Fire Ants: Applying baits or other insecticides is wise before summer

“Fire ants are most active in the summer, from May through September, so late spring is a good time to apply baits or other pesticides to infested areas,” said Kim Schofield, an AgriLife Extension program specialist in Dallas.

Ants have been known to crash picnics, but fire ants aren’t an average pest, Schofield said.

Pesticides can help control fire ants, she said, which also helps beneficial native ants return to the landscape. Pesticide instructions should be followed carefully, she advised.

Fire-ant baits, drenches, dusts and contact granular insecticides may be applied to control fire ants, Schofield said, who recommended treating individual fire-ant mounds directly if there are fewer than five mounds on a quarter-acre or fewer than 20 on an acre.

Where there are more mounds, fire-ant bait or contact insecticide should be broadcasted over the entire infested area, she said.

“Before broadcasting the fire-ant bait, foraging activity should be assessed, by placing a potato chip or hot dog next to the mound,” Schofield said. “If fire ants find the chip or hot dog within twenty minutes, then it is a suitable time to broadcast the bait.”

While pesticide applications can be effective on individual properties, homeowners and other property owners would have more success if entire neighborhoods were treated for the pests at the same time, Schofield said.

“You have a better chance of controlling them by treating large areas such as an entire neighborhood at one time with a fire-ant bait, so they would all be killed instead of returning from your neighbor’s untreated yard,” she said.

Stop by Ark Country Store for fire ant control products. We recommend Hi-Yield Fire Ant Control Granules which provide effective protection in outdoor and recreational areas.

By: Mike Jackson