Well, I was just curious about the rest of y'all. I live in the city in an OK, but not crime free neighborhood. Just like the security I feel having that special "tool" if I need it. When we 1st moved in we had a problem with teen poopyheads cutting thru the yard [we live on a corner lot ] They would mouth off to me when I would ask, politely, that they cease and desist. That's when I started carrying when outside. Just a precaution.
Stand_waite,
The Denton water resources board recommends several natural solutions for fire ant control that won't poison your soil. One is to boil vinegar and water and pour that on the mound. Another is garlic tea for pouring on the mound. Compost tea is another. Diatomaceous earth or boric acid can also be used.
The only commercial product recommended is Logic, a bait that causes the Queen to lay eggs which do not mature. Another tip I got was to wait until they are moving again after Winter dormancy. To test for activeness, lay 1/2 a potato chip outside the mound and wait 1/2 an hour. If it's gone, you can start killing them.