For years I have used Martins "Surrender" (acephate, smelly stuff), to control fire ants, it seems like the most "dead ants per $$"...but this spring's eruption, following the rain, has me looking for a longer and more widespread control, I assume it will be a broadcast treatment. About 1-1/2 acres to do.

What has served the OB well, as a control? I know they will never be gone, especially as I live rural, and we have them in our adjacent pastures, but to slow down the yard/garden invasion.

Speaking of gardens, what can be used in the garden, for the stinging, swarming, bastages? Pyrethrin's?

Fight fire with fire!

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Over-n-Out-Advanced-11-5-lb-Fire-Ant-Killer/5013150315?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-lwn-_-ggl-_-LIA_LWN_241_Chemicals-_-5013150315-_-local-_-0-_-0&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlumhBhClARIsABO6p-yNpmGenrkC-4SoitLG6d34w01g_shuEB5BGf0VKLcr9dz-h2CR0CkaAjDlEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

For the garden, I pour a pot of hot boiling water on the mound. That takes care of them real good.

Taurus G Fipronil Granules, Maxforce FC Fire Ant Bait Granular or any other liquid or granules that has Fipronil.

Advion bait works pretty well when done in combination with mound treatments.

Extinguish

Pastures
Extinguish plus

Yard
Fipronil broadcast (taurus granular)

I'm on 3/4 acre that's fairly open and use Talstar P concentrate in a 5gal backpack sprayer to spot treat mounds. I'll mow and then come back the next day once the mounds are rebuilt and visible. I'll make a big pass tomorrow, then hit them as they pop up down the road. Within 4-6 hours of spraying, each mound will have hundreds of dead ants stacked on top.

I used to use a broadcast granule, but it seems it just caused them to move around instead of killing then.

I riled up a nest and used a propane torch. Worked really well. Snap crackle pop!

Bayer Top Choice. I started using it at the recommendation of a pest control company guy almost 20 years ago when I could get the people to sell it to me directly. Big no-no now though. When they come back after a few years (yes, a few years), I will knock their mounds back with Surrender and have them put out the Top Choice a few days later. Works. Like. A. Charm. One 60 lb bag does a half acre with some left over. It's that effective.

If you do find a way to get it and put it out yourself, start at the house, including flowerbeds/landscaping and work your way outward through the yard. Put it out over every square foot, because what are not killed will show up at every place you missed. The first time I put it out, I missed putting it in a big bunch of Canna plants. A couple of weeks later I was mowing and the sun was not shining through the plants like normal that time of day. WTF? So I spread them out to see the absolutely most massive fire and mound I have ever seen. Not a mound anywhere else but this thing was over 4 ft in diameter and 3 ft high. I had some left so I put it out heavily over the mound from the outside first and watered it in. The next day I went back with a shovel and scooped out a couple of shovels full of 50/50 dead fire ants and dirt. Could not find a live one in or around the area.

Over the years, I have only put it out or had it done maybe six times. Going on 2 years since the last, and no fire ants in a 1/2 acre yard.

Garden? Diatomaceous Earth
Yard? I used a liquid concentrate in a hose end sprayer. Tractor Supply has some home brand of it but i cant remember the name.

Bayer Top Choice active ingredient is Fipronil, suggested by several others posters.
Looks like that is the key to success.

GSS said:

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For years I have used Martins "Surrender" (acephate, smelly stuff), to control fire ants, it seems like the most "dead ants per $$"...but this spring's eruption, following the rain, has me looking for a longer and more widespread control, I assume it will be a broadcast treatment. About 1-1/2 acres to do.

What has served the OB well, as a control? I know they will never be gone, especially as I live rural, and we have them in our adjacent pastures, but to slow down the yard/garden invasion.

Speaking of gardens, what can be used in the garden, for the stinging, swarming, bastages? Pyrethrin's?

---

Whatever you do, watch that you don't get too close to whatever red ant mounds you have. Bringing back the horny toads is probably a pipe dream but without red ants, it's surely a lost cause. I still have hope, though!

Fipronil nukes all bugs for about a year.

I've had success with Bifen granules, then spot treat with Bifen on any mounds that pop up. Usually gives me 3-4 mo before I see more

I broadcast Scotts products in my st. augustine yard at home 5 times per year (bonus S weed & feed in March, triple action turf builder for southern lawns in early/mid May, late June, and again in August, and winterizer in November). Never seen an ant mound or a weed in the yard...


