuisance and can damage grass by burying it under displaced soil. In Middle Georgia, fire ants are the primary concern, but other species show up too. The treatment approach depends on which type you’re dealing with.
Possible causes
What Could Be Causing This
Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta)
Fire ants are the dominant ant pest in Middle Georgia lawns. They build large, dome-shaped mounds with no visible entry hole. Their stings are painful and can cause allergic reactions. Fire ants are aggressive and will swarm when the mound is disturbed.
Learn moreArgentine Ants
Argentine ants form massive colonies with interconnected trails. They don’t sting, but their sheer numbers can overwhelm an area. They’re attracted to moisture and often enter homes from lawn colonies.
Pyramid Ants
Pyramid ants build small, volcano-shaped mounds with a central opening. They’re actually beneficial — they prey on fire ant queens. These mounds are small (2–3 inches) and the ants don’t sting.
Thin or Stressed Turf (Attracting Ants)
Ants prefer to build mounds in open, sunny areas with thin grass because the soil warms faster and is easier to excavate. A thick, healthy lawn doesn’t prevent ants, but thin turf makes your yard more attractive to colony establishment.
Diagnose it
Narrow Down the Cause
Are the mounds large (6+ inches) dome-shaped with no visible opening on top?
These are fire ant mounds. Do not disturb them — the colony will swarm aggressively. Professional bait and contact treatments are the most effective approach.
Smaller mounds with a visible center hole are likely pyramid ants or other non-fire-ant species that are less aggressive and often beneficial.
Have you or your family been stung?
Fire ants are confirmed. Their stings produce a distinctive white pustule within 24 hours. Treatment should be prioritized for safety, especially if children or pets use the yard.
The ants may be a non-stinging species. Identification helps determine whether treatment is necessary or if the ants are actually beneficial.
Are there more than 5 mounds visible in your yard?
Multiple mounds indicate an established population. Broadcast bait treatment across the entire yard is more effective than treating individual mounds.
A few mounds can be treated individually with mound drench or bait. Broadcast treatment may not be necessary for isolated colonies.
Still not sure? A professional lawn assessment takes the guesswork out of it.
Get QuoteSeasonal timing
When This Is Most Common
Fire ants in Middle Georgia are active year-round but build the most visible mounds in spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) when soil temperatures are moderate. They go deeper during summer heat and winter cold. Broadcast bait treatments are most effective in spring and fall when ants are actively foraging.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best way to get rid of fire ants?
A two-step approach: broadcast a bait product across the entire yard (worker ants carry it back to the queen), then treat visible mounds directly with a contact insecticide. This eliminates existing colonies and prevents new ones from establishing.
Will fire ants come back after treatment?
Fire ants are everywhere in Middle Georgia, so new queens can fly in and start new colonies. That’s why we recommend ongoing treatment as part of our insect control program rather than one-time applications.
Are fire ant treatments safe for kids and pets?
The products we use are safe for kids and pets once dry or watered in, depending on the formulation. We’ll tell you exactly when it’s safe to use the yard after each treatment — usually within 30 minutes to a few hours.
Related problems
Other Lawn Problems to Consider
Take action
Stop Guessing and Start Fixing
Every lawn problem has a solution. Get a professional diagnosis and targeted treatment plan from Attaboy Lawn Care.
