1. Steve Morgan, County Extension Agent Harris County, Georgia Fire Ant Control In Pastures and Hayfields

2. FIRE ANT FACTS Accidentally introduced into US in 1930s Stowaway in ship ballast, landed in Port of Mobile, AL Currently infests ~300 million acres in US and Puerto Rico Is adapting to drier conditions in western areas of infestation Accidentally introduced into US in 1930s Stowaway in ship ballast, landed in Port of Mobile, AL Currently infests ~300 million acres in US and Puerto Rico Is adapting to drier conditions in western areas of infestation

3. SPREAD OF FIRE ANTS Mating flights (wind) Flooding Vehicles Agricultural commodities Horticultural commodities Mating flights (wind) Flooding Vehicles Agricultural commodities Horticultural commodities

4. The red shows the spread over time of the red imported fire ant (IFA) and black IFA (shown by crosshatching) within the United States. Projected future spread is shown in the lower left figure. Reproduced with permission from: Vinson SB, Sorensen, AA. Texas Department of Agriculture 1986. Copyright ©1986 Texas Department of Agriculture.

5. STATUS OF FIREANTS (NATIONWIDE)

6. Fire Ant Impact and Damage Ecological: Kill and eat ground- nesting birds and mammals Destroy predators and parasites of pests Agricultural: Higher production costs Increased risk of pesticides used to control fire ants Courtesy of USDA ARS 2007

7. Fire Ant Impact And Damage Medical Veterinary: Sting People and Pets Attack Livestock and Wildlife Equipment: Short out electrical equipment Damage mowers and agricultural equipment Medical Veterinary: Sting People and Pets Attack Livestock and Wildlife Equipment: Short out electrical equipment Damage mowers and agricultural equipment Courtesy of USDA ARS

8. IDENTIFICATION Workers are polymorphic, generally reddish- brown Mounds (generally) honeycombed inside Workers are polymorphic, generally reddish- brown Mounds (generally) honeycombed inside Courtesy TAMU

9. FIRE ANT REPRODUCTION MONOGYNE  Single queen colonies  Reproduce via mating flights MONOGYNE  Single queen colonies  Reproduce via mating flights POLYGYNE  Multiple queen colonies  Reproduce via mating flights  Reproduce via budding

10. THE MOUND (GENERAL) Fire ant mounds are not always easily detectable Foraging tunnels radiate out from the mound.75 inches to 3 inches below the soil Colonies are located in different parts of the mound at different times of the day Mound shape can change seasonally Fire ant mounds are not always easily detectable Foraging tunnels radiate out from the mound.75 inches to 3 inches below the soil Colonies are located in different parts of the mound at different times of the day Mound shape can change seasonally

11. NEST STRUCTURE Photo courtesy of Texas Ag. Ext. Servc.

12. 2 WAYS TO TREAT FIRE ANTS INDIVIDUAL MOUND TREATMENTS  Labor intensive  Rapid control if contact insecticides used  Difficult to find all mounds  Temperature- dependent INDIVIDUAL MOUND TREATMENTS  Labor intensive  Rapid control if contact insecticides used  Difficult to find all mounds  Temperature- dependent BROADCAST BAITS  80-90% effective  Control is slow (2-8 weeks depending on product)  Controls small, hard to detect colonies  Can treat large areas  Temperature- dependent

13. INDIVIDUAL MOUND TREATMENTS Dusts, granules and pre-measured drenches Good if rapid control of a few mounds is required Baits can be used on single mounds but control is slower Dusts, granules and pre-measured drenches Good if rapid control of a few mounds is required Baits can be used on single mounds but control is slower Video Courtesy of USDA ARS

14. BROADCASTING BAITS You should use a seed spreader to broadcast baits Cannot mix baits with fertilizer or other products Best for large areas that don’t require immediate control You should use a seed spreader to broadcast baits Cannot mix baits with fertilizer or other products Best for large areas that don’t require immediate control

15. BAITS LABELED FOR PASTURE AND HAYFIELDS Labeled For: PHI Brand Name Active Ingredient Rate/Acre Cattle Horses For Hay Amdro Hydramethylnon (0.73%) 1 to 1.5 Lbs. Yes Yes 7 Days Extinguish Methoprene1 to 1.5 Lbs. Yes Yes Justice Spinosad Mound Only Yes Yes Award Fenoxycarb1 to 1.5 Lbs. No Yes ** For Mound Treatments Apply 1 – 3 Tablespoons/Mound Labeled For: PHI Brand Name Active Ingredient Rate/Acre Cattle Horses For Hay Amdro Hydramethylnon (0.73%) 1 to 1.5 Lbs. Yes Yes 7 Days Extinguish Methoprene1 to 1.5 Lbs. Yes Yes Justice Spinosad Mound Only Yes Yes Award Fenoxycarb1 to 1.5 Lbs. No Yes ** For Mound Treatments Apply 1 – 3 Tablespoons/Mound

