Imported fire ants are a year-round problem in the South. Their unsightly and sometimes damaging mounds are an ever-present sight in our landscapes. For an effective fire ant management program, now is an excellent time to look at how the timing of pesticide applications affects treatments.  

There are two product categories for fire ant management: fast-acting residual contact insecticides and fire ant baits. Both can be applied as broadcast applications or as individual mound treatments. Broadcast applications of contact insecticides can be made effectively any time of year, but success with individual mound treatments and broadcast bait applications requires awareness of the temperature, rain outlook and other weather conditions that affect fire ant behavior. Â