How To Kill Fire Ants
Knowing how to kill fire ants has been asked by many a resident of the southern states of the US, particularly Texas. While no sure fire fire ant poison has been developed, research is underway to find a way to exterminate these pests. Already natural treatments of fire ants are popping up everywhere but the truth is none work.
It is for this reason that the second week of September is Fire Ant Awareness Week in Texas. According to the Texas Agri-Life Extension, the week was established as a means of helping Texas residents realize the importance of fall treatment for fire ants.
The destructive insects still inflict many a painful bite/sting on the population and the economy, but Henderson County Agri-Life Extension Agent Rick Hirsch thinks local landowners are getting a handle on the problem.
“I think we’re getting a better knowledge of how to treat them in home situations and recreational areas,” Hirsch said.
Hirsch said his office has received fewer calls with fire ant problems than previous years.
“There are probably more people treating for fire ants than there used to be,” Hirsch said. “They’re still a problem, but I think we’ve seen the peak.”
According to the Texas Imported Fire Ant Research and Management Project, the impact of red imported fire ants in the state of Texas is estimated at about $1.2 billion annually.
“They still cause millions and millions of dollars in damage agriculturally and recreationally. I think they’re going to be here a long time. How to kill fire ants is not in the vocabulary yet,” Hirsch said.
The project’s Web site notes that red imported fire ants can pose a serious health threat to plants and animals, and that the project’s goal is to find effective methods to exterminate this invasive species as a major economic and medical pest. Most people only think about fire ants treatment in the spring, but it’s equally important to treat for them in the fall to keep them from returning the following spring.
Hirsch said his office has handled many calls concerning fire ants extermination, fire ant mound, stings, bait, natural killer etc this year, but these ants are only part of the problem. Perhaps a real solution on how to kill fire ants is not to far away.
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