Are Fire Ants Good For Anything?
WouterHaving a mound of fire ants in your yard can be both a pain and an eyesore. Luckily, there are some simple fire ant control tips that you can try at home.
To remove a mound, start by removing the queen. She will be responsible for maintaining the colony and producing offspring.
If you do not have the time or inclination to do this yourself, you can call a professional exterminator to do the job for you. It is best to contact a supplier as soon as you see signs of an infestation.
If you want to do your own fire ant control, there are many synthetic products that can be purchased. These products are a safe and economical way to manage your problem. They are also very effective.
A bait-formulated insecticide is a good idea, but you will have to use it carefully. The best time to apply it is late August through October.
The EPA website provides information on pesticide usage. It is important to read the label for products that are used in poultry, fruit and vegetable gardens. You may want to avoid using some products if you are concerned about the effects of exposure on your family.
While it is true that fire ants are good at eating things, they are also capable of killing many costly agricultural pests. For example, they kill army caterpillars, corn worms, cotton flea hoppers, sugarcane borers, and even the budworm eggs.
