3/26/26: the ant has been found! Congrats to Tina Lewis who found it off of Hopewell Road!
Want to win $1500? All you have to do is find the large plastic ant in our annual South Georgia Banking Company Find the Fire Ant Contest!
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The highly competitive county-wide scavenger hunt is back! The big plastic purple/blue ant will be somewhere in Turner County and waiting for you to find it starting Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Whoever finds it first, whether with skill or by luck, gets $1500, a photo in the Wiregrass Farmer, and bragging rights.
Ready to pocket $1,500 and also earn some serious hometown bragging rights?
As part of Fire Ant Freedom and our celebration of 250 years of American Independence, the South Georgia Banking Company Find the Fire Ant Contest is back! This isn’t just a scavenger hunt. It’s a full-blown, county-wide adventure.
Somewhere in Turner County, the infamous purple-and-blue fire ant is hiding. It could be tucked away in plain sight or waiting in the most unexpected spot. All it takes is some clue deciphering, sleuthing, and one sharp set of eyes to track it down.
When: Kicks off Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Prize: $1,500 cash, your photo in The Wiregrass Farmer, and year-long bragging rights
Grab your friends. Load up the kids. Make a day of it. Search high and low, follow the clues, and trust your instincts. Whether you win by strategy or pure luck, one thing’s for sure- someone is walking away with $1,500.
Let the hunt begin. 
Clue dates and locations!
March 4 – South Georgia Banking Company AND BONUS Fire Ant Festival Newsletter location clue. You must subscribe to the newsletter to receive the clue location before it is sent out on March 4, 2026, at noon. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/gKUrPT
March 5 – Parker Chevrolet
March 6 – Raines Pharmacy
March 9 – Bryan & Land
March 10 – Ashburn Mini Storage
March 11 – City Hall of Ashburn
March 12 – Sweet T’s Cafe AND Birdsong Peanut
March 13 – Piggly Wiggly
March 16 – Retro FM 102.1 (We will give you certain 10-minute windows to listen for the clue. Stay tuned to our Fire Ant Festival Facebook page for times!) AND Cleghorn Tax and CPA
March 17 – Calhoun Produce
March 18 – La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant
March 19 – Asa Med Spa (please visit 240 E. Washington Ave, Ashburn, GA)
March 20 – Turner County Courthouse Annex
March 23 – The Wiregrass Farmer
March 24 – Ashburn Department of Public Safety
March 25 – Colony Bank
March 26 – Turner County Board of Education
March 27 – Turner County Sheriff’s Office
Find the Fire Ant RULES:
- You must visit the businesses in person to get a clue. Do not call the business for the clue because they will not give it out over the phone. If a business decides to remove the clue, you will not get that clue unless another hider were to share their knowledge (or not… Strategy and all).
- Businesses are not obligated to post clues in easy-to-find locations. Some clues will be posted where you will have to walk the store and locate them.
- It is not in a garbage can.
- The ant is hidden on public property! You do not need to tear up anyone’s property to get to it.
- If it is still not found by Friday, March 28, either a new clue will be given or an old clue explained by Chief Ant Hider starting at 2 pm in Heritage Park. Up to 3 new clues/explanations can be voted on by the hunters present.
The Fire Ant Festival Committee is not responsible for any injuries that may occur while participating in the Find the Fire Ant hunt. By participating in this contest, I acknowledge that I have read and understood all of the terms of this release and that I am voluntarily giving up substantial legal rights, including the right to sue the sponsors. I acknowledge that I am over 18 and participating freely and voluntarily and understand that I am legally bound by the terms and conditions contained herein. My
$1500 prize
Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to get a bonus clue in March!
Rules and Terms
The Fire Ant Festival Committee is not responsible for any injuries that may occur while participating in the Find the Fire Ant hunt. By participating in this contest, I acknowledge that I have read and understood all of the terms of this release and that I am voluntarily giving up substantial legal rights, including the right to sue sponsor. I acknowledge that I am over 18 and participating freely and voluntarily and understand that I am legally bound by the terms and conditions contained herein.
