Watch Out for Foraging Fire Ants This Fall
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– Fall is a time of year people love to
spend outdoors. The cooler temperatures make back-to-school
activities, sports, and working in the yard more enjoyable.
Unfortunately, fire ants also enjoy the cooler weather,
creating a potential health threat for millions of southern
homeowners.
“One of the biggest misconceptions about fire
ants is that they go away in the fall. But in actuality,
fire ants often forage more actively in fall than in
summer,” says Dr. Nate Royalty, Ph.D., Bayer Environmental
Science. In the heat of the summer, temperatures are
often too hot for fire ants, and they escape underground
where it is cooler. In the fall, when the temperatures
drop, they will reemerge to forage for food and to mate
-- at least until the much colder winter temperatures
force them back underground.
In general, fire ants like mild
temperatures -- not too hot and not too cold. “Late
August through October is an ideal time to take action
against fire ants for several reasons,” explains
Royalty. “During these months it is much easier
to predict weather patterns, so application isn’t
as much of a guessing game as it is in the spring and
summer. In addition, foraging ants are often more active
on cool days, so that more product is carried back into
the mounds, subsequently increasing the speed at which
the nests are eliminated.”
To eliminate fire ants this fall,
follow these simple tips from Bayer Environmental Science:
1. Survey the area for fire ant
mounds -- Fire ant mounds look like worked soil, and
have no clear opening. If one or more mounds are present,
your property should be treated.
2. Test for foraging -- Carefully
throw a potato chip (an ideal bait for fire ants) on
or near a mound. Fire ants are foraging if they appear
and begin to eat the chip within 30 minutes. NOTE: Many
lawn care and pest control professionals will inspect
your yard for free; contact your local professional
via www.nofireants.com.
3. Seek professional advice --
Not only are fire ants a nuisance, attempting to control
them yourself can be expensive, frustrating and potentially
dangerous. Contact your local lawn care or pest control
professional and ask for TopChoice from Bayer Environmental
Science. A single, professional application of TopChoice
this fall will cure existing mounds and prevent new
mounds from forming for one year.
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