Transcript
LITTLE FIRE ANT FACT SHEET 1 (VERSION 1.2, JUNE 2012)
TREATMENT OF POTTED PLANTS INFESTED WITH LITTLE FIRE ANTS
This is even more important if you are going to take a potted plant or foliage with you to a neighbor island. AT the moment, only the Big Island has uncontrolled little fire ants, and no-one would want to accidentally transport this pest to another island. Potted plants can easily be sprayed and drenched with products available from your local hardware, plant center or chemical supply store. The products registered for this purpose contain carbaryl and are available in several proprietary formulations. Two of these are:1 Eliminator Bug Killer Sevin Concentrate (EPA reg 264-334-71004)
Potted plants make a great habitat for Little Fire Ants. Often you can not see them because they hide in the foliage or in the potting mix but nevertheless, they are there. If you move, give away or sell these plants, there is a good chance the recipient will get a nasty surprise when they bring the plant to their home. Once at their new home, the ants will sneak out of the plants and rapidly spread throughout the new property. Be a good neighbor, relative or small scale plant seller, and treat your plants before you move them to make sure you are not spreading Little Fire Ants at the same time. Follow the simple instructions below to ensure you are only moving ant-free plants!
Gardentech Sevin Concentrate Bug Killer (EPA reg 264-334-71004) Other proprietary products containing carbaryl at 22.5% that have label instructions for drenching and spraying potted plants may be available and suitable for this purpose. Please consult the staff at your hardware, chemical supply or farm exchange for advice on these products.
1
Listing of these proprietary products does not constitute an endorsement by The Hawaii Department of Agriculture or the Hawaii Invasive Species Council. Other similar products containing 22.5% carbaryl and with labels listing your situation and pest may be available. Commercial products may also be available with different rates of active ingredient – adjust mix rates accordingly.
DRENCHING PLANTS Often, Little Fire Ants will make nests in soil or potting medium of potted plants. You may not always be able to see them there, so drench any plants you sell or give away a day or so before moving them. Mix ¾ oz of Sevin per gallon of water and gently water the soil of your pot plants until all the soil is wet. For “ready-to-spray” products, turn the water on slowly and leave it at low pressure. Also, make sure you have a backwash prevention device installed to the faucet. When treating your plants it is safest to stand them on lawn or soil so that the soil can absorb any excess mixture. Always read the product label carefully and follow all safety precautions. Most important is to make sure all the soil in the potting mix is thoroughly wetted by the chemical.
FOLIAR SPRAYS Make a solution of 1 ½ oz Sevin concentrate per 1 gallon of water. Spray the plant foliage with this mixture until the entire plant has been wetted. It is important to make sure any cracks, crevices and hollows are wetted as this is where Little Fire Ants often make their nests. Once the plant has been sprayed, allow it to dry before moving or permitting other people or pets to go near them.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS •
ALWAYS read the label of the product you buy very carefully to make sure your plant species and situation is listed.
•
Follow ALL safety directions on the label.
•
ALWAYS make sure to keep other people and pets away from the treated plants until they are completely dry.
•
Anything written on the label of the product you choose to use supersedes all recommendations in this document.
The minimum recommended safety equipment you should use are as follows: •
Long sleeved shirt and long pants
•
Shoes and socks
•
Chemical resistant gloves
•
Chemical resistant apron when chemicals, loading or cleaning spills.
mixing
WANT MORE INFORMATION? go to www.littlefireants.com Or contact Hawai`i Ant Lab, Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai`i 16 E. Lanikaula St Hilo HI 96720 Ph: 808 315 5656 email:
[email protected]
A HOUSEHOLDER’S GUIDE TO MANAGING LITTLE FIRE ANTS AROUND THE HOME LITTLE FIRE ANT FACT SHEET 2 (VERSION 4:
FEBRUARY 2014)
Little Fire Ants (Wasmannia) are a new pest species on the Big Island of Hawaii. They are found from Laupahoehoe to Pahoa on the east coast of the Big Island, and in isolated locations in Kailua-Kona. Recently they have been detected on the neighbor islands of Oahu, Maui and Lanai. Once they become established on a lot, they can infest lawns, gardens, trees and even inside your home. Often, the first time you notice them is when you or a member of the household is stung. Can you eradicate them from your home? Well… probably not. Eradicating pest ants is very difficult, expensive and time consuming. On top of that, if your property has LFA, your neighbors probably do as well. So, even if you eradicated them, ants from next door would simply migrate back to your place. This fact sheet details how you can reduce the LFA problem in and around your home in a way that gets you the best bang for your buck.
