Welcome to Curt’s Corner! Let’s talk about fire ants and fire ant control. Years ago, I was told by a very observant old-timer: “You know, Curt, fire ants are just like us. They love to come out after a good rain followed by a nice sunny day.” He was certainly right about that. Most folks purchase fire ant treatments when the ants become visible; they’re lulled into believing that there’s not an issue when the conditions are hot and dry. In truth, the ants are simply existing underground and just not visible.

How should we go about treating fire ants?

First, we should keep in mind that control and reduction are the goals; complete elimination is almost impossible, except in very small areas. Any species that mates while airborne and can travel up to five kilometers will always coexist with us!

Getting back to treatment, we should treat the area we want to control at least twice a year with a bait like Amdro, Extinguish Plus, or Come and Get it. The ants forage these baits and take them back to the queen. We want to apply the bait on a day where there is no chance of rain for 2-3 days afterwards. In between these treatments throughout the year, we should use a mound application such as Bayer or Surrender. If we are diligent with application, we will see fewer problems next season.

If you have a small area to treat, or need faster control, consider an insecticide granule like Over ‘n Out that will cover about 5000 square feet. A liquid insecticide drench can aid in getting rid of a mound.

Fire ants are not anything new, and most of us have experienced getting stung or having them invade an electrical circuit box. I will be discussing organic approaches in the future, but if you have tips that work for you in controlling these pesky critters, I would love to hear what works for you. Enjoy your fire ant hunting! 

We have products to help you with fire ant control available at Odiorne Feed!