Using grits to kill ants seems like a eco-friendly method, but it doesn't work.
Using grits to kill ants is a home remedy that has been around for many years. Some claim it works on all ants, while others say it is good only for fire ants. Others say that it must be instant grits and not regular grits. The truth is it doesn't work. To understand why it won't work, you need to understand what grits are and how ants eat. Does this Spark an idea?
The Theory
Several theories exist on how grits are supposed to kill ants. One theory is very similar to the old wives' tales about seagulls eating Alka-Seltzer and pigeons eating rice. Once eaten, the grits swell in the ants' stomachs and cause them to explode. In all three cases, the theory is incorrect. Another theory is that the dry material absorbs all the water in the ant's body and kills them. Again, this theory is false. Both of these theories do not take into account how ants eat.
How Ants Eat
Ants feed each other by regurgitating liquid food.
Ants are not solitary creatures. They live in communities where each ant has a specific purpose. Worker ants gather the food. They then carry it back and feed it to the larvae. Only the larvae are able to consume solid food particles. They then regurgitate it in liquid form to the workers. Workers then use the regurgitated food to feed themselves, other worker ants and the queen.
Understanding Grits
Grits are basically coarse particles of corn from the kernel. Grits are made by adding the dried corn to water or other liquid to make grits. Ants love corn. In fact, corn grit is commonly used as part of some ant baits --- not to kill them but to attract them.
Scientific Evidence
In November 2000, Texas A&M Entomologist Bastiaan M. Drees conducted a scientific study to determine if grits killed fire ants. Drees also tested Malt-O-Meal, which contains malted and farina wheat. Although one colony of ants showed some declining activity after being treated with grits, Drees attributed this to where it was collected from and not from the grits. When the ants continued to thrive, he returned them to the field and continued observing them. After 19 days, all of the ants given grits or Malt-O-Meal continued to thrive and reproduce. In other words, grits were not effective.
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