Controlling Fire Ants in Pastures & Hay Fields

— Written By
en Español / em Português
Español

El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.

Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.


Português

Inglês é o idioma de controle desta página. Na medida que haja algum conflito entre o texto original em Inglês e a tradução, o Inglês prevalece.

Ao clicar no link de tradução, um serviço gratuito de tradução será ativado para converter a página para o Português. Como em qualquer tradução pela internet, a conversão não é sensivel ao contexto e pode não ocorrer a tradução para o significado orginal. O serviço de Extensão da Carolina do Norte (NC State Extension) não garante a exatidão do texto traduzido. Por favor, observe que algumas funções ou serviços podem não funcionar como esperado após a tradução.


English

English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.

Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.

Collapse ▲

fire ants

Written by: Lauren Langley, Livestock Extension Agent | Source: S. B. Bambara & Wes Watson, NC State Extension Entomologists

Fire ants are pretty well established here in Alamance County and some of them like to call your pasture or hayfield home. Whether you are dealing with one mound or a hundred mounds in some cases, you need to know what to do for control.

Fire ants can negatively impact your livestock or hay operation and cost you time and money. Impact may be felt through:

  • Lost Labor
  • Animal Injury
  • Equipment Damage/Wear
  • Hay Production
  • Medical/Veterinary Costs
  • Forage Degradation
  • Electrical Equipment Damage
  • Infested Feed
  • Reduced Feeding
  • Young Animal Endangerment

There are a few pesticides labeled for fire ant control in a pasture or hayfield situation. Some are for directly treating the mound and others are for broadcasting an infested area where there are a lot of mounds. There are also some pesticides that are for use only in horse pastures (where horses are not used for human consumption) and non-pasture farm areas. As always, please read the label and follow restrictions and directions for using in pasture. For an updated list of insecticides approved for pasture use please refer to this table.

fire ant mound

Here are a few tips to help increase your success when applying a pesticide to control fire ants:

Do not apply baits and drench at the same time.

Allow 7-10 days between the two application. Ants will not forage and accept bait while they are disrupted by poison.

The best months to treat are mid-spring and fall. The best time of day to treat is mid-morning when air temperatures are around 70 degrees F.

To check and see if fire ants are active, place potato chips or cheese puffs on the ground. If ants are noticed within 5-10 minutes then they are considered active and foraging.

Additional tips when applying baits:

Do not apply if ground is wet or rain occurs within 36 hours. Do not store open product for longer than package allows– most products have a short shelf life. Do not store baits near other pesticides or fuel from which they may absorb odors and taste. Do not apply baits directly on top of the mound, fire ants do not come and go from the top of the mound. Do not disturb mounds when applying baits, this can interfere with their foraging behavior.

Remember, always read the label and follow directions! Some products may require you to reapply! You cannot get rid of fire ants overnight, just like anything else it will take time. Formulate a plan and stick to it so you can reclaim your pasture back.

To view the original publication and for more information please see the publication Fire Ants in Pastures.

Video Resources:

Written By

Lauren Langley, N.C. Cooperative ExtensionLauren LangleyExtension Agent, Agriculture - Livestock and Forages Call Lauren Email Lauren N.C. Cooperative Extension, Alamance County Center
Updated on Oct 31, 2022
Was the information on this page helpful? Yes check No close
Scannable QR Code to Access Electronic Version