Imported Fire Ant Control: How to Get Rid of Imported Fire Ants

This page is an imported fire ant control guide. By using the products and methods suggested you will reduce and control imported fire ants infesting in and around your home. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee a great decrease in your imported fire ant population.

Invasive pests have been involved with the decline of native species through predation or competition of food sources. The imported fire ant, otherwise known as red imported fire ant (RIFA), is no exception towards native fire ants within the southern half of the United States. These aggressive pests earned their nickname thanks to their painful sting and bite that compares to a burning sensation.

Once red imported fire ants invade they quickly dominate an area with their mounds and feeding activities. They are omnivores and eat dead animals, other insects, seeds, baby birds, lizards, and other small mammals. When their nests are disturbed, imported fire ants will defend themselves against people, pets, and livestock animals with a painful sting or bite. Besides the intense burning sensation these pests also release a pheromone encouraging other members of the colony to attack leading to multiple bites or stings.

In addition to their nuisance in physical altercations they can become an issue in crops and vegetable gardens. Swarming the plant these pests will feed on the foliage or honeydew and or insects. Imported fire ant control is a difficult process to undertake, but it is possible by following the steps and products listed throughout our easy to use DIY guide.

Identification

Before proceeding with treatment, you will need to be certain that the type of ant infestation you have is imported fire ants. Careless identification can lead you to using the wrong products, which can be a waste of your time and finances. It may be necessary to view these pests under a microscope or magnifying glass to differentiate them from native fire ant species.

• Black to reddish brown in coloration. Commonly recognized by red head and thorax and blackish red abdomen. Male worker ants are completely black in coloration.
• Grow between 1/8 to 1/4 inches in length.
• Two pairs of antennae with 2-segmented clubs at the end and the rest of it having 10 segments.
• Imported fire ants may be differentiated from native fire ants by a few characteristics. Their workers are polymorphic meaning they vary in size from 1/8 to 1/4 whereas native fire ants are all the same in size. Imported fire ants mandible has 3 clypeal teeth, whereas native fire ant mandibles have 2 lateral teeth.
• Downward-projecting stinger at the end of the gaster.
• Long bristly hairs over the thorax and abdomen and no spines on the thorax.

Use the image and description above to help you properly identify imported fire ants. If unsure, then take a photo of the pest or place it a sealable container to show our trained personals at one of our store locations. Our customer service team is also available to speak through phone or email.

Inspection

Once you have confirmed imported fire ants on your property, proceed with the next phase of control which is inspection. Throughout this process you will be determining areas with high amounts of imported fire ant activity and the conditions allowing it to thrive.

Where to Inspect

Imported fire ants are typically found outside of your home in open, sunny areas on lawns near playground, beside or underneath sidewalks or pavements, against homes foundation, mailboxes, trees, and within electrical equipment, flower beds, landscape areas, and air conditioners.

What to Look For

The imported fire ant mounds are often noticed first before the pest itself. The mounds are often large and dome-shape or flat with soft soil. These mounds vary in size, but are often 2 feet in diameter and 18 inches high with no entry holes. Depending on the soil imported fire ant mounds will vary in black, gray, or red coloration. Though aggressive in nature imported fire ants may relocate to other parts of your property if their mound is disturbed.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed sites of imported fire ant activity you will need to wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect yourself from their bites, stings, and against pesticides being used.

Imported fire ants are known for their quick migration and swarming activities. This is key information to know when controlling imported fire ant infestations. It is important to treat your lawn with a broad-spectrum insecticide that can treat large areas.

For this reason, we recommend using Supreme IT Insecticide a broad-spectrum insecticide that will treat imported fire ants and their mounds upon contact and up to 90 days after application. You will also need to apply Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules to treat actively foraging imported fire ants.

The best time to treat imported fire ants is late September to early October and then again in late April to May as these periods provide ideal weather conditions for these insects to actively forage.

Step 1: Broadcast Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules

Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules is a granular insecticide that will control imported fire ants and other common turf invading pests within large lawn areas. Formulated with the active ingredient Bifenthrin 0.2%, which interferes with the imported fire ants nervous system leading to paralysis then eventual death.

Apply 2.3 to 4.6 lbs. of Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules per 1,000 sq. ft. of lawn and perimeter of homes. For acreage applications, use 100 to 200 lbs. of product per acre.

To increase products success you will need to make broadcast applications to your lawn in combinations with mound drenches.

To treat imported fire ant mounds you will need to apply 1/2 cup of product per mound and then drench with 1 to 2 gallons of water. Instead of water you can use a liquid insecticide to activate the product.

Determine how much Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules to use by calculating the square footage of the treatment site. To do this, measure the length and width of your treatment area in feet then multiply (length X width = square footage). To find acreage, take the square footage and divide it by one acre (square footage / 43,560 sq. ft. = acreage).

