Fire ants

FireDuck401

FireDuck401

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
One of our food plots has become absolutely overrun with fire ants. They’re everywhere! I’ve spot treated the mounds with Advion in years past but this year they’ve exploded. There’s a mound every 10 yards of so. This plot is about 1.5 acres.

I’ve got some equipment available; what’s my best route to exterminate them?
Spread a bait? Spray an insecticide?

I’ve got to at least knock them back some. I hate to think of shooting/tracking/dragging a deer out of there this year.
 
Bean

Bean

Eight Pointer
I rigged up my sprayer to connect a garden hose and I treat the mounds with Bifen it will take them out. I use a nozzle so I can actually spray down in the mound and drench them. Bifen attacks their nervous system. The next day there will be dead ants everywhere.
 
FireDuck401

FireDuck401

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Bean said:
I rigged up my sprayer to connect a garden hose and I treat the mounds with Bifen it will take them out. I use a nozzle so I can actually spray down in the mound and drench them. Bifen attacks their nervous system. The next day there will be dead ants everywhere.
Click to expand...

I’ve got a similar system on my sprayer.
I’ll definitely give that a try. Thanks.
 

bag12day

Six Pointer
Contributor
Bifen and a drench isn't really needed but spray the whole area if possible instead of spot treating. You get the scouts and everybody out of the hill to come back at night and spread the curse to everyone. Had a cow pasture I had to treat the same way. Worked like a charm.
 
pattersonj11

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Mix a combo of Biden and permithrin. As others have stated above, take the first tank ad run around and give the mounds a good spray. After that, give it a good broadcast spray. Repeat every 3 months or so. This should knock them back. I do the same in my yard, but I just stop the sprayer on the mounds. I also have a wand I use to spray mounds as I ride by. You can spray up in the brush and trees too. This will help with many items. The kicker is that the chemicals keep lots of insects away....so pollination can be an issue. Don’t know if you need that for your plots.
 
klim

klim

Twelve Pointer
Bean said:
I rigged up my sprayer to connect a garden hose and I treat the mounds with Bifen it will take them out. I use a nozzle so I can actually spray down in the mound and drench them. Bifen attacks their nervous system. The next day there will be dead ants everywhere.
Click to expand...

Bifen is some nasty stuff we use it at work. Spray the mound and let soak in. Next day dead ants everywhere on top of the mound.
 
sky hawk

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I use Bifenthrin granules. No need for spray or drench. Just put them in a seeder and broadcast the area you want treated. As soon as it rains it will take effect, and will keep them out for 4+ months. It will be a little expensive to treat 1.5 acres, probably take 100 pounds, but it won't take 30 minutes to do it.

I can pretty much guarantee you that spot treating the mounds will be ineffective. You can kill that mound, but 3 more will pop up within 10 yards. Better to broadcast the area you want treated, otherwise you're just wasting a lot of time chasing them around.
 
bigten

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Not sure what will work best for your situation, but the bait has done well for me. Seems to take care of subterranean ants as well as surface pests..
 
Moose

Moose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I've read on Facebook that grits will kill'em...... :D I got my doubts but I can't think of anything else to do with grits. I use the granules from agri supply but I just treat the mounds themselves not the entire yard. Kills most first go around but some move to new location. I just treat them again and that usually takes care of them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BB2
woodmoose

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I had my place eradicated but the infilitrated from the game lands again,,,,dang firebreaks,,,they are like super highways for them things,,,

anyhow,,we are back after them with my favorite dust for them,,,have never had an issue with this stuff not taking them out

but it's not designed for applying to large acreages of course,,,but for a 1.5 acre food plot I'd just walk it and dust the mounds,,,then do a walk around on any trails or firebreaks that are close by - I am working a 6 acre piece of my land that is adjacent to the aforementioned game lands and I dust them as I work my pup down there...

ortho-lawn-insect-pest-control-0282210-64_1000.jpg
 

double

Twelve Pointer
woodmoose said:
I had my place eradicated but the infilitrated from the game lands again,,,,dang firebreaks,,,they are like super highways for them things,,,

anyhow,,we are back after them with my favorite dust for them,,,have never had an issue with this stuff not taking them out

but it's not designed for applying to large acreages of course,,,but for a 1.5 acre food plot I'd just walk it and dust the mounds,,,then do a walk around on any trails or firebreaks that are close by - I am working a 6 acre piece of my land that is adjacent to the aforementioned game lands and I dust them as I work my pup down there...

ortho-lawn-insect-pest-control-0282210-64_1000.jpg
Click to expand...

I would hate the added time and cost for workers. But i wish it was mandatory to spray down equipment before hitting the road with it. That is a major way they spread logging and landscaping equipment hit them and then carry them down the road spreading them as they go


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
useyourbow

useyourbow

Eight Pointer
If you treat the mound they just relocate. Granted your plot is bigger than my lawn but using a broadcast insecticide will motivate them to move away, ask my neighbor.?
 
bigten

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
useyourbow said:
If you treat the mound they just relocate. Granted your plot is bigger than my lawn but using a broadcast insecticide will motivate them to move away, ask my neighbor.?
Click to expand...

