The recipes change over time as Howard learns different rates & mixtures and their effectiveness. Lucky for all of us, he is willing to adjust his recommendations according to what we all learn as time goes on. I have had great success with this combination:
1 cup compost tea (manure based)
1 cup molasses
1 cup cornmeal
1 oz. Orange TKO (concentated d-limonene)
Mix with 1 gallon of water and drown the mound.
(This is basically the same as Gardenville Auntie Fuego with cornmeal added).
The Orange TKO sells for about $20 for a 16 oz. bottle, so that's about $1.25 for the d-limonene per gallon of ant killer . Not so expensive from my point of view. But...I'm frugal!
This formula has wiped out all the fire ant mounds I've treated for years, and it works with or without the orange oil/d-limonene concentrate. I do think molasses is a key component and by experimentation found that adding the cornmeal was beneficial. The beneficial nematodes seem to be the real keepers of the gate, though.
For the grits, yeah, they work and wipe out the little mounds but not permanently for the big mounds, from my experience, because they don't kill ALL the queens in the mound and the mound moves. And you get the action with instant grits because they blow up faster with less moisture. Stick regular in one bowl and instant in another, add water and just watch 'em.