Want more information?
go to www.littlefireants.com
Or contact Hawai`i Ant Lab, Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai`i 16 E. Lanikaula St Hilo. HI 96720 Ph: 808 315 5656 email:
[email protected]
ANT MANAGEMENT BASICS – DON’T MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM. The reason that Little Fire Ants live around our homes is that the environment we provide gives them everything they need. All they have to do is move in! Little Fire Ants like warm, wet and shady places with lots of foliage, nooks and crannies for locating their nests. They feed on nectar from flowers, honeydew produced by sapsucking insects, and prey on other insects as well. They will build nests in any convenient location and have a preference for “ready-made” nest sites like under rocks, in leaf litter, rotting wood, under pots and other items in contact with the soil and at the bases of leaves from large-leaved plants (especially palms, banana, Ti, dracaena plants etc). The windward sides of Hawaii Islands have the perfect climate for these ants. We can not change the climate (not quickly anyway), and aside from removing all your plants and turning the entire yard into an asphalt car park, it is not possible to exclude all ants. But, making some small changes to your yard can reduce the number of nests able to live there. Removing rubbish, trimming vegetation (especially vegetation close to or touching your home) and choosing hardier plants can all help. Leeward areas are much drier and not as favorable for LFA. Here, limiting artificial irrigation and planting drought tolerant plants could make a big difference. Xeriscaping is a landscaping
approach that minimizes or even eliminates the need for artificial irrigation. It consists largely of choosing water "un-thirsty" plants and landscaping techniques that maximize water retention. By planting xeriscape gardens, you will make your property unattractive to LFA. Now this approach will not work if you live in Pahoa where the average rainfall is maybe 200 inches, but if you live in Kailua-Kona for example, it would be a very good approach to minimizing the LFA problem. The Honolulu Board of Water Supply has an excellent web page with links and ideas. Check it out at http://www.hbws.org/cssweb/display.cfm ?sid=1086
GRAB THE RAID – THERE ARE ANTS IN MY KITCHEN! Often, our first reaction on seeing ants trailing through the house is to grab a can of insect spray and let them have it! BUT, using an insect spray (or any other spray for that matter) is rarely successful at controlling ants inside the home. The trail of ants we see are only the older workers. More than 90% of the colony is somewhere else. Killing off these older worker ants just means the queen will lay some more eggs to replace them. A few days later, the ants are back in your kitchen, you grab some more insect spray, the queen ant lays a few more eggs, and so on. It’s an interesting fact that many ants we see wondering around the home actually have their nests outside the house. They wander into your home looking for food. This is not true for all ant species, but LFA definitely prefer
living outside. So, it makes more sense to deal with the problem outside the house rather than spreading insecticides in your home. Put the insect spray away and try treating the ants outside first…
WHERE DO I START? The array of pesticides on the shelf at your local garden exchange or hardware store can be bewildering. There are dozens of different proprietory products available and it can be very difficult to know which is the right one for your situation. Some are liquids, some are granules, they can be in small bottles or huge bags, in ready to use spray bottles or concentrates… So, which one do you buy?
BAITS, BARRIERS AND CONTACT SPRAYS Pesticides for ant control can be divided into three main types: baits, barrier treatments, and contact sprays. Each of these work differently and its important to know which is which. Ant baits Baits are the recommended first-line treatment because they are very effective and also minimize the use of pesticides. They are made from an attractive food laced with a toxin (usually a very small amount). Ants harvest baits and take them back to the nest where the foraging workers share the food they bring back with the rest of the colony. Once the toxin takes effect, most or all of the ants are killed. Different ant species prefer different food types so its
important to match up the bait with the ant species you are trying to control. Most baits for outside use are in a granular form to make them easier to spread. The granules are usually made from corn grits and the toxin is added to these during manufacture. Although they are not harmful to pets and other animals, birds and chickens might find them attractive. If you have birds on your property, remove them from the sites you are treating or spread the granules late in the afternoon just before your chickens roost. Barrier treatments Can come in a spray or a granule, and can be applied to the soil, hard surfaces or vegetation. They contain a toxin that has a residual effect and can stay active for a month or even longer. Once they are deployed, any ants or other insects that wander across a treated surface will come into contact with the chemical and die. It is easy to confuse granular pesticides with granular baits, so it is important to read the label carefully. Many granular pesticides contain synthetic pyrethroids. The active ingredient list will usually contain one or more chemicals with names ending in “thrin”, like “bifenthrin”, “cyfluthrin” etc. Granular pesticides also need to be watered before they are activated, while water often inactivates baits. Contact sprays are used to directly spray a target pest. They are useful for spraying spiders, flies or other bugs that you discover in your home. Often contact sprays are sold in pressurized aerosol cans which can be aimed at the offending insect or spider. These are generally not useful
for controlling LFA except for instances where you wish to remove individual ants from a particular location for a short period of time.
BAIT THEM FIRST, THEN BLAST THEM The best way to manage Little Fire Ants around the home is to use a dual approach of baiting followed by barrier treatments. It is important to use them properly because even small differences to your application method can lead to big differences in results. First, NEVER apply a bait and a barrier treatment at the same time. Why?... Well, baits work when ants bring them back to the colony and share them with the other workers (and also to tell the others where to get more bait). If a worker ant is carrying some bait back to the nest and crosses over a barrier treatment, she will die before being able to get back to the colony. One treatment will cancel out the other and you will be wasting your hard-earned cash. So, bait first and give the baits enough time to have an effect – around 2 weeks is good. Then, apply a barrier treatment around houses and other structures. Wait around four weeks and repeat this cycle. Continue to repeat this sequence for 3-4 months or until ant numbers drop to a level you are comfortable with. At this point, increase the amount of time between treatments to 1 month (bait, then apply the barrier treatment a month later, followed by baiting a month after that etc.).
BAITING BASICS • • • •
Read the label Do not use old bait Treat in dry weather Treat your entire property
Always read the label directions for the product you intend to use. The label is a legal document and specifies what you can and can not do. It will also list any precautions you should take and any personal protective equipment you should wear while mixing or applying the product. The baits most suitable for control of Little Fire Ants all look very similar – small yellow granules around ⅛ inch in size. The granules are actually corn grits which have been infused with vegetable oil and a toxin. They are most easily spread using a small fertilizer spreader. Please read Fact Sheet 4 – Get the most out of your spreader for information on how to improve performance. Once the bottle has been opened, the baits will quickly deteriorate and become rancid, so its best to use the whole container rather than storing left-over bait for next time. Bad bait will not be attractive to ants and they will not feed on it. Most baits come in different pack sizes, so buy the size that is sufficient to treat your property once. This way your bait will always be fresh. Only a small amount of bait is needed. A one pound pack is enough to treat an average house-lot with some to spare. Rainfall makes the bait soggy and unattractive to ants. Try to pick a dry
day for applying baits. In places where this is difficult, a dry period of around 4 hours after treatment should be sufficient time for ants to find the granules and take them to the nest. After a day or so, the baits are no longer effective even without rainfall. One mistake a lot of people make is to only spread bait in places where they have seen ants. It is very important to treat your entire property because Little Fire Ants have lots of small nests and often we do not know where they all are. So, walk over the entire property and systematically apply the bait to every section. This is actually quite easy to do if a small seed spreader is used.
With the aperture set at “1” (see above) turn the spreader handle at approximately 1 revolution per step while walking at 2-3 mph. The bait will fling out and create a swath of about 4 yards. Remember, not a whole lot of bait is needed and often it is spread so thinly on the ground, it seems you have not put out enough. Don’t worry – there will be enough bait there. When applying the bait over your property, an overlapping series of parallel swathes is recommended. This is accomplished by starting on one boundary of an infested site and proceeding 1 yard inside the boundary.
These are available at low cost from hardware and pesticide stores. They feature a hopper for holding the bait, a winding handle that agitates the bait and scatters it over the ground, and an adjustable aperture that is used to calibrate output. These spreaders are also used to scatter seeds and fertilizer.
Example of a treatment path taken by an operator treating around an urban structure.
Typical hand held bait spreader showing the winding handle and the aperture adjustment Set the aperture at “1”.
Once you reach the property boundary, take 2 paces towards the untreated area and return parallel to the original path, working around buildings and other obstacles (see below). Continuing this process, you will be able to systematically cover the entire property
in just a few minutes. It is important that all ground is treated including spaces between buildings and corners of gardens. An additional sweep around buildings, garden edges and other structures is a good idea because more ant colonies live in those locations. Rainfall within 12 hours of treatment will reduce effectiveness so plan to conduct treatment when rain is not expected for 12 hours. Another common mistake is to bait again too soon. The ants that survived the first round of baiting can remember that those little yellow granules made them sick last time, and will actually avoid taking your baits the next time around. Wait about 6 weeks before using baits again. The Hawai`i Ant Lab has tested several bait products available in Hawai`i. Some are good and others, not so good. Siesta™ Fire Ant Bait HAL rating • This is a bait formulation containing a new active ingredient called metaflumizone. This compound is very safe for use around humans and pets and is practically non-toxic. Siesta™ is sold at chemical supply companies. It is a little more expensive than other products but it remains attractive to ants even after it gets wet. This can be very important in our climate where it rains on a regular basis and for this. Amdro® HAL rating
• is sold at most garden exchanges, hardware stores and chemical supply companies, under several different names. This product seems to be consistently effective and is very popular. Lately, the “Amdro” brand has been used for a number of products that are not actually baits. Please read the label carefully to make sure you are buying the right version. Probait® HAL rating • is sold at chemical supply companies, and is similar to Amdro®. Usually it is sold in larger jugs. This product is also a consistent performer. Maxforce Complete® HAL rating • is sold at chemical supply companies and has a very attractive bait matrix. It is a little more expensive than other products but we have found it to be extremely effective. Not only does it control LFA, but a wide number of other annoying ant species. Extinguish Plus® HAL rating • is also available at some locations. It is moderately attractive and not as effective as other products. Advion® fire ant bait HAL rating • is sold as a professional use only product. We have found
performance of this product to be rather inconsistent. Sometimes it is effective and at other times performs poorly. Tango™ HAL rating • is a new product recently registered in Hawai`i. It is a concentrate intended to be mixed with a bait matrix of your choosing. The Hawai`i Ant Lab has a recipe for an effective bait matrix (see Fact Sheet 5). This matrix forms a gel so it can be applied into trees and other vegetation. Please refer to the HAL fact sheet 5 for more information on this product.
BARRIER TREATMENTS • • • • •
Read the product label Do not mix barrier treatments and bait treatments Use a different spreader when using granular baits Apply to wet soil or when rain is expected Make a wide band – 3-6 feet wide
Always read the label directions for the product you intend to use. The label is a legal document and specifies what you can and can not do. It will also list any precautions you should take and any personal protective equipment you should wear while mixing or applying the product. Barrier treatments are insecticides that are sprayed or sprinkled around areas where ants are to be excluded. As ants and other insects crawl over the treated
areas, they come into contact with the toxin and are killed. Barrier treatments usually have a residual activity and can provide protection for months. Granular barrier treatments are the easiest to apply because there is no mixing required. This also makes it a bit safer because you will not be handling concentrated chemicals. The easiest way to spread granular barrier treatments is with a simple fertilizer spreader, just like baits. However, it is good practice to have 2 spreaders – one for use with baits and the other for the barrier treatment (mark each one with a marker pen so you know which is which). If you use the same spreader for both jobs, it is possible you might taint the baits with traces of the barrier granules. The ants could be repelled by the smell of the barrier granules and not feed on the bait. A reminder here that it is not a good idea to apply a barrier treatment at the same time as a bait because, the ants carrying the baits back to the nest will be killed and the colony might survive. Always apply the barrier treatment around 2 weeks after you have applied baits. The chemicals in barrier treatments need to stick to the soil particles for them to work and the best time to apply these products is when the ground is wet or rain is expected soon. This helps the binding process needed for the chemicals to work. If the soil is dry when you want to apply these products, you can wet the ground with a garden hose or sprinkler after applying the treatment. Generally around Hilo, this will not be necessary! The more ground you treat, the better the effect of a barrier treatment.
However, if you want to limit your use of chemicals, you can just sprinkle or spray those parts of your lot where you want the most protection such as around the home and the lawn areas used by people or pets. A barrier treatment around your home should be at least 3 feet wide and preferably 6 feet.
DEALING WITH ANTS AROUND FOOD PLANTS Many pesticides are not registered for use on food plants. This is because the Environmental Protection Agency has very strict guidelines for registering pesticides to be used on crops. Therefore, there less products available for treating ants in food crops, and often a product will be registered for one crop but not another. Usually the “popular” crops have more products available, but unfortunately for growers in Hawaii, the crops and fruits we grow here are often not on product labels. Chemical companies are required to carefully test their products for residues in each crop they wish to list on their labels, and each test can be very expensive. Many crops and fruits grown here in Hawaii are not grown anywhere else in the USA and the cost of testing these is too great to make it economically worthwhile. There are several bait products available in Hawaii registered for use on a broad range of crops. These are listed below. However, be sure to read the label carefully to make sure your crop or fruit is listed. You can download many product labels mentioned in this fact sheet by going to the Hawaii Pesticide Information Retrieval System (HPIRS) maintained by University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture
and Human Resources at Manoa (http://state.ceris.purdue.edu/doc/hi/statehi.html). Baits available for use on or near food plants include the following: Esteem Fire Ant Bait® or Extinguish PRO™ HAL rating • these are granular baits registered for use on many food plants. They contain either the insect growth regulator pyriproxyfen or (S)methoprene) as the active ingredient. Unfortunately ants seem to be repelled by these baits and do not feed on it to any great extent. Tango™ • (see above) is registered for use on and under food plants also. It contains the insect growth regulator (S)-methoprene and may be mixed in a bait matrix of your choosing. This product appears to be very effective and safe. Please read Fact Sheet 5 to understand how Tango™ works to find out if it is right for you. Boric Acid Baits HAL rating • are available in liquid or gel form. They are easy to find and very popular. Unfortunately most are formulated for “sugar-loving” ants (such as Terro) and will not be effective against LFA. But never fear! You can easily mix up your own boric acid bait at home! Boric acid baits are effective “natural” alternatives to other products but they generally take longer to work. Repeated
treatments of boric acid bait may lead to an accumulation of boron in the soil which can be toxic to plants so make sure to carefully follow directions to minimize this risk. Please read Fact Sheet 6 for more information on mixing and using Boric Acid Baits. Legal restrictions apply.
properly use the product for effective pest control.
CONTROLLING ANTS IN VEGETATION Safety precautions for all pesticides
• Bait Stations may be used in some situations to control LFA. Amdro® Pro is labeled for use in bait stations throughout fruit and nut orchards. Although bait stations are not ideal for controlling LFA, they can be a useful tool when combined with gel bait applications in trees and sanitation practices. Although most granular baits may not be used in vegetable gardens, bait stations may be placed around the perimeter. This could be effective for small garden plots but is not practical for larger ones. Be sure the product you are using is labeled for use in bait stations.
• Insecticidal Sprays may also be used on food plants, though they are more effective as spot treatments or for small areas. Most insecticidal sprays are broad-spectrum insecticides which will kill other insects as well as ants. There is a wide variety of organic and nonorganic products available in concentrates and ready-to-use formulations. When choosing an insecticidal spray, read the label carefully to make sure it is right for your situation and to know how to
ALWAYS read the label of the product you buy very carefully to make sure your plant species and situation is listed. Follow ALL safety directions on the label. ALWAYS make sure to keep other people and pets away from the treated plants until they are completely dry
Little Fire Ants often nest in the foliage and branches of trees. These nests are not well controlled with standard bait applications because the tree-dwelling ants do not always forage on the ground. Most baits are granular and so can not be applied to trees. Hawaii Ant Lab gel baits with Tango® or boric acid can be applied to trees so this is virtually the only effective bait option in trees. The other option for controlling little fire ants in trees is to spray the trees with pesticides. Good general-use pesticides for spraying foliage are products containing carbaryl. One example is Sevin™ but there are other products with the same ingredient available. Carbaryl does not have a residual effect so its important to thoroughly wet the entire plant, making sure you observe any withholding periods for fruits and vegetables listed on the label. Organic solutions include those containing d-limonene (or orange oil) and a number of proprietary products containing this active ingredient are
registered for many food plants as well as ornamental plants. Gardens in Hawaii often contain a mixture of food and ornamental plants so these products can be used for both. There are other pesticides that can be used on ornamental plants only. Products containing bifenthrin often have instructions for spraying ornamental plants (for example, Talstar P®. Bifenthrin is a residual insecticide which means it continues to be effective on ants that walk over treated surfaces for some weeks after application. These products come in a concentrate form which need mixing with water in a spray tank, or in a ready-to-use spray bottles. Concentrate pesticides are always more economical than buying ready-to-use products. When spraying plants, make sure to thoroughly wet cracks, crevices, moss and other places where ants hide. Choose a calm day with little or no wind for spraying foliage. Be very careful to always wear the protective equipment recommended on the label and be especially careful when spraying tall plants that the spray doesn’t drift onto yourself or into a neighbour’s property. Always spray away from yourself and make sure the wind is blowing away from you so that the spray does not drift back. Even if the label does not specify it, Hawaii Ant Lab recommends wearing eye protection (safety glasses, goggles etc), a chemical resistant hat, and a mask whenever spraying vegetation taller than 5 feet. Good luck and please contact us if you would like more information or have
questions not answered in this fact sheet.
BARRIER TREATMENTS FOR LITTLE FIRE ANTS Product name Ortho Home Defence Max granules
Active ingredient
EPA registration #
bifenthrin
279-3240-239
Ortho Home Defence ready to spray
bifenthrin
239-2698
Triazicide Once and Done Insect Killer Granules Triazicide Once and Done Insect Killer
alpha-cyhalothrin
9688-181-8845
alpha-cyhalothrin
9688-195-8845
Spray
CHEMICALS SUITABLE FOR SPRAYING PLANTS AND FOLIAGE Product name
Active ingredient
EPA registration #
Orange Guard
d-limonene
61887-1-AA
Eliminator Bug Killer Sevin Concentrate
carbaryl
264-334-71004
Gardentech Sevin Concentrate Bug Killer
carbaryl
264-334-71004
Gardentech Sevin Ready-To-Spray Bug Killer Bisect L
carbaryl
264-334-71004
bifenthrin
34704-955
Talstar P
bifenthrin
279-3206
Other proprietary products that have label instructions for spraying foliage may be available and suitable for this purpose. Please consult the staff at your hardware, chemical supply or farm exchange for advice on these products. The opinions expressed here do not represent an endorsement or rejection of any products mentioned and are based on a mixture of empirical and observational data. Other products may also be available. Listing of these proprietary products does not constitute an endorsement by The Hawaii Ant Lab or the Hawaii Invasive Species Council. Similar products not listed may also be effective.
Visit www.littlefireants.com for more information
Little Fire Ant fact sheet 3 Checking your property for Little Fire Ants Surveying your property for Little Fire Ants is easy – and fun! If you have children, get them involved too. The easiest way is to use the HDOA “chopstick” method. LFA just LOVE peanut butter – I think they might have shares in the Reese’s company! It doesn’t matter what brand you use, but smooth or creamy types are the best. Smear some chopsticks (cut in half), popsicle sticks, or coffee stirrers with a very thin layer of peanut butter and leave these out in places where LFA might be.
In the leaf axil of a banana is a great place! Choose older leaves that no longer hold water after rain
On the ground in a shady spot like this. Brush away debris and litter first.
You will notice in the pictures above that we have painted the chopsticks red. This is to make them easier to find later on but its not essential to do this. Wait for about 1 hour then carefully check the sticks to see if ants have found them. Look at the images below to see what little fire ants would look like on the chopsticks.
