Managing Fire Ants With Bait: A Guide for Homeowners and Farmers
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Collapse ▲No one likes fire ants, but there are effective ways to manage them. One of the easiest ways to control them is with fire ant bait.
Fire ant bait is a clever weapon because it is poison disguised as food. Foraging ants collect the bait and carry it back to their colony, where it’s shared throughout the colony.
Placement is key when applying bait. Think horseshoes and hand grenades – close actually counts. Fire ants forage up to 100 feet or more from their mound. Getting bait in “the general area” works fine. Actually, applying bait too close to the mound is ineffective. Fire ants do not forage on the top of their mound. If you’re treating near a mound, keep bait at least 6 feet from the mound’s center.
Apply bait when ants are actively foraging. To see if they are foraging, place a potato chip near a mound. If ants swarm the chip within 10 to 15 minutes, it’s a good time to apply. Ants are most active when temperatures are between 70°F and 85°F.
If rain is expected within 24 hours, do not apply bait. Also don’t apply bait when dew is on the ground. Ants prefer dry, fresh bait. Old bait is less attractive to fire ants, so start each season with fresh bait for best results.
Using a bait does not provide instantaneous control. It takes 7 to 14 days for control. When making a bait application, the foraging ants bring the bait back to the colony. The bait is shared among the colony through a process called trophallaxis. Trophallaxis is the passing of liquified food from one ant to another, much like a mother bird feeding her babies. The poison in the baits is designed to work slowly so it has a chance to be shared with the entire colony.
Ant bait can be applied two basic ways. It can be applied to treat individual mounds or it can be broadcast to treat an entire area. Broadcast treatments are an effective way to treat multiple mounds in an area. Individual mound treatment is easy if there are just a few mounds to control. The baits are ready to use, so there is no mixing. Some come with a shaker top to make individual mound treatment easy.
Always read and follow the pesticide label. There is a lot of other good information in the label. Read the entire label so you will know how to effectively and safely use the product.
To ensure success with bait treatments, remember:
- Use fresh bait.
- Do not disturb mounds before applying bait.
- Apply when the grass is dry and no rain is expected for 12 to 24 hours.
- Apply when ants are actively foraging.
Most fire ant baits are approved for residential, recreational, and landscaped areas. However, only a few baits are labeled for agricultural use, such as cropland, pastures, orchards, or vegetable gardens. For treatment of these locations, look for Extinguish, Esteem, or Safer Fire Ant Bait. These are the only currently approved baits for home gardens, pastures, and cropland in North Carolina.
— Seth Nagy is the Caldwell County Cooperative Extension Director.
The N.C. Cooperative Extension, Caldwell County Center, 120 Hospital Ave.,
#1 in Lenoir, provides access to resources of N.C. State University through educational programs and publications.