MONTVALE, N.J. - The red imported fire ant is a sometimes dangerous pest that causes damage on many levels, particularly in the southern U.S. Fire ant stings can cause blisters, allergic reaction and in extreme cases, death. Fire ant colonies cause property and equipment damage, injury to landscapes and gardens, destruction of crops and illness or death of pets and livestock. An estimated 40 million people are in potential contact with fire ants on a daily basis.
To reduce fire ant dangers, insecticide manufacturers offer a variety of control methods (see Chemical Control Methods For Red Imported Fire Ants sidebar below). A new granular control method announced Aug. 17 by the Chipco Professional Products group of Aventis E.S. is Chipco® TopChoice™. With its active ingredient fipronil, Chipco TopChoice provides up to a year of fire ant control with a single broadcast application, according to the company.
At an application rate of .0125 pounds of active ingredient per application (87 pounds of product per application), Chipco Professional Products said Chipco TopChoice controls existing fire ant populations and prevents the establishment of new colonies for up to 52 weeks with more than 90 percent fire ant control with one broadcast application. While the product may be applied at any time of the year, an application in the late winter to early spring (February to March) is ideal. Other fire ant control insecticides currently on the market typically rely on a two-step program of mound treatment and broadcast application to achieve control of fire ants. Chipco TopChoice, however, controls fire ants with a single broadcast application.
Chipco TopChoice is labeled for use on turfgrass and landscape beds. These areas include residential and commercial lawns, golf turf, sports fields, cemeteries, parks, campsites, recreational areas, school grounds, sod farms and landscape beds. At the labeled rate, Chipco TopChoice also provides control of mole crickets (four months), nuisance ants (three months), fleas (one month) and ticks (one month).
The Chipco TopChoice label is now currently undergoing registration in states where red imported fire ants are a reported problem: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas - the 13 states making up what is widely known as the "Fire Ant Belt."
The insecticide controls fire ants via contact and works by interfering with the nervous system of fire ants that come in contact with the granules. The 90 percent control is evident about four to six weeks following application, said Chipco Professional Products.
"With the continued spread of fire ants, there is a need for a product that can offer effective, long-term fire ant control," said Jim Fetter, marketing manager, Chipco Professional Products. "A product like Chipco TopChoice offers turf professionals a new alternative for more effective fire ant control. It is also an attribute that is sure to interest homeowners with an understanding of the health risks associated with fire ants."
Fipronil is the first and only member of the class of chemicals known as phenyl pyrazoles, said Chipco Professional Products. Fipronil is the active ingredient in other insect-control products, including Frontline® for flea and tick control on pets, Termidor®, a new termiticide, and Combat®/MaxForce® for control of ants, cockroaches and other home pests.
Frontline is a registered trademark of Merial. Combat and Maxforce are registered trademarks of The Clorox Company.
| Chemical Control Methods For Red Imported Fire Ants |
INDIVIDUAL MOUND TREATMENTS. This method selectively controls red imported fire ants. It generally requires more labor and monitoring than other methods and is not suggested for heavily infested areas. There are chemical and non-chemical options for treating fire ant mounds one at a time. They include: BROADCAST TREATMENTS. Broadcast treatments involve applying low rates of an insecticide over a large area, rather than a specific mound. One advantage of broadcast treatments is that newer colonies may be controlled before mounds even appear on turf. - Jim Fetter, marketing manager, Chipco Professional Products |
