UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension Service

458 Highway 98 North

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail:  dfculbert@ifas.ufl.edu

May 7, 2003

Feature Article - for release the week of May 11, 2003

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent

How to Cure that Burning, Itching Pest

As temperatures get warmer and our Florida Yards get drier, an annual battle begins. The "wildfire" will soon warm up, and leave many with a burning itching feeling. Now is the time to review our battle strategy with a terrorist that has invaded our homeland - the imported fire ant.

There are many "cures" that are ineffective, and dangerous to both the environment and those that use them. However, University of Florida scientists have several effective products and are now testing several new ideas to rid our landscapes and pastures of this pest.

On the off chance that you are not familiar with the seriousness of imported fire ants, here are some figures that highlight their effects: fire ants infest 1/4 billion acres in 16 states and sting an estimated 9 million people each year. The fire ant will not only bite, but it also stings, and 25,000 people experience an allergic reaction from these pests each year - with a dozen deaths in a recent year. No wonder we spend nearly $5 billion to combat this pest.

There are four strategies are currently being used to control fire ants: broadcast bait applications, individual mound treatments, a combination of these two approaches, and, barrier and spot treatments.

Most bait products (eg. Amdro®, PT®370 Ascend^TM, Extinguish^TM, Award® or Logic®) contain slow-acting poisons or ant-specific growth regulators that are dissolved in soybean oil, and absorbed into corn grits. Ants take the bait into their mound, feed it to their queen and the other workers, and slowly die. For baits to work, use fresh baits, keep they dry (at least a day without rain), apply in warm afternoon temperatures (when ants are active), and use them in places listed on the label. Products must be used according to labeled directions - THE LABEL IS THE LAW!

Fire ant baits can be applied around the ant mounds, or for better control, broadcast over larger areas. Read the label to learn where to apply and how much to use. And be patient - it may take several weeks for these products to kill all the queens and stop this fire from spreading.

Drenches, dusts, and granules offer a quicker approach, to winning the battle, but will not help win the war. These products are contact poisons, which must touch the ants to do any good. However, when the mounds are treated, many of the individuals will scatter, and the mounds will pop ups again in a new location. Save these products for those mounds that are right in the middle of high traffic areas - where you simply can not tolerate any ants because of an upcoming picnic, or for those mounds that pop up at the base of your mailbox, or that might appear near Rover’s doghouse. Some of these products must be watered in, while others do not: READ THE LABEL!

Among some new ways to kill fire ants, University of Florida, USDA and Florida Department of Agriculture officials have come up with a biological control approach. They have released a tiny South American fly, know as a phorid fly, which lays its eggs inside fire ants, eats out the insides of the ant, and caused the ant to lose it’s head. (Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry recently wrote about phorid flies - "I’m not making this up!") These flies are not for sale, but in time, will find their way to your Florida Yard.

There are many folklore approaches to controlling fire ants that you may have heard about. Some are effective but difficult to use - such as pouring boiling water on mounds - which can also burn the person pouring the water. There are many stories of persons using other chemicals on fire ants, which can result in contaminated soils or water bodies, and often without eliminating the problem. For safety’s sake, ask us before attempting to use any of these approaches.

The University of Florida has several bulletins on Fire Ant management, and I can refer you to some great websites on the imported fire ant. Contact our office if you would like additional information, or call or stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North. Our phone number is 763-6469, and you can email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu.

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Trade names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Larry A.  Arrington, Dean Last update: 06/20/2006 .  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert