What is the preferred method for controlling red imported fire ants?

The preferred method for controlling red imported fire ants is broadcast baiting followed by mound drenching. This integrated approach combines two effective control strategies: baiting and direct treatment.

Broadcast baiting involves applying a slow-acting insecticide bait across the infested area, which allows for the pest to consume the bait and take it back to their colonies. This method is particularly effective because it targets not just the visible ants, but also the entire colony, including the queen and other reproductive members. The bait is designed to be attractive to the fire ants, ensuring that a significant percentage of the population will ingest it over time.

Following this, mound drenching provides a direct treatment to the mounds that may not have effectively received the bait. This step targets any surviving ants and ensures that the treatment penetrates the mound structure where the queen resides. Mound drenching is particularly useful for killing any immediate threats that might still be present after baiting and helps to eliminate infestations in a more thorough manner.

Using just one method, such as trapping or exclusively using insecticidal sprays, often does not achieve the same level of effectiveness because these methods may not reach all members of the colony or the entire infested area. Additionally, relying solely on mound drenching