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If you see ants on the chopstick like in the images above, drop the stick into a zip-lock bag, place in the freezer overnight and mail them to: C. Vanderwoude Hawaii Department of Agriculture 16 E. Lanikaula St Hilo, 96720 Don’t forget to include your contact information please! Some tips for a better survey – • LFA like shady moist places – always try to place the lures out of the sun • If you have a banana patch, place at least some lures in these. The best location is where the older leaves join onto the stem, as well as in the trash at the base of the plant. There is an image in the presentation showing the best spot. • LFA are VERY small, a uniform orange color, and walk fairly slowly. If the ants you see are black, or fast moving, or are more than one color, they probably are not LFA.
“Quickie” survey Don’t have much time? That’s ok, think about doing a “quickie” survey. Just place a chopstick or 2 in your bananas like the picture above. If you don’t have a banana clump, place a chopstick or 2 at the base of any palm or coconut on the property. Just make sure the chopstick is on the shady side of the plant.
“Gold Standard” survey Have a bit more time? Then place 4-6 chopsticks total in shady places around your yard, along the northern wall of your house, or your banana clump.
“Platinum Standard” survey If you want to be absolutely sure you don’t have little fire ants, then place a chopstick every 1015 feet over all shady parts of your yard. This type of survey will take a bit longer but will give you the most accurate results. Want more information? go to www.littlefireants.com Or contact Hawai`i Ant Lab, Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai`i 16 E. Lanikaula St Hilo HI 96720 Ph: 808 315 5656 email:
[email protected]
LFA Fact Sheet 4 An improved spreader for ant baits: How to modify a cheap fertilizer spreader so it works more effectively
Often people tell me they spread ant baits like Amdro™, Esteem™, Maxforce™ and others by placing little clumps around where they see the ants. Little Fire Ants have very small nests but there might be thousands of them all around your house. By spreading the bait in just a few places, you might knock out the nests nearby but leave many nests untreated. Its always best to spread the bait as evenly as you can over your entire house-lot. The easiest and cheapest way to do this is to buy a home fertilizer spreader. Home Depot normally carry the Scott™ brand for around $15, but there are others on the market that are very similar. They all seem to have 2 major drawbacks: • the bait “clumps” in the hopper and does not spread evenly. This happens because the agitator built into the hopper is designed for heavier granules like fertilizer and will not agitate the ant bait enough to keep it flowing. • The spreaders have an adjustable opening that lets you set how much product comes out. This is held open by a spring-loader trigger which needs to be held down the whole time you are applying the bait. After a few minutes, my “trigger finger” begins to hurt from the strain. Here are some ways you can modify these cheaper spreaders to make them easier to use. You don’t need many tools, and its fairly simple1.
Figure 1. A Scott™ “Handy Green” fertilizer spreader 1
Thanks to Jason Reberger who first showed me these tricks a few years ago.
Improving the agitator The agitator is the orange plastic “T” shaped device in the bottom of the hopper. This can easily be pulled out. Wrap a small cable tie around the stem and tighten the tie as tightly as possible. Then cut it down so an inch or so is left sticking out. The cable tie should wrap around the stem in an anti-clockwise direction when viewed from above so when it is in the hopper, it is wrapped the way shown in the figures below.
Figure 2. Cable tie ready to be placed onto the agitator stem.
Figure 2. Cut the cable tie down to leave a one inch end. Cut the tie after placing it onto the stem so it will be easier to tighten
figure 3. modified agitator in place and ready for use
Locking the trigger Hold the trigger open at your desired setting. Usually #1 is sufficient, but a better position is half way between #1 and #22. Then drill a small pilot hole and drive a self tapping screw through the assembly so the trigger remains open.
Figure 4. Screw holding the trigger permanently open.
Some cautions 1. With the opening in the hopper open all the time, be careful not to let bait dribble out of the spreader until you are ready to start 2. any modifications are probably going to void the manufacturer’s warrantee 3. You do all this at your own risk. I’m not responsible for any damage you may cause to or by the spreader… 4. The spreader shown in this fact sheet is for demonstration purposes only and is not an endorsement or recommendation.
Now you are ready to go. Happy ant killing!
