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How to Use Ground Tobacco on Fire Ants

Fire ants are social insects that live in highly organized colonies. They depend on each other for food, shelter and survival. Fire ants can become a problem when they find their way into your lawn. They deliver a painful bite and may sting a victim many times before letting go. If you discover fire ants in your yard, ground tobacco is a natural pesticide that repels and kills fire ants.

Things You'll Need

1 gallon water
Cloth
Baby powder
Spearmint

Instructions

- 1
  Inspect your yard for fire ant nests. Look for dome-shaped mounds usually oblong in shape with no exit hole in the top. Fire ants make their exit holes on the sides of the mound.
- 2
  Make some tobacco tea to kill the ants. Put one cup of ground tobacco into one gallon of warm water and stir.
- 3
  Strain the solution through a cloth to separate the tobacco from the liquid. Cover the liquid and let it sit overnight, or until it looks like the color of weak tea.
- 4
  Pour the tobacco solution on each fire ant mound in your yard. When the ants are dead, fill the entrance holes with baby powder to prevent future nesting.
- 5
  Plant some spearmint around your yard to repel fire ants. They do not like the smell and will stay away.

Insects & Science