...but for my land... is the battle with fire ants worth fighting? there are huge mounds. everywhere... way too many to spot treat... and probably a pretty expensive operation to buy enough lbs to broadcast or spray all over the open pasture areas and trails on the property.. i do have a tow behind spreader and sprayer so i could start the battle if it is advised that I do. I don't have cattle or anything to worry about and don't produce hay. .. but all these invasive fire ants can't be good for the wildlife either.

1.5 lbs of Extinguish Plus is $35 at tractor supply. Supposedly 1.5 lbs would cover about 5,000 sq ft... I'm thinking I have several acres I'd want to try to control.. and then does it become a biannual necessity for eternity to keep broadcasting to maintain control? Extinguish Plus cannot be used around pets, children, grazing herds, crops/vegetables, etc... but looks like it is for pastures, golf courses, cemeteries, etc. I can't find a close up of the label.

What does the OB recommend?

oh no said:

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...but for my land... is the battle with fire ants worth fighting?

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well.. should I engage?

WaldoWings said:

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GSS said:

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For years I have used Martins "Surrender" (acephate, smelly stuff), to control fire ants, it seems like the most "dead ants per $$"...but this spring's eruption, following the rain, has me looking for a longer and more widespread control, I assume it will be a broadcast treatment. About 1-1/2 acres to do.

What has served the OB well, as a control? I know they will never be gone, especially as I live rural, and we have them in our adjacent pastures, but to slow down the yard/garden invasion.

Speaking of gardens, what can be used in the garden, for the stinging, swarming, bastages? Pyrethrin's?

---

Whatever you do, watch that you don't get too close to whatever red ant mounds you have. Bringing back the horny toads is probably a pipe dream but without red ants, it's surely a lost cause. I still have hope, though!

---

I've all but stopped putting Amdro on fire ant mounds at deer camp because of this. We have harvester ants and horned lizards.

Need to find an alternative for the fire ants that won't kill the harvesters.

Extinguish +.

Is the best broadcast for fire ant concentrated control.

Is supposed to have less negative effects on native ant populations.

oh no said:

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I broadcast Scotts products in my st. augustine yard at home 5 times per year (bonus S weed & feed in March, triple action turf builder for southern lawns in early/mid May, late June, and again in August, and winterizer in November). Never seen an ant mound or a weed in the yard...


...but for my land... is the battle with fire ants worth fighting? there are huge mounds. everywhere... way too many to spot treat... and probably a pretty expensive operation to buy enough lbs to broadcast or spray all over the open pasture areas and trails on the property.. i do have a tow behind spreader and sprayer so i could start the battle if it is advised that I do. I don't have cattle or anything to worry about and don't produce hay. .. but all these invasive fire ants can't be good for the wildlife either.

1.5 lbs of Extinguish Plus is $35 at tractor supply. Supposedly 1.5 lbs would cover about 5,000 sq ft... I'm thinking I have several acres I'd want to try to control.. and then does it become a biannual necessity for eternity to keep broadcasting to maintain control? Extinguish Plus cannot be used around pets, children, grazing herds, crops/vegetables, etc... but looks like it is for pastures, golf courses, cemeteries, etc. I can't find a close up of the label.

What does the OB recommend?

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I treated my flat land with Topchoice G which is a granular Fipronil. I had to get my private applicator's license to purchase it. The application rate is 87# per acre and it cost me $1.71 per pound. It takes a few weeks to work, but it's supposed to last a year.

Thanks. How hard is it to become a licensed applicator?

Key is that you have to have the license to buy it, as long as that buyer supervises you during application you're a-ok.

zooguy96 said:

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I riled up a nest and used a propane torch. Worked really well. Snap crackle pop!

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Very in efficient but so satisfying.

oh no said:

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Thanks. How hard is it to become a licensed applicator?

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Not too hard. It's around $100 for the materials and an online class through Agrilife then I think $70 to sit for the test at an authorized test center. The other option is you county extension agent can get you the test materials and teach the class.

This is all assuming you're in Texas.

https://www-aes.tamu.edu/how-to-obtain-a-private-applicator-license/

thanks. ..as expected, every single thing I ever think I need or want to do with this land ends up taking so much more time and costs so much more than I thought it would.

I mean, the license gives you the ability to buy tons of actually extremely deadly chemicals.

Kinda glad that it is a little restrictive.

Seriously, go back and read my previous comment.

If you end up not knowing ANYONE who already has a applicators license, check facebook.

I've been holding out on joining facebook for over 20 years. not going to sign up now.

oh no said:

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thanks. ..as expected, every single thing I ever think I need or want to do with this land ends up taking so much more time and costs so much more than I thought it would.

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Welcome to the group!