Managing Fire Ants in Pastures

The information for this article is taken from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Livestock Webinar Series, “Managing Fire Ants in Pastures”, by Dr. Wes Watson.

In the 1930’s the red imported fire ant entered the United States through ports in Mobile, Alabama, from South America. The first fire ants in North Carolina were spotted in 1952. Since then, they have become a huge problem for North Carolina. Fire ants build their mounds in sunny areas and may build next to a structure such as the base of a tree or the side of a barn. They also have a stinger that they will not hesitate to use when they feel threatened. As many people in North Carolina already know, these ants are highly aggressive when they are disturbed. 

The red imported fire ant can be distinguished from native ants by the type of mound they build. Fire ant mounds are dome shaped and have no central opening. Native ants create a clear opening and are oftentimes more inconspicuous when compared to the fire ant mound.  Native ants are considered a beneficial insect and should not be disturbed unless absolutely necessary.

Although native ants may be good to have around, this is not the case with fire ants. They can cause damage and injury around the home or farm. Fire ants may climb into electrical infrastructure or equipment and cause failure or damage. These insects also infest feed. Fire ants may be able to find their way into feed storage containers unless they are properly sealed. Hay and forage are very easily infested by ants. These ants can severely reduce the quality of hay. North Carolina currently has a red imported fire ant quarantine area set up in the state for hay transportation. Farmers that transport hay must follow the regulations to help limit the spread of the red imported fire ant. Go to the following link for more information and details. Link-http://www.ncagr.gov/plantindustry/Plant/entomology/documents/ncifaquarantine.pdf

Fire ants are part of a group of insects called hymenoptera. This group includes insects such as bees, wasps, and hornets. Fire ant stings are particularly dangerous because they can cause an allergic reaction. Foals and other newborn livestock are more vulnerable to injury by fire ants. Fire ants may cause death to vulnerable animals if they receive enough stings. 

When treating fire ants, many people have home “remedies” that they use. It is advised to stay away from these home remedies because they seldom work or may cause damage to yourself or the environment. In many cases, the fire ants just move the mound to a new location.  It is recommended to select a pesticide and apply using one of the following control methods.

There are two main methods of applying a fire ant pesticide, broadcast or individual mound treatment. Broadcast treatment offers a treatment over a large area. This may be the best method for pastures.Broadcast treatment is easier to apply but takes longer to work. Individual mound treatment is more labor intensive and leaves a surface residue; however, it works much more quicker than a broadcast type of treatment. The pesticides may be granular, liquid, dust, or bait.

When baiting fire ants there are a few things that you can do to improve the success rate of the pesticide. To begin, check the manufacture date. Avoid using old or out of date pesticide. Also, don’t apply in the rain or when rain is expected shortly after applying. Next, apply around the mound, not directly on it. Apply when ants are active. They are usually most active in the morning. Finally, inspect the site after the bait has had time to work. Inspecting the site after will give you valuable information on developing next steps for treatment application as needed.

The webinar can be viewed at Managing Fire Ants in Pastures.  Control measures can be found in the article - Fire Ants in Pastures.

Written by Sean Nunnery, Bladen County Summer Intern