Date: Mon, April 3, 2006

In this email look for the following:  Fire Ants E Letter

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I've been receiving calls about fire ants for a few weeks now. I've generally been counseling folks to "hold your fire." But it's been warm enough for a period of time, and they're likely to be foraging on a regular basis now. And that gives you an opportunity meet and greet them. They tend to be out and about more in the spring and fall, providing the best opportunities then for you to interact. Following, pared to the bare essentials, are things I think you'll want to know when you meet them:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FIRST:

We will not eliminate fire ants. Select mounds and locations that are important and deal with them on a mound by mound basis. Mounds you should concentrate on include those in areas of people traffic such as parks, playgrounds, and home lawns.

To eliminate a mound you must kill the Queen. She lives inside the mound.

When the mound is disturbed, the ants will remove the Queen from the mound by way of tunnels underground but close to the surface. Avoid disturbing the mound.

HOW TO PROCEED:

Identify the mound. Fire ants may be recognized by the mound. Unlike most ants, fire ants live both below ground and inside the mound built above ground. When disturbed, whitish rice-like larvae may be seen. Hundreds of ants may emerge. Remember, once disturbed, the Queen is no longer present. Wait at least one day before treating this mound.

Select one of the following treatment options:

Bait Treatment. Select a bait product from the list at http://ipm.ncsu.edu/agchem/chptr5/543.pdf. Keep these products in an airtight, odor free container to retain their usefulness. According to directions, spoon the bait Around, Not On, the mound. Baits deteriorate when exposed to moisture, high temperature, or sunlight. Make application under dry conditions, late in the day. It may take several weeks for the mound to die.

OR Dry Mound Treatment. Select a granule or dust product from the list at http://ipm.ncsu.edu/agchem/chptr5/543.pdf. Follow the product label to apply the product directly to the mound. Some of these products may need to be watered in. Consult the product label. Several days later, check the surrounding area for survivors starting a new mound and re-treat if necessary.

OR Drench treatment. Select a product from the list at http://ipm.ncsu.edu/agchem/chptr5/543.pdf. Before purchase make sure the product gives directions for a drench. "Kills Fire Ants" is not good enough; you must get to the Queen (she's in the mound unless you disturbed it, in which case you don't know where she is, so wait till tomorrow.) Mix in a garden watering can according to label directions mixing one gallon for each 6 inches of mound diameter. Slowly and thoroughly wet the ground around the mound to seal off the queen's exits. Continue to use all the material to soak the interior of the mound. Several days later, check the surrounding area for survivors starting a new mound and re-treat if necessary. This is the messiest strategy that involves the most intimate contact with the insecticide formula. Wear rubber gloves.

Consider the Texas Two-Step Method. Apply a bait. Wait about a week, then follow-up with an individual mound treatment - dust, granule, or drench. There is more information on the Two-Step Method at http://fireant.tamu.edu/management/twostep.cfm.

Other options. Treatments such as gasoline, motor oil, or grits usually cause the ants to abandon the mound and start a new one.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

People with allergies. Persons allergic to stings should avoid fire ant treatments.

Protecting your water. Avoid use of pesticides within 50 feet of wells, abandoned wells, streams, or ponds. In these situations several gallons of boiling water may be applied to each mound. Repeat treatments may be necessary. The primary advantage of this treatment is to force the ants to move the mound.

Fruits and vegetables. Most insecticides for control of fire ants are neither safe nor legal to use in food crops. A spinosad product currently marketed as Justice, Come-and-get-it, Conserve, and other brand names does include use in some of these areas and may bear the label of the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). Boiling water may be applied to any mound in food crops. Repeat treatments may be necessary. The primary advantage of the boiling water treatment is to force the ants to move the mound.

Pastures. For a product that is safe and legal for control of fire ants in pastures, see http://ipm.ncsu.edu/agchem/chptr5/506.pdf or contact my colleague Sam Groce Extension Agent for livestock and forages.

A comprehensive list of fire ant control products was compiled by Dr. Kathy Flanders at Auburn University. It is available at: http://insects.ncsu.edu/Urban/fireantproductlist.pdf Some products listed may not be available locally. In fact, products listed may no longer have the same use or active ingredients. The manufacturers and marketers like to change the names around. Study the labels carefully before you purchase or use.

alcooke

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Al Cooke
Extension Agent - Agriculture
Chatham County Center
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
N C State University
PO Box 279
Pittsboro, NC 27312
919.542.8202, FAX 919.542.8246
al_cooke@ncsu.edu http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/staff/acooke/home.html