By Morgan Watts

Fire ants are well established here in Rowan County and some of them like to call your pasture or hayfield home. Whether you are dealing with one mound or 100 mounds in some cases, you need to know what to do for control. Fire ants can negatively impact your livestock or hay operation and cost you time and money. The impact may be felt through:

• Lost labor
• Animal injury
• Equipment damage/wear
• Hay production
• Medical/veterinary costs
• Forage degradation
• Electrical equipment damage
• Infested feed
• Reduced feeding
• Young animal endangerment

Not all fire ant baits are labeled for pastures and hayfields. Some ingredients cannot be used around grazing animals meant for human consumption. Check the label, before you buy, to make sure the product you are purchasing can be used as you intend. Currently, there are three active ingredients labeled for use as fire ant bait in pastures or hayfields:  Methoprene, pyriproxyfen and hydramethylnon. These products can be found in farm supply stores in small quantities. For larger quantities, you may have to special order. These baits may have haying restrictions so you may have to wait a period of time after application before harvesting hay. Read and follow all label directions.
When is the best time to apply baits?

Spring is the best time to apply baits. Wait until soil temperatures warm in the spring and the ants are actively foraging. The best way to test the ants to see if they are foraging is to take greasy potato chips or a piece of hot dog and lay near a mound. Check back in 15 to 20 minutes to see if the ants have found them. If the fire ants find the chips or hot dog, they will find the bait.
How do I apply fire ant bait on large acreage?

At most you are only looking to apply 1 to 2 pounds of bait per acre. A typical fertilizer spreader will put our far too much bait. For smaller areas you can use hand seeders designed to spread small seed. For large fields you will most likely want a power-operated spreader. Herd Seeder Company and Spyker Spreaders are two companies that make spreaders designed to spread fire ant bait.

Tips for using fire ant bait

• Read the label
• Use the correct spreader
• Pick a time when it is not likely to rain for a day or two after treatment
• Wait until the grass is dry before applying bait
• Baits are not fast-acting but are effective

Quickly eliminate problem mounds in barnyards

Drenches are a great way to get rid of mounds quickly, especially if they are in a high-traffic area like a barnyard. Use a watering can or similar container to mix and apply liquid drenches. Read the label, mix the specified amount of insecticide in water, and pour it over the mound. Avoid disturbing the mound before treating it. It is important to use enough liquid to thoroughly soak the entire mound. Depending on the size of the mound, this ranges from one to two gallons. Begin by applying about one-fourth of the total volume to a 10 to 12-inch band around the outside of the mound. This prevents the queen from escaping through one of the underground foraging tunnels and improves the control of workers. Then apply the rest of the drench directly to the mound. Examples of insecticides for use as fire ant mound drenches Hi-Yield Garden, Pet and Livestock Insect Control (permethrin -10%) and Sevin 80 S (carbaryl 80%).

For additional questions about fire ants in pastures or hayfields, call, Morgan Watts, Rowan County Livestock Agent 704-216-8970.