That has been my experience. Mound treatment kills a few and moves the others. That is the reason I have gone to fire ant bait instead of ant killer. I treat the mounds lightly, then broadcast larger areas. Makes them evil things either die or go away. It's probably not the least expensive way to go, but I get almost all season pretty much ant free through 4 consecutive yards plus a larger area of the field.
 

double

Twelve Pointer
Is there anything that will actually kill the whole mound? Not just make them move. Can I start at the woodline and work my way in killing all the bastards?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
woodmoose

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
double said:
Is there anything that will actually kill the whole mound? Not just make them move. Can I start at the woodline and work my way in killing all the bastards?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
That’s how orthene works for me - if I dust all mounds they are gone - might get them back eventually as they disperse from elsewhere but once I clear them I am good for a while
 
shadebaby

shadebaby

Six Pointer
we use orthene at work stinks like crazy but kills them. sprinkle on the mound come back the next day dead ants everywhere. we are only trying to keep them out of our signal cabinets.

27991
 
Bean

Bean

Eight Pointer
I guess everybody has their own method that works for them. I just like to treat my mounds out of the gate in the spring then broadcast seems to work well for me to each his own. good luck with them
 
Billy

Billy

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Another benefit of Bifen I/T is that it helps with mosquitoes as well. My wife and grandson are both very sensitive to mosquito bites, so I broadcast spray my yard with Bifen I/T and also spray shrubbery and underneath tree leaves. It really helps with fire ants and mosquitoes.
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
All the products mentioned will work, but topical mound treatments only kill part of the mound. Most times when they notice something isnt right they pack up the queen and move her to another mound. When i use orthene i mix enough in a 5 gallon bucket, take a shovel and push it as far in the mound as you can, pull back to open a hole and pour the entire bucket on the mound. Its the most effective way to mound treat, you have to get the product deep to the queen.

Baits when used correctly are very effective. Amdro and advion are most common. They are formulated so the workers eat it, it stays alive enough to regurgitate it to the queen she eats it and dies. Not to mention the rest of the mound ingest it as well. Always use the bait fresh and quickly after the seal is broken. They wont eat stale or wet bait. Its also the best bang for the buck money wise.

If you have the money and have a pest license firpronil is great but it is restricted use. It has two years of residual and it also kills fleas, ticks, and chiggers. But at $500 an acre and the fact its RUP is a deterrent for most people.
 
ABBD

ABBD

Ten Pointer
Contributor
woodmoose said:
I had my place eradicated but the infilitrated from the game lands again,,,,dang firebreaks,,,they are like super highways for them things,,,

anyhow,,we are back after them with my favorite dust for them,,,have never had an issue with this stuff not taking them out

but it's not designed for applying to large acreages of course,,,but for a 1.5 acre food plot I'd just walk it and dust the mounds,,,then do a walk around on any trails or firebreaks that are close by - I am working a 6 acre piece of my land that is adjacent to the aforementioned game lands and I dust them as I work my pup down there...

ortho-lawn-insect-pest-control-0282210-64_1000.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks Woodmoose....Just ordered some to attack a few hills with.
 
beard&bow

beard&bow

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I despise a fire ant! We had them in our yard in Half Moon. They'd build a 9 inch tall, 2ft diameter mound between weekly mowings. 4-5 mounds at a time. I hated mowing the yard...
 

BWard

Button Buck
I use Talstar. Spray around the mound then spray on top. Fifteen minutes and ants will be dead or dying. New mounds pop up but not in the same place. I use it around the perimeter of the house to for roaches/palmetto bugs. Talstar kills like 75 different bugs.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
woodmoose said:
I had my place eradicated but the infilitrated from the game lands again,,,,dang firebreaks,,,they are like super highways for them things,,,

anyhow,,we are back after them with my favorite dust for them,,,have never had an issue with this stuff not taking them out

but it's not designed for applying to large acreages of course,,,but for a 1.5 acre food plot I'd just walk it and dust the mounds,,,then do a walk around on any trails or firebreaks that are close by - I am working a 6 acre piece of my land that is adjacent to the aforementioned game lands and I dust them as I work my pup down there...

ortho-lawn-insect-pest-control-0282210-64_1000.jpg
Click to expand...
These little rascals are a plague now it seems.
Been thru some coin and pain trying other products.
This stuff is amazing. Just take it along for the hrs of mowing I have to do and sprinkle as you see them.
Thank you woodmoose.
 
nccatfisher

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Moose said:
I've read on Facebook that grits will kill'em...... :D I got my doubts but I can't think of anything else to do with grits. I use the granules from agri supply but I just treat the mounds themselves not the entire yard. Kills most first go around but some move to new location. I just treat them again and that usually takes care of them.
Click to expand...
No, not grits, oatmeal. Grits are for humans to eat. Oats are for animals and pests.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top