Examining 11 Common Myths About Fire Ants: #4 Will Startle You!

4. Grits Kill Fire Ants by Making Them Explode

This well-known superstition holds that feeding grits to fire ants leads them to explode when they drink water. Scientific study has entirely refutes this view since it is absolutely incorrect. Like other insects, fire ants have a sophisticated digestive system and a defense mechanism against eating solid food particles bigger than 2 microns. Actually feeding largely on liquids and oils, adult fire ants send solid food pieces to their larvae for processing. The larvae then grind these solids and regurgitate them liquid form so the colony may eat them. Grits or any other dry product cannot trigger internal explosion with this advanced feeding method. Implementing sensible control strategies instead of wasting time on useless folk treatments depends on an awareness of this feature of fire ant life.