Fireants

And we don't mean an ants in your pants dance. We mean the currently best proven approach to effectively manage fire ants, called the Two-Step Method. This approach works best in fully infested areas (five or more mounds for each quarter-acre of yard) or where there is little or no concern for preserving native ant species. Two-stepping includes broadcasting a bait insecticide over your entire yard sometime between late August and mid-October, and then treating individual, problem mounds with an approved mound drench, granule, bait or dust insecticide.

Step One: Bait

Fire ants baits consist of pesticides on processed corn grits coated with soybean oil. Worker ants take the bait back to the colony, where it is shared with the queen, which then either dies or becomes infertile. Baits currently available include Amdro, Siege, Logic, Award, Ascend or Raid Fire Ant Killer. Baits are slow-acting and require weeks to months to achieve 80% to 90% control. Bait products can be used to easily treat large areas effectively. They contain extremely low amounts of toxins. For Best results:

1. Use Fresh bait, preferably from an unopened container
2. Apply when the ground and grass are dry and no rain is expected for the next 24 to 48 hours.
3. Apply when worker ants are actively looking for food, usually in late afternoon or in the evening. To test, put a small pile of bait next to a mound and see if the ants have found it within 30 minutes.
4. Apply baits with hand-held seed spreaders. Don't apply baits mixed with fertilizer or seed.
5. Baits can be applied anytime during the warm season. When applied in late summer/early fall, ants are still foraging and it's easier to predict weather patterns. Then the bait can take effect over the winter while you are indoors. Re-apply baits once or twice a year.

Chemical. With dust products, no water is needed and they act fast. However, they leave a surface residue. Liquid drenches generally eliminate mounds within a few hours and leave little surface residue after application. Granular products are relatively fast acting and usually require putting granules on and around the mound and then sprinkling 1 to 2 gallons of water on without disturbing the mound. Closely follow directions on the label.

Organic. Pouring 2 to 3 gallons of very hot or boiling water on the mound will kill ants about 60% of the time. Otherwise, the ants will probably just move to another location. Very hot or boiling will kill the grass or surrounding vegetation that it is poured upon. Other natural or organic methods include mound drench projects containing plant-derived ingredients (e.g. botanical insecticides) and biological control agents.

PROTECT YOUR PETS FROM THE FIRE ANTS

If your pet has encountered the dangerous sting of red imported fire ants claiming territory on your lawn, it's time for you to battle. The fire ant has become a serious health problem for backyard pets and small animals and learning safe methods to control fire ants will lead to a safer living environment. If your pet is attacked by fire ants, remove it quickly from the source and eliminate any fire ants from your pet. Do not attempt to spray ants off with a water hose because they will hang on with their jaws and sting the animal repeatedly. Some pesticides can be toxic to pets if ingested, so special care must be taken. You should always remove your pets from the yard before applying any type of insecticide product. If you select to use granular and dust insecticides, thoroughly water treatments into the mound and allowed to dry before permitting pets to re-enter the treated areas.

TAKING THE BITE OUT OF FIRE ANT STINGS

Ouch! The stinging effects of red imported fir ants can be more serious than you think. If you have been stung by an ant, chances are you have been stung by Solenopsis invicta, the red imported fire ant which has invaded the southeastern 2/3 of Texas and most of the southeastern United States. Fire ants are very aggressive and will defend their mounds from any threat. Once their mound is disturbed, fire ants will rush out by the thousands and sting anything within reach. They first bite and then sting one or more times while holding on with their jaws. Some symptoms of fire ant stings include burning and itching. Approximately a day later a white pustule will usually form. If scratched, these pustules can become infected. So when you do get stung, it is important to treat the sting and prevent infection. Fire ants have a unique venom which is an oily alkaloid mixed with a little protein and your one chance to lessen the pain from the sting is to quickly break down the protein. Fire ant stings can be treated by dabbing the bite with ammonia or diluted bleach (1:1 bleach and water). However, this method doesn't work if more than 15 minutes have passed. Another option is to treat the sting with an insect bite remedy containing benzocaine or another ingredient that will deaden pain and protect against infection. Some people are highly sensitive to fire ant stings. Just one sting can lead to chest pains, nausea, severe sweating, loss of breath, serious swelling or slurred speech. If this happens, the person should be taken to an emergency medical facility immediately.

Several ways to avoid problems are to:

1. Teach children about fire ants.
2. Use the Two-Step Method of fire ant control in infested areas.
3. Implement community-wide ant management programs.