Granular insecticides are released when water is poured over the granules on treated mounds. To treat a single mound, sprinkle the recommended amount of granules with a measuring cup on top of and around the mound. Then, gently sprinkle 1 to 2 gallons of water over the treated mound to avoid disturbing the colony or washing the granules off the mound. Remember, if you apply less than the recommended amount of water with either liquid concentrates or granular insecticides you can expect poor results. Unless the product completely penetrates the mound, ants will move to a different site via underground foraging tunnels to avoid the poison.
Some products come in aerosol containers to which an infection rod is attached.
The rod is inserted into the mound and the insecticide injected according to the label instructions for a quick kill of problem mounds. Diatomaceous earth, a natural silica-based dust, will kill some ants, but is not very effective when the soil is moist and it rarely eliminates ant colonies when used alone. The effectiveness of products containing pyrethrins and boric acid, as compared to standard insecticides, has not been adequately determined. Surviving mounds will need to be treated again. Care must be taken not to pour boiling water on grass or other plants.