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Protect Pets From Fire Ants
Pam Traylor, former Extension Agent - IPM.(Fire Ant Project) for Harris County, the Texas AgriLife Extension Service
If your pet has encountered the dangerous sting of red imported fire ants claiming territory on your lawn, it’s time for you to battle. The fire ant has become a serious health problem for backyard pets and small animals and learning safe methods to control fire ants will lead to a safer living environment.
If your pet is attacked by fire ants, remove it quickly from the source and eliminate any fire ants from your pet. Do not attempt to spray ants off with a water hose because they will hang on with their jaws and sting the animal repeatedly.
Some pesticides can be toxic to pets if ingested, so special care must be taken. You should always remove your pets from the yard before applying any type of insecticide product. Either a conventional or “organic” treatment can be used to control fire ants.
If your yard is heavily infested with fire ants, the Two-Step Method can effectively control them: Begin by covering the entire yard with a bait formulated product (such as Amdro®, Logic®, Award®, Ascend®, Extinguish® or Distance®). When applied properly, broadcast bait applications are unlikely to harm pets. Wherever fire are active, baits are rapidly picked up by worker ants and removed to underground nests, away from people, birds and pets. Step two requires treating troublesome mounds near pets with an approved mound drench, granule, aerosol, dust or bait.
Individual mounds treatments provide quick control of the worst mounds, while the bait treatments provide slower, more complete control of fire ant activity over the whole area for a longer time. If you select to use granular and dust insecticides, thoroughly water treatments into the mound and allowed to dry before permitting pets to re-enter the treated areas. Several “organic” methods of controlling fire ants can also be safe to use around your pets. They include ant mound treatment products containing pyrethrins, combinations of pyrethrin and diatomaceous earth, rotenone, pine oil, D-limonene or pouring two to three gallons of very hot or boiling water over the mound.
The use of baits as a mound treatment, or granular products and dusts without watering-in are never recommended in yards with pets. The reason for this is because the pesticide remains on the surface of the mound in high concentrations where pets can easily contact it. When applying fire ant control products to areas where pets live, always read and follow the label instructions for safety and best results.
For more information contact:
Paul Nester
Extension Agent - IPM
Fire Ant Project
Harris County
Phone: (281) 855-5600
or visit http://fireant.tamu.edu.
Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxilary aids, services or accommodations in order to participate in Extension programs are encouraged to call 281.855.5600 to discuss specific needs.