Fire Ants

Rich – posted 26 August 2001 08:05

Is there a way to keep FIRE ANTS away from your property.As soon as you get rid of one nest another pops up.Any suggestions. Thanks

seed – posted 26 August 2001 17:56

Rich, my best success in controlling fire ants (a.k.a., the Imported Argentine Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta) has been using the chemical Amdro.

Unfortunately, Amdro is not a preventative. But a diligent late afternoon walk of your property, accompanied with careful sprinkling of Amdro around the mounds, should minimize the problems. Fire ants are most active in the night, at least in warm weather, and the Amdro breaks down very quickly in sun or moisture, so I have found that a late afternoon “ant walk” works best. Follow the label on how much to use, and other restrictions.

There are other products that may be better and someone can comment. I, personally, have found nothing as effective as Amdro in South Florida. It doesn’t kill ants instantly, but it starves the colony quickly after the queen dies and the social structure breaks down. In most cases I have found the entire colony dead within 24 hours, but conservatively the colony mound should be dead within a few days.

Also unfortunately, you can’t clean up a property permanently, because new fire ants arrive. Even large properties such as ranches have a high immigration rate, because gravid (egg bearing) fire ant females rain down from perhaps several thousand feet in the air.

Phil

sam – posted 05 September 2001 08:21

Rich, i live in south Louisiana and have problems with fire ants. A product I,ve found that works very well is Talstar. It also helps control mole crickets. Good luck.

wdrake – posted 05 September 2001 19:25

I walk the yard daily and treat mounds with granular insecticide. Others tell me they have better luck treating entire yard with insecticide vice treating mounds.

claude raintree – posted 20 October 2012 12:59

well I watch Doc Martin. He’s such a charming, good natured fellow. Makes all my problems melt away.