Once you have determine how much Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules to use you will then mark off areas with imported fire ant mounds to avoid disturbing them otherwise you risk the ants spreading further into their mound and other areas of your yard.

To broadcast Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules across your lawn you will need to load a push spreader with the correct amount of product based on your square footage. Begin by broadcasting the product in parallel lines once across the treatment area then make a second walkthrough at an even pace at a perpendicular angle to cover the space in the middle.

For mound treatments, stand directly above the imported fire ant mound with a loaded handheld spreader or with the cup then spread the granules evenly on top of the mound. Create a 4-foot diameter circle around the mound as well.

When finished treating your yard and individual ant mounds with Valar Plus Bifethrin Granules you can then water it in with the help of Supreme IT Insecticide.

It should be noted that acreage applications of at least 125 lbs. per acre will create a six month residual effect for actively foraging imported fire ants and newly mated Fly-In Queens.

Step 2: Apply Supreme IT Insecticide to Ornamentals and Turf

Supreme IT Insecticide is a suspended concentrate insecticide treating up to 70 types of pests and continues to eliminate imported fire ants for up to 90 days when dried. This liquid product will help to activate the previous Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules application as well as performing a perimeter treatment to repel ants from coming into your home. Supreme IT Insecticide may be applied with a hose-end sprayer to treat large scale areas.

To treat your turfgrass and ornamentals, apply 0.5 to 1.0 fl. oz. of Supreme IT Insecticide per 1,000 sq. ft. Larger applications of ornamentals will need to use 21.7 to 43.5 fl. oz. per 100 gallons of water. Broadcast applications to turfgrass use 1 fl. oz. of product per 1,000 sq. ft.

Pour the measured amount of Supreme IT into your hose-end sprayer tank, be sure not to add water. Attach the filled hose reservoir to end of your garden hose and twist until secure. Spray until the appropriate amount of water is mixed evenly with the solution.

On a low-pressure setting, spray the mixed solution to treat the top and bottom of foliage leaves until wet, but not to the point of run-off.

Next perform a perimeter treatment at the labeled rate of 1 fl. oz. per 1,000 sq. ft. to the exterior foundation of your home. Spray 3 feet up and 6 to 10 feet out from the structure. While spraying also treat the underside of eaves, soffits, and around doors and windows.

Step 3: Drench Mounds with Supreme IT Insecticide

Activate Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules on imported fire ant mounds by applying a drench treatment with Supreme IT Insecticide. To treat imported fire ant mounds, dilute 1 teaspoon of Supreme IT Insecticide per gallon of water and use 1 to 2 gallons of finished dilution.

With your hose-end sprayer, spray with sufficient force to penetrate the top of the ant mound allowing the dilution to effectively flood ant channels in the soil. Lastly, perform a 4-foot diameter around each imported fire ant mound.

Allow applications to dry before allowing children and pets to enter treated areas.

Prevention

Once the imported fire ants and their mounds have been eliminated from your yard, you can take on some preventative measures to ensure these invasive pests do not return. The following measures will help to prevent imported fire ants and their mounds from reappearing around your home and ornamentals.

• Remove food sources by throwing away uneaten dogfood, securing trash can lids, and placing food in sealable plastic containers.
• Mow turf when it reaches a height of 3 inches to disturb imported fire ants potentially building nests in your yard. Prune overgrown branches from shrubs and small trees. Take away thick, vegetation areas like thickets or woody plants to eliminate hiding spaces for imported fire ants.
• Rake away fallen leaves and sticks. Eliminate fallen trees, logs, piles of rocks, and other debris in your yard so imported fire ants cannot hide.
• Clean up deceased pests in and around your home in a prompt manner otherwise risks imported fire ants feeding activities.
• Immediately treat imported fire ant mounds with Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules then as a drench treatment with Supreme IT Insecticide.
• Apply Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules every 6 months to control foraging imported fire ants as well as applying Supreme IT Insecticide every 3 months for perimeter and yard control.

Key Takeaways

What are Imported Fire Ants?

• Imported fire ants are a non-native species introduced to the United States from South America. Compared to other ant species, the imported fire ants are known to be more aggressive to people, pets, and animals with their ability bite and sting multiple times.

How to Get Rid of Imported Fire Ants

• To remove imported fire ants from your yard, you will need to perform a broadcast and mound treatment with Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules then water it in with a liquid insecticide like Supreme IT Insecticide.

Preventing Imported Fire Ants Reinfestation

• Imported fire ants can be prevented by consistently maintaining your yard and foliage height through mowing and regular pruning. Reapply Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules every 6 months for continued control of foraging imported fire ants as well as reapplying Supreme IT Insecticide every 3 months.