2
set the trigger at 2 then manually hold the trigger so the opening on the hopper is bigger than #1 and smaller than #2 while drilling the pilot hole
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9426.637
AN ANT GROWTH REGULATOR FOR CONTROL OF PROTEIN AND SUGAR FEEDING ANTS INCLUDING ARGENTINE AND PHARAOH ANTS A liquid concentrate for use in refillable bait stations that controls ants in agricultural crops and structures by sterilizing egg-laying queens and preventing larval development KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
CAUTION
See back panel for additional precautions
NET CONTENTS: 2.5 GAL (320 FL OZ) 9.46 L
ACTIVE INGREDIENT: (S)-Methoprene (CAS #65733-16-6). . . . . . . . . . . . .4.9% OTHER INGREDIENTS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95.1% Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100.0% This product contains 0.4 pounds/gallon (48 grams/liter) (S)-Methoprene active ingredient
106169
GENERAL INFORMATION – TANGO™ is a concentrated product to be mixed and diluted with a bait matrix for use in the control of ants. TANGO™ contains an insect growth regulator (IGR) which acts on ant colonies by sterilizing egg-laying queens and preventing larval development. When foraging, worker ants bring treated bait back to the colony, the IGR is spread throughout the colony and is fed to the queen and larvae, which results in sterile eggs and prevents larvae from becoming adult workers. IGR’s work slower than conventional products which provides a direct ant kill. Though slower in action, control is complete without the concern for rebounding or movement of the colony to another location. Reduction in colony size can be seen beginning at three weeks. When existing workers die, replacement workers are not produced, resulting in starvation and elimination of the queen and colony. Some ant species colonies, such as the Argentine ant, can be quite large and it is important that a continuous supply of treated bait be available. Monitor bait stations frequently to assess bait consumption and ant activity at the bait stations. DIRECTIONS FOR USE – It is a violation of Federal Law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. Only protected handlers may be in the area during application. For any requirements specific to your State or Tribe, consult the agency responsible for pesticide regulation. AGRICULTURAL USE REQUIREMENTS – Use this product only in accordance with its labeling and with the Worker Protection Standard, 40 CFR Part 170. This Standard contains requirements for the protection of agricultural workers on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses, and handlers of agricultural pesticides. It contains requirements for training, decontamination, notification, and emergency assistance. It also contains specific instructions and exceptions pertaining to the statements on this label about personal protective equipment (PPE) and restricted-entry interval. The requirements in this box only apply to uses of this product that are covered by the Worker Protection Standard. Do not enter or allow worker entry into treated areas during the restricted-entry interval (REI) of 4 hours. Exception: If the product is soil injected or soil incorporated, the Worker Protection Standard, under certain circumstances, allows workers to enter the treated area if there will be no contact with anything that has been treated. PPE required for early entry to treated areas that is permitted under the Worker Protection Standard and that involves contact with anything that has been treated, such as plants, soil, or water is: • Coveralls • Chemical resistant gloves (made of any waterproof material) • Shoes plus socks. APPLICATION SITES: Outdoor Use – Use TANGO™ in, but not limited to, the following areas: • Table grape vineyards • Non-bearing and bearing fruit crops • Wine grape vineyards • Row crops • Almond and other nut groves • Residential turf and landscapes • Citrus groves • Perimeter areas of buildings, homes, sheds, • Commercial nurseries including kennels, barns, poultry houses, swine field grown and container stock operations, dairies, and other areas where ants are a problem. Indoor Use – Use TANGO™ to treat indoor ant infestations in these and other areas where ants are a problem. • Homes • Food Service • Buildings • Restaurants • Hospitals • Barns, poultry houses, dairies, swine operations • Taverns • Apartments • Warehouses, food preparation and processing facilities TREATMENT PROCEDURE AND BAITING INTENSITY Indoor and outdoor perimeter applications: The number of bait placements per area will vary with the intensity of infestation. For indoor and outdoor perimeter uses against Phaorah ants and small colonies of Argentine ants, the average baiting intensity is one bait placement per 3m2 (27 sq ft). Ensure that all infested areas are thoroughly baited. The amount of bait to use will vary with species and whether a liquid or solid bait is presented. For solid baits, use 1 – 2 grams of bait per location or 1– 2 fluid ounces of liquid per location. Outdoor applications: For baiting in vineyards, orchards, or other crop and non-crop areas Sweet or liquid feeding ants: Use bait stations that can hold 250 ml or more of liquid bait for large sweet feeding or liquid feeding ant colonies. Argentine ant colonies can be especially large so it is important to present and maintain a sufficient quantity of bait to obtain control of ant populations. Monitoring the area for ant activity can help to determine the optimal location for placement of bait stations. Following bait placement, monitor the bait stations and ant populations and replenish bait mixture as needed.
