By Cary Sims, County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Angelina County, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Just last week, I stepped into a soft mound of soil in a landscape and immediately knew I had made a mistake. I moved quickly, stomped my foot, and managed to get all of them off before I got stung.
We know it all too well.
Most of us who spend much time outdoors have learned that lesson the hard way. Fire ants may be one of the most aggravating pests we deal with in East Texas, but fall is actually one of the better times to do something about them.
As temperatures moderate, fire ants become active foragers. That makes this a good time to broadcast a fire-ant bait across your lawn or other areas where fire ants are a problem. The ants pick up the bait and carry it back to the colony, where it is shared with other ants and eventually affects the queen.
That is very different from simply spraying or treating the mound you can see.
The two-step method
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension recommends the “Two-Step Method” for heavily infested areas. Step one is broadcasting a fire-ant bait over the entire area. Step two is treating individual nuisance mounds that remain after the bait has had time to work.
A properly applied broadcast bait can reduce fire-ant mound numbers by 80% to 90%. It won’t eliminate fire ants permanently, because new colonies will eventually move into the area, but it can make a tremendous difference.
Timing and application
Timing and application are important. Fire ants need to be actively foraging for the bait to work. A simple test is to put a small amount of bait near an active mound. If the ants find it within 30 to 60 minutes, they are looking for food and conditions are favorable for treatment.
Apply bait when the grass and soil are dry, and check the forecast for rain. Late afternoon or evening can be a good application time, particularly when daytime temperatures are still warm. Always follow the product label for the exact application rate and weather restrictions.
Picking a bait
There are many fire-ant baits on the market, and they don’t all work at the same speed. Some provide relatively quick control, while others work more slowly and provide longer-lasting suppression.
Don’t get hung up on a particular brand. Look at the active ingredient, make sure the product is labeled for the site you intend to treat, and follow the label directions.
Look in the fine print on the labels for products containing indoxacarb, hydramethylnon, pyriproxyfen, fenoxycarb or abamectin.
And don’t forget your neighbors. Fire ants don’t recognize property lines. If you and your neighbors treat your yards at about the same time, you can reduce the number of untreated areas from which new colonies can move back in.
Fall fire-ant control isn’t complicated, but it does require a little patience. Don’t expect to see every mound disappear overnight. The goal is to get the bait into the colonies now so you can start next spring with far fewer fire ants.
For more information on fire-ant control, visit the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Texas Imported Fire Ant Research and Management Project at fireant.tamu.edu.
