Fire
Ants
Least-Toxic
Options
Step One. Is it a Problem?
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Like any stinging insect,
fire ants and fire ant nests away from buildings or
outdoor work or play areas may not be a problem. However, fire ant
nests, or mounds, near school buildings and in playgrounds, athletic
fields other locations frequented by people can lead to stings and
potentially severe allergic reactions.
The red imported fire ant,
which reached the US in the 1930's, is present in a number of
southern states. They may have arrived in ships carrying cargo
from South America. Without established natural enemies,
populations of this ant have reached high numbers in several southern
states.
Several types, or species,
of fire ants are native to the Southern US and have not been a problem,
in part because natural enemies are also present to keep populations in
check.
If you suspect red imported
fire ants, have the ants identified before deciding on a control
strategy. For help on identifying red imported fire ants, click here.
WARNING: Many
individuals are highly sensitive to the venom of stinging insects,
including fire ants. A severe
reaction can lead to serious injury or death. Professional help in
dealing with stinging insect nests is highly recommended! Use the
information on the web page at your own risk.
Carpenter
Ants and other Ants.
Carpenter ants can
damage structures. Many other kinds of ants
can also become pests in certain situations. Follow
the links to learn more about managing these pests.
Step Two. Inspection ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fire ant mounds appear as fluffy soil
piles, usually a couple of inches in height in grassy areas. These
mounds may be especially apparent after a rain. Unlike most other
ant mounds, there is no entry hole at the top center of the mound.
Red imported fire ants enter and leave the mound through underground
tunnels.
Individual fire ants may enter your
property from nearby mounds - so an absence of mounds on your property
does not guarantee you will not have occasional encounters with fire ants.
Red imported fire ants are most likely to
establish in areas without dense shade, and where native vegetation is not
present.
Step Three. Prevention --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspect potted plants and other
landscaping material before bringing on to your property. Fire
ant colonies can be transported in soil.
Keep vegetation and debris away from
building walls and foundations. Ants are reluctant to cross open
areas - don't provide them with cover by mulching next to foundations or
allowing leaf litter or other debris to build up there. Trim trees,
shrubs, vines and other plants so that no vegetation touches foundations,
walls, gutters, soffits, eaves or roofs. These plants can become
travel ways leading ants to the building.
Step
Four. Least-Toxic,
Non-Chemical Options --------------------------------------------------------------
1.
Several natural enemies of fire ants, including a fly
which lays its eggs into fire ant workers, have been intentionally
introduced to help reduce Red Imported Fire Ant populations. In
some areas of Texas, Alabama and other states, these parasites are
taking hold and beginning to have an impact on fire ant numbers.
These are not available for purchase or release by school systems.
For more information, see this article from Texas A&M University (PDF
format)
http://fireant.tamu.edu/materials/factsheets_pubs/pdf/fapfs009.2002rev.pdf.
2.
Physical disruption or removal of fire ant mounds requires caution
to avoid stings. When working
around fire ant mounds, tuck your pants into your socks to keep ants
on the outside of your clothing where they can be seen and brushed
away.
Hot water
slowly poured on individual mounds can be effective. You will
need about three gallons per mound. Try to collapse as much of the mound structure as
possible, breaking up hard, crusted portions of the mound first with a
shovel if necessary. Portable boilers are available commercially for treatment of mounds over a large area.
Hot water is best applied in sunny, cool weather when ants are more
likely to be close to the soil surface. Treating the sunny side of
mounds in early morning may be most likely to kill the queen.
When using hot water, take care to avoid burns! Boiling water
will kill grass.
Digging
up nests may be practical for a small number of colonies.
Using several large buckets and a shovel, quickly scoop the mound into
the buckets, leaving buckets 3/4 full at most. Be sure to remove
the entire mound and soil to one foot below the nest. Applying baby powder or cornstarch
to the bucket and lower portion of the shovel handle before digging
can help prevent ants from escaping.
Have
water and dish soap ready to drown ants in the buckets, or simply
remove them to areas where they will not be a problem. Dish soap
added to the water will speed the drowning process. Stir with a
shovel to thoroughly dissolve soil in the bucket. Leave the
buckets at least overnight to ensure thorough kill.
Step 5. Least-Toxic Chemical Options
Use with Justification-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All pesticides can be hazardous and
should be used as a last resort, only when non-chemical measures are not
effective. Use of the following pesticide products may be
justified when non-chemical measures are not adequate to resolve a
problem. These products contain ingredients which meet our criteria for least
toxic. Warning.
Note:
For detailed product information, click on the product
name to link to the Pesticide Action Network Database. This option is
available for EPA- registered pesticides only.
The
following products are least-toxic pesticides that may be applied directly
to fire ant nests, or mounds, reducing the possibility that pets or people might come in contact
with the pesticide.
Click here
to see a list of pesticides for fire ants that do not meet
our criteria for least toxic.
