Little Fire Ants!! Tango Bait Co-op?

[terracore]

Once when I was investigating Tango I contacted a pest company and they referred me to a liquid that is labeled for termites that would wipe the LFA out if prepared the same way. But I don't remember what it is. But I'm sure a little internet sleuthing would turn it up. It was not expensive.

[peteadams]

The liquid the pest company may be referring to could be Talstar P which has been labeled for the little fire ants. It is a synthetic pyrethrum that is both persistent and a quick killer. It is actually labeled for use inside a residence against the baseboards, though I'd be pretty sure you would have to have a license to do that commercially. We use it at the base of the house foundation, around the perimeter of the greenhouse and on the legs of the plant benches. Before the fire ant infestations we were trying to keep centipedes (very effective on them) and the more generic ants out of the house and plants. I'm told there is also a granular version that some of the ag professionals use in their lawns. Talstar P is available at CPS and does not require a license to purchase. In all cases of pesticides and herbicides read the federally-required labeling carefully and follow the directions.

[Carey]

The big thing to remember is what is the insecticide labeled for...I am not sure any are labeled for direct apply to orchard/food plants, "Firestrike" is labeled for pasture, and last fall that was the only one labeled for that use...I had not found any that are labeled for orchards LAST FALL (things may have changed)

All of the gel formulas are shown to be used on plants, and Ant Lab videos seem to show using gels in what COULD be orchard areas.... but if you are harvesting the fruit for your use, be aware of the labeling for your health... If you are providing the fruits to others...you may even be REQUIRED to be aware of the labeling (not positive on that, but if you are supply your fruit to others, you should be )
(repeated because we have 2 threads current & this is important to remember)

[dragon2k]

Thanks for the great replies and info everybody!

It is our understanding that the Tango is the only product that can be used around gardens or fruit trees safely. The granular products are appealing for the immediacy but since they cannot be used in the trees (where 50% or more of the LFAs live) they just dont cut it.

Here is another link from the Ant Lab (who recently got a grant from the HTA to tackle the problems at the Panaewa Zoo!

http://www.littlefireants.com/LFA%20Fact...%202.3.pdf

[Carey]

The standard label for Tango has that it is to be used ONLY in bait stations (might need to cut & paste this link)
www.agrian.com/pdfs/Tango_(February_2008)_Label.pdf

Last year the makers of Tango provided a label that allows the use of Tango bait in arboreal situations JUST FOR HAWAII & is not submitted or approved by the EPA ( this limits the use of this bait application)- applicators must have this recommendation at time of pesticide application (this is VERY important if you are applying on property that is not your own - wether for pay or not - ie: helping out a neighbor)
http://www.littlefireants.com/Tango%202ee%20Hawaii.pdf

[OrchidIslander]

dragon2k - We used to have choke LRFA. Still fighting them, but numbers have decreased. Hilo's Ant Lab told me about a product called Advion Ant Gel Bait. It is made by Dupont and is substantially cheaper then Tango. As the name implies it is a gel and so far it seems to be effective. Even more so when mixed with peanut butter. Our lychee and palm trees were especially inundated. We filled some old bait traps with the mixture and tacked them to trees throughout our property. That was a little less than 3 weeks ago and using the peanut butter on popsicle stick test - we are starting to seeg substantially less ants. You can use Advion (carefully) around food and food prep areas. As far as our trees are concerned they are not currently producing so we feel secure in using the product. I bought 4 tubes of Advion at Amazon for approximately $25.00. The product received many positive reviews and I agree with them. I'm also using Amdro. All in all, so far so good. Good luck to you.

[Guest]

We don't have fire ants. Over a year ago we suddenly got a few, and they loved to bite my Wife. We were afraid our little Grandaughter might get attacked, so we got some Amdro. Put a little near where we knew the ants were and that did it, except for a small brand new nest in another area. A little Amdro there and we haven't seen one since.

[sputnut]

Are there certain areas more affected by these critters than others?

comin' your way soon!

[Carey]

Yes...but no.... There is no place on these islands that 'cannot have' these ants here...it is just a matter of have they been introduced to the area ...YET!

They are traveling into areas by hitchhiking on plants (esp. potted, in the soil) and other things that can bring a starter colony...(for these ants, that is even less than with most ants, as they have remarkable "adaptive capacity" ...including some awesome gender & role changing abilities..

[terracore]

If you or any of your neighbors ever bring mulch, soil, plants, or anything else near your property, you will get LFA. And probably coqui frogs. I've even heard of LFA getting transported via vehicles that weren't hauling any of the above. So rest assured, if you don't have them, you eventually will.

All that being said, they really aren't that bad. They aren't aggressive and won't "swarm" you if you disturb them, much unlike their much larger counterparts. They are impossible to eradicate but fairly easy to control. LFA live in the ground and also in trees. When they get into your house, spread some Amdro around the outside of your home and they will disappear. Maybe for the season, maybe not quite that long.

The worst thing is that most of the stores here only sell fire ant "solutions" that don't work. Because they don't "mound" like typical fire ants, you have to buy bait. Because the bait doesn't work if it gets wet, you need to apply it carefully.

I once read that LFA are the only ant species that regularly reproduces by using both cloning and sexual reproductive cycles, giving them distinct advantages. They can also have tens of thousands of queens per colony, each an egg laying factory. Any attempt to eradicate them is unlikely to kill every last queen. So long as one survives, a prodigy of trillions is nearly inevitable.