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Has anyone ever had their property treated professionally for fire ants? In the past I have treated mounds as I saw them, but this last year with an acre lot has proved to be a difficult to keep up with. I have heard that most of the pest control companies offer annual treatments. I would like to hear about any experiences with this as it pertains to cost and effectiveness.
Ask General Default. He's the bug man!
Someone (might be Scotts, but I'm thinking Bayer, as in Bayer asprin) markets a lawn fertilizer that helps the grass and includes a fire ant repellant. Our back yard is ½ acre and we've had a great deal of success with it. (We do it ourselves with a broadcast spreader, if that helps at all.)
Fire ants can be challenging. Last years heavy rains made them more visible and had them on the move. This is the wrong time of the year to be broadcast treating for fire ants but it is the best control method. The best professional product is called TopChoice. It is expensive at about $180/ 50 # bag. It takes 87 pounds per acer. An exterminator will not put this out for you for free. The over the counter version is called Over 'n out. It is cheaper but does not last as long and the product carrier is different. Look for it on sale at your hardware store.
Temperature wise you need to be putting product out at the right time. You will want ground temperatures closer to 70 degrees for most of the products to work well.
All of the broadcast treatments will take time to work but the control level is much higher.
Don't forget to turn off the sprinkler if it is a bait product.
The following website has some good facts and information about fire ants. Just stay after them.
http://fireant.tamu.edu/broadcastbait/products/
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Originally Posted by Titus
Thanks General... so it sounds like it would run me in the neighborhood of $400-500 for product and professional application to my 1acre lot? Sounds like it is more than I am willing to spend, so I may look to see what I can do my self for around $200. I don't plan on doing anything right now... just want to work it in to the household budget for when the time comes. ;-) There is only 3 sprinkler heads on the property (for the Aerobic Septic system).
I use Over-n-out, It works good and lasts1 year with a single application. Mounds can be killed by sprinkling it around them as well, but it won't protect the whole property. This is not an instant kill it takes 1 to 2 weeks to knock them out.
The best, most fun way I've found is to wait until it rains, get a landscape timber, and just pound the snot out of the mound. I was told the queen and eggs are moved close to the surface, and it worked everytime I tried it.
DO NOT TRY THIS BAREFOOT.
No, the most fun way is to pee on it. There used to be an organic fire ant treatment with the primary ingredients being urine and citrus oil, don't know if it's still on the market or not. Cheapest and most effective for acreage is broadcast treatment of Amdro around the perimeter of the area, then treatment of individual mounds that may pop up later.
Make sure you're killing fire ants, not Texas Red Ants which are awesome for your yard, which you probably already know.