d we were inundated with them at the Sunbury VFD SubStation here in Corapeake. I have spent a lot of time searching the Internet , talking to people, and treating myself to find the best options for dealing with these little devils. I am looking at practicality, cost, availability, safety, and of course effectiveness.My favorite product is Extinguish Plus. This is a mound treatment granular bait. It combines the slow acting insecticide found in the proven Amdro with the effective IGR (insect growth regulator) found in Extinguish. It in just a few days and gives good control. There are other baits like Amdro and Over n' Out Mound Treatment that work well also. Baits allow time for the workers to bring the bait down underground to the others, especially the queen. It is important to put the bait out when the workers are feeding and with no rain in forecast for the day. The best time to apply is in the morning when the dew is dry. Another effective method of application is to broadcast 1 to 2 lbs. (depending on the product) of bait per acre. The negative to broadcasting is mechanics of applying such a small amount per area. Baits come in 1#, 1.5#, 2#, 4.5# and larger size containers. Most of the smaller containers have a shaker cap on them.
If you have to kill a mound quick, then a drench will work. The
best time to apply a drench is early or late, when the colony is not feeding, so most are in the mound. These will kill the ants in 24 hours, but the negative is you have to mix the chemicals in water (1 gal per mound) and more care must be taken for safety. Also, they may not kill the whole colony. Orthene and Cyonara are two of these chemicals that work well and are inexpensive.The Cadillac treatment is a broadcast contact killer with soil residual. These can keep Fire Ants at bay for up to a year. The negative to these are the cost. One such product available to homeowners is Over n' Out Granules. One 20# bag covers 10,000 sq ft. A typical acre house lot would take 4 bags. Bifen Lawn & Perimeter is also effective.
We carry all the products mentioned here and will add more if we find some that are more effective or are a better value. Call us if you have any questions. 465-8929
JMHO
JTK
Fire ant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Biology, Control, and Management of Imported Fire Ants in North America at www.eXtension.org
Red Imported Fire Ant In North Carolina
Fire Ant Management in Pasture
Alabama Fire Ant Management Program
Alabama Cooperative Extension - Fire Ant Resources
LSU Red Imported Fire Ant Research
Texas Red Imported Fire Ant Research and Management Project
USDA Areawide Fie Ant Suppression
Fire Ants in Virginia
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment