The key to killing red ants is to get the queen, pest pros say – 12 methods for success inside and out, plus what won't work

Exterior shot of large American home with large tidy lawn and small flowers and shrubs in foreground.

Red ants, or fire ants as they're also known, can rapidly grow or relocate their colonies, swarm and sting when disturbed and are commonly found in warmer regions of the US.

Getting rid of them should be a priority, and the key, our pest control pros tell us, is to make sure you kill the queen, otherwise no matter how many visible red ants you wipe out, the queen will replenish her colony and you'll be back on the fire ant merry-go-round within weeks. It is particularly effective to tackle red ants in the spring and fall.