We do as you and treat the mounds with an Amdro equivalent. Around areas like you mentioned I use a general insect killer and spread it around the area where I want prevent ants. This includes flower beds, around the patio, and specific areas of the yard where I see general ant activity.

An additional comment on my ant control program. I purchased a bunch of the small 2 inch flags like the you to mark utilities and in construction. I carry them on my lawn tractor, and while I mow when I see a mound that needs treated, I mark it with a flag .. In this way I do not miss any ant hills.

Ime, yes, it deters them well. We’ve had to do that at every house. We dig a narrow area around the unit, line with wall blocks, fill with decorative rock, and periodically sprinkle the granules in the area.

One year, we forgot, and had a two foot high mound inside the unit.

OK, I'm hearing that sprinkling Amdro fire ant bait granules where I want to deter them works well. I will do that. Thank you.

On the one hand, I could just wait until I see a mound there, and then kill the mound, but the compressor is not in a lawn area, but an area that is more "natural". Fire ant mounds aren't conspicuous there.

We always went for prevention because they can do a lot of damage. When we found that big mound inside the compressor, it had actually tilted it over to one side (and it was a big unit).

But yeah, just keep a diligant watch for beds nearby. I currently have a few blisters from weeding — the little stinkers got inside my gloves!

Excellent! Do you think monthly applications will do the trick?

Monthly, or more importantly any time you see activity. This may mean applying poison every day, or every six months. It all depends on what the ants want your to do.

Controlling ants is a never ending task you must work to keep on top of the situation.

Well, if I need to apply it daily, and it's about what the ants want me to do, that's not a solution to my problem. Jinx suggested that it was a solution to my problem, and I'd be skeptical that it was being applied it once a day.

I will accept that as long as I see activity, I might apply daily. But if I don't see any activity, I will consider it to be an occasional task.

We didn’t do it daily, that stuff is expensive. We did once or twice a summer, more if we saw activity nearby (after a heavy rain, etc).

That sounds sensible. Gonna do it.

"every day, or every six months." was my way of saying that you have to be ever diligent and be on the look out for new activity.

It has been my experience that once you apply Amdro to the mound, the ants that are in the mound are killed and it goes inactive. I have poisoned one mound in the after noon and the next day found a new mound a couple of dozen feet away. You have to poison the new mound when you see it, otherwise it will grown and colonize.

While this seems intensive. After working on the ants, you will find less and less activity. After the initial burst of poisoning, you get control of the situation. After you gain control you may not have to use poison for months.

Even after you get control, weather, construction, and similar thing may drive the ants into your your lot and you will have to work hard for a couple of weeks to get them back under control.

After working for years on the ant problem, we are now only buying a package of Amdro every year or two.

Again, that's sensible. The point is that for general deterrence, sprinkling Amdro every month or so is probably adequate. BUT, it is important to keep ones eye out for mounds that pop up in spite of that sprinkling.

I discourage them by calling them names and humiliate them by pointing out that they are only ants and further shame them explaining that if they wanted a better lot in life they should have stayed in school.

When that doesn't work I put a tablespoon of Medina Orange Oil and a tablespoon of dish soap into a gallon of water. Shake that up and pour it right down the center of the mound. I usually do 2 gallons to start. They die in about 20 seconds. It's WONDERFUL to see! That won't get them all, because they seem to have at least one satellite mound hidden somewhere. Keep an eye out for the other mound and treat it the same way.

If you don't have orange oil I have also used oil based paint thinner or mineral spirits. It seems to work, too, but they don't die as quickly as with the orange oil.

OK, thanks. But this isn't about killing off mounds. This is about discouraging them in building them in the first place. Amdro works great on existing mounds.

Mounds are an indication of ants activity. If there are fire ants, there will be a mound. If you have driven them from you property there will be no mounds. That is why the reference to the mounds

The comment about using Amdro for "prevention" didn't mention mounds. Before fire ants can build a mound, there will be fire ants. That is, ants come first, and mounds come next. Maybe just hunting around for a good place to dig.