Fighting fire ants: Where to get free poison in Mississippi and tips on battling the pests Brian Broom, Mississippi Clarion Ledger "Look at the cute little fire ants," said no one ever. That's because the invasive insects are despised for their painful bites, killing native wildlife and the unsightly mounds they build in people's lawns. In an effort to combat them, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce is offering free fire ant poison on Saturday, and a Mississippi State University professor explains how to get the maximum benefit of fire ant treatments. According to MDAC, fire ant killer mound treatment will be available to the public on Saturday, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Mississippi Farmers Market in Jackson. The three-pound bags of fire ant killer will be given out while supplies last.