Tips on using fire ant baits successfully
- Only use baits that are specifically labeled for fire ants.
- Read the label twice, once before you buy and again before you treat.
- Apply fire ant baits by broadcasting them over the entire yard.
- Don’t apply too much. The rate for most baits is only one to two pounds per acre.
- Use a spreader specifically designed for fire ant bait.
- Avoid irrigating for at least two days after applying baits.
- Try to avoid applying baits just before rainfall.
- Treat again if rainfall occurs within 12 hours after a bait application.
- Use fresh bait. Ants don’t like old bait that has gone rancid.
- Be patient. Baits are slow-acting.
- Apply fire ant baits preventively. Don’t wait till you see large mounds.
- Apply baits one to three times per year, depending on location.
- Use the holidays, Easter, Independence Day, and Labor Day as reminders.
- Use individual mound treatments to eliminate mounds the baits miss.
Contact information for Dr. Blake Layton.
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Even if you preventatively treat your yard periodically through the year for fire ants, you’ll still see mounds pop up.
There are two ways to treat these mounds: liquid drenches and dry powders. (File photo by MSU Extension Service.)
Fire ant mounds always pop up right where you don’t need them – in the flower bed you planned to weed tomorrow, next to the mailbox that needs to be reset, and near the patio where you are throwing a party tonight. (Photo by Brian Utley/Cindy Callahan)
Fire ants are everywhere. If you’ve thrown your hands up in exasperation trying to deal with them, don’t give up just yet. (File photo by MSU Extension Service)
Mississippi has an abundance of bugs, especially in the warmer months. We are all familiar with mosquitoes, bumblebees, and house flies. But I bet there are bugs around your house and yard that you can’t identify. (Photo by Blake Layton)
Just when we think we’ve conquered our tiny foes, it rains, and fresh fire ant mounds pop up in our yard.
Like many tasks around the house, fighting fire ants feels like a constant battle. My husband and I finally started seeing some progress when we followed recommendations from MSU Extension’s expert, Dr. Blake Layton. (Yeah, that’s a side benefit of my job, learning all kinds of practical information!)
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