Top 5 Tips: Fire ant control with Extinguish^® Professional Fire Ant Bait and Extinguish^® Plus Application

It’s time to make your fire ant infestation a thing of the past. We’ve compiled a list of our top 5 tips, your go-to source for fire ant control. Read on to learn how to maximize the full potential of Extinguish^® Professional Fire Ant Bait and Extinguish^® Plus fire ant bait.

Tip #1: Pick the bait that meets your needs.

Need a production/farm friendly choice? Turn to Extinguish^® Professional Fire Ant Bait. Application sites include, but are not limited to: almond groves, citrus groves, cropland, rangeland, sod farms, commercial nurseries, and forestry sites. It can also be applied to school grounds, sports fields, airports, and roadsides. No withdrawal or grazing restrictions are necessary on treated areas and a USDA Quarantine Area approved product.

Looking for long-term control? Turn to Extinguish^® Plus fire ant bait. In production/farming areas Extinguish^® Plus can be applied around saplings and non-bearing trees, on residential turf and landscapes, and commercial nurseries. It is approved for USDA Quarantine Area use and where cattle and horses graze with no withdrawal periods.

Tip #2: Apply when ants are foraging.

For maximum efficacy of both Extinguish^® Professional Fire Ant Bait and Extinguish^® Plus, apply your treatment when ants are foraging. To determine when to apply fire ant bait:

Place a crumbled potato chip, corn chip, or other greasy snack near the fire ant mound. If ants do not start to feed on chips within 30 minutes, do not apply bait. Wait a few days and retest to see if the ants are foraging for protein. Once you see them taking the chips, it is the best time to apply Extinguish^® products.

Tip #3: Apply according to the size of your operation.

Depending on the ground you have to cover, different methods of application can be used for both Extinguish^® Professional Fire Ant Bait and Extinguish^® Plus. Approved application methods include:

Individual mound treatments
Hand seeders/chest spreaders
Motorized equipment, including backpacks and spreaders
Aerial equipment

See label for directions for use and application rates.

Tip #4: Apply when conditions are dry.

Extinguish^® Professional Fire Ant Bait and Extinguish^® Plus are dry formulated products, and the efficacy of each will be impacted by moisture. Refrain from applying bait when the ground is wet or when there’s a chance of rain. Treatment should not occur within six hours of a rain event to avoid applying fire ant bait on wet ground. Also, take care not to apply when grounds are moist, from morning dew or irrigation. The bait will not be enticing to ants if it becomes wet.

Tip #5: Pay Attention to timing

When it comes to applying Extinguish^® products, timing is everything.

Apply as needed, when ants are active and foraging, and when soil temperatures are above 60°F.
Extinguish^® Plus begins killing ants immediately after ingestion producing noticeable results within a week.
When applying Extinguish^® Professional Fire Ant Bait, colony reduction can be seen beginning 3 weeks after application, and you can expect to eliminate fire ant colonies within 6-8 weeks.

Keep in mind that you’re in it for the long haul, and the insect growth regulator, (S)-methoprene, is sterilizing the queen to prevent rebound and mound movement.