16. Home Remedies Hot or Boling Water makes the mound move to a new location or drives the queen and a few workers deeper underground. Gasoline and other petroleum products will kill some fire ant colonies. However, petroleum products are dangerously flammable or explosive, kill grass and plants around the treated mounds, and they pollute the soil and ground water. Use of petroleum products, solvents, battery acids, bleaches or ammonia products is dangerous and discouraged. Soap solutions, cleaning products or wood ashes soaked into the mound are believed to remove the protective oil coating from the ants. However, their effectiveness in killing colonies is not documented. Grits are ineffective. In theory, the ants eat the grits, which then swell and rupture the ants’ stomachs. In fact, only the last stage of the developing fire ant is known to digest solid food. All other life stages feed only on liquids or greasy materials. Some natural substances found in crushed or grated citrus peels are toxic to fire ants. Hot or Boling Water makes the mound move to a new location or drives the queen and a few workers deeper underground. Gasoline and other petroleum products will kill some fire ant colonies. However, petroleum products are dangerously flammable or explosive, kill grass and plants around the treated mounds, and they pollute the soil and ground water. Use of petroleum products, solvents, battery acids, bleaches or ammonia products is dangerous and discouraged. Soap solutions, cleaning products or wood ashes soaked into the mound are believed to remove the protective oil coating from the ants. However, their effectiveness in killing colonies is not documented. Grits are ineffective. In theory, the ants eat the grits, which then swell and rupture the ants’ stomachs. In fact, only the last stage of the developing fire ant is known to digest solid food. All other life stages feed only on liquids or greasy materials. Some natural substances found in crushed or grated citrus peels are toxic to fire ants.

17. THE DOS AND DON’TS OF FIRE ANT CONTROL

18. DISTURBING THE MOUND Don’t disturb mounds prior to any sort of treatment. This will alert the ants to danger, and will decrease the likelihood of hitting the queen and most workers with insecticides. Do take care to apply dusts, granules, and drenches very gently. This will insure contact with the greatest number of ants--and when baiting, will not distract ants from their foraging activity

19. READING THE LABEL Don’t apply products without carefully reading label instructions. Many products have specialized instructions that should be followed for best results. Do consult the label of the product you choose and check for info on timing of application, whether product requires watering in, etc.

20. BAITING INDIVIDUAL COLONIES Don’t apply baits directly to the tops of mounds. This will increase the time it takes for the ants to discover and retrieve the bait and increase the chances of photodegradation. Do apply bait products in a circular fashion around individual mounds, approximately 2-3 feet from the mound’s base.

21. TEMPERATURE AND MOUND TREATMENTS Don’t treat individual mounds when it is very hot or very cold outside. The colony will be far underground, lessening the chances of contacting all ants. Do treat individual mounds on warm, sunny mornings that follow cool nights. The colony will be located near the top of the mound, where insecticides will have a better chance of contacting ants.

22. TEMPERATURE AND BAIT BROADCASTING Don’t broadcast baits when it is too cold or too hot. Early season applications may not be effective--wait until late May-early June in Oklahoma. Do broadcast baits when temperature is between 70 and 90°F after monitoring for activity.

23. RAIN AFFECTS BAITING Don’t apply bait products right before or right after a rain. Generally, if rain is expected within 24 hours or has occurred in the last 24 hours, postpone baiting applications. Do apply bait products when the ground is relatively dry. If applying in the morning, be sure that dew is not present on the grass.

24. GIVE BAITS TIME TO WORK Don’t be impatient! Hydramethylnon formulations will take 2 weeks or more to work, and IGRs will take up to 6 or even 8 weeks. Further applications within this time interval is wasting money! Do give the foraging ants plenty of time to retrieve and distribute baits. Delay any activity that would disturbe the colonies for at least 3 days after baiting, then treat problem mounds individually.

25. USE FRESH PRODUCTS Don’t use bait formulations that were opened several months ago, or have been stored in a hot area or left in an unsealed container. Do use fresh products whenever possible. Shake bait containers well before opening / using the product. Soybean oil attractants in baits can go rancid and can settle in stored containers.

26. COST CONSIDERATIONS Cost of product  Baits: per area basis or per mound basis  $9-15 / acre, $0.50-0.90 / mound  Drenches, etc.: per mound basis  $0.15-0.25 / mound Time and Effort Needed For Applications  Greater with Individual Mound Treatments Cost of product  Baits: per area basis or per mound basis  $9-15 / acre, $0.50-0.90 / mound  Drenches, etc.: per mound basis  $0.15-0.25 / mound Time and Effort Needed For Applications  Greater with Individual Mound Treatments

27. SUMMARY Knowledge of fire ant biology is essential for successful control programs. The two primary means of controlling fire ants (baiting and mound treatments) involve different costs and benefits, and both can be integrated into a control program Most Home Remedies are Ineffective Always read the labels of products before use and apply all pesticides correctly. Knowledge of fire ant biology is essential for successful control programs. The two primary means of controlling fire ants (baiting and mound treatments) involve different costs and benefits, and both can be integrated into a control program Most Home Remedies are Ineffective Always read the labels of products before use and apply all pesticides correctly.