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How-to Control Fireants
FIRE ANTS (both species)
CONTROL. Fire ant control is difficult. It usually requires repeated applications of liquid or granular residuals to eliminate the colony. Particularly effective with a single application is a material called TopChoice. I like this material because it is easy to apply and very safe if directions are followed precisely. Remember that the fireant colony is a multiple-queened affair. It has many queens, each capable of heading off to begin "her" own colony if cut off from the main colony. Treat around each mound in a 7-10 foot area circle. This will stop the "satellite" mounds from developing and then the best thing about TopChoice is that it works for a full year if applied correctly. Top Choice is labeled for the control of other lawn pests such as ants, fleas, ticks and molecrickets. This formulation of Fipronil granules provide longest residual (control time) for fire ants. Control of molecrickets, fleas, ticks ranges from 3 top 4 months. Fleas and tick control is listed at about one month. Two sizes are available:
10 pounds covers approximately 5000 sf
50 pounds covers approximately 25000 sf
How Does TopChoiceŽ Work?
Here is the detailed way of controlling fire ants with TopChoice from Bayer Environmental Science
A description of TopChoice: this material is a granular insecticide that provides unequalled control of fire ants. It is available only through lawn care or pest control professionals under normal circumstances, TopChoice offers several important advantages:
Top Choice can be applied any time of year. TopChoice works all year long. Fire ants are most active when the temperature is cool and when the ground is moist. In hot, dry weather, deeply embedded ants are not as apt to crawl over or through the insecticide granules. However, applications made to turf under these conditions will be "warehoused" until the ants begin to actively build mounds and forage on the surface. And irrigation or rainfall will bring ants to the surface where they will come into contact with the active ingredient.
Long residual effect. TopChoice kills existing colonies of fire ants and prevents new colonies from establishing for up to one year. After its initial release into the soil profile, TopChoice binds tightly to the soil creating a lasting barrier, one that's not affected by heavy rainfall. Because it acts gradually, TopChoice kills foraging workers, but not before they carry the insecticide back to the colony and spread it to the queens and other ants.
Unique mode of action. Fipronil (the active ingredient in TopChoice) acts at the GABA receptors of insects, "switching off" nerve impulses and causing severe disruption of the insect's nervous system.
Controls secondary pests. Besides providing effective control of fire ants for one year, TopChoice also controls mole crickets for four months, nuisance ants for three months, and fleas and ticks for one month.
High safety profile. TopChoice is selectively toxic to insects, and optimum control is achieved with extremely low dose rates. Because of its selective effects, there are no concerns about family or pets when TopChoice is applied by a professional.
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