Ant pressure and intensity can vary between locations; contact local extension or university personnel to determine appropriate bait station placement and density. Protein feeding ants: Apply bait in bait stations and place in locations of ant activity. It is important to present and maintain a sufficient quantity of bait to obtain control of ant populations. Monitoring the area for ant activity can help to determine the optimal location for placement of bait stations. Following bait placement, monitor the bait stations and ant populations and replenish bait mixture as needed. Ant pressure and intensity can vary between locations, contact local extension or university personnel to determine appropriate bait station placement and density. Bait Preparation – Thoroughly mix TANGO™ with the required amount of bait as determined by the following table to attain a bait matrix containing 0.25% S-methoprene. AMOUNT OF BAIT NEEDED REQUIRED AMOUNT OF TANGO™ Six ounces 0.3 fl oz (9 ml) 1 gallon 6 fl oz (177 ml) 21/2 gallons 15 fl oz (443 ml) 5 gallons 30 fl oz (887 ml) 10 gallons 60 fl oz (1,774 ml) (1.8 L) 20 gallons 120 fl oz (3,549 ml)(3.55 L) Ant food preferences can be variable and can change during the year, in general, provide sweet baits for ants such as Argentine ants that prefer sweet foods such as honeydew and nectar. For ants such as Pharoah ants that primarily feed on proteins, provide a protein-based bait such as peanut butter or powdered liver. Pre-baiting the area with different foods can provide direction for the most optimal bait choice to begin a baiting program. STORAGE and DISPOSAL – Do not contaminate water, food, or feed by storage or disposal. Storage: Store in a cool area away from children. Pesticide Disposal: Wastes resulting from the use of this product must be disposed of on site or at an approved waste disposal facility. Container Disposal: Triple rinse (or equivalent). Then offer for recycling or reconditioning, or puncture and dispose of in a sanitary landfill, or incineration, or if allowed by state and local authorities, by burning. If burned, stay out of smoke. PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS – HAZARDS TO HUMANS AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS – CAUTION Causes moderate eye irritation. Harmful if absorbed through skin. Avoid contact with eyes, skin, or clothing. Wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling. Remove and wash contaminated clothing before reuse. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Applicators and other handlers must wear: • Long-sleeved shirt and long pants • Shoes plus socks • Chemical-resistant gloves Follow manufacturer's instructions for cleaning and maintaining PPE. If no such instructions for washables, use detergent and hot water. Keep and wash PPE separately from other laundry. User Safety Recommendations: Users should: Wash hands before eating, drinking, chewing gum, using tobacco, or using the toilet. Remove clothing immediately if pesticide gets inside. Then wash thoroughly and put on clean clothing. Remove PPE immediately after handling this product. Wash the outside of gloves before removing. As soon as possible, wash thoroughly and change into clean clothing. FIRST AID Call a poison control center or doctor for treatment advice. If in eyes • Hold eye open and rinse slowly and gently with water for 15-20 minutes. • Remove contact lenses, if present, after the first 5 minutes, then continue rinsing eye. If on skin • Take off contaminated clothing. • Rinse skin immediately with plenty of water for 15-20 minutes. Have the product container or label with you when calling a poison control center or doctor, or going for treatment. You may also contact 1-800-248-7763 for emergency medical treatment information. ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS – Do not apply directly to water or to areas where surface water is present or to intertidal areas below the mean high water mark. Do not contaminate water when disposing of equipment washwaters or rinsate. For information or in case of an emergency, call 1-800-248-7763. Seller makes no warranty, expressed or implied, concerning the use ofthis product other than as indicated on the label. Buyer assumes all risk of use and handling of this material when such use and handling are contrary to label instructions. EPA REG. No. 2724-420 EPA Est. No. 2724-TX-1 TANGO and the TANGO logo are trademarks of Wellmark International. ©2007 Wellmark International Made in USA 106171
REGULADOR DE CRECIMIENTO DE HORMIGAS TANGO™ PARA EL CONTROL DE HORMIGAS QUE SE ALIMENTAN DE PROTEÍNAS Y AZÚCARES, INCLUYENDO LAS HORMIGAS ARGENTINAS Y FARAÓN Concentrado líquido para uso en trampas de cebo rellenables para el control de hormigas en cultivos agrícolas y estructuras mediante la esterilización de las reinas que ponen los huevos y el impedimento del desarrollo de las larvas. MANTENER FUERA DEL ALCANCE DE LOS NIÑOS
PRECAUCIÓN Lea la etiqueta al dorso para consultar las precauciones adicionales. ADVERTENCIAS – PELIGROS PARA LOS HUMANOS Y ANIMALES DOMÉSTICOS – PRECAUCIÓN Provoca irritación ocular moderada. Perjudicial si se absorbe a través de la piel. Evitar el contacto con los ojos, piel o ropa. Lavarse con abundante agua y jabón después de su manipulación. Quitarse la ropa contaminada y lavarla antes de volver a usarla. Equipo de protección personal (PPE, por sus siglas en inglés): Las personas encargadas de aplicar o manipular el producto deben usar: • Camisas de mangas largas y pantalones largos • Calzado y calcetines • Guantes resistentes a productos químicos Seguir las instrucciones de limpieza y mantenimiento del PPE proporcionadas por el fabricante. Si no se proporcionaran dichas instrucciones de lavado y limpieza, usar detergente y agua caliente. Mantener y lavar en forma separada todo el PPE. Recomendaciones de seguridad para el usuario: Los usuarios deben: Lavarse las manos antes de comer, beber, mascar goma, usar tabaco o usar las instalaciones sanitarias. Retirar inmediatamente la ropa si el pesticida entra en contacto con la misma. A continuación, lavar a fondo las prendas y colocarse ropa limpia. Quitarse todo el PPE inmediatamente después de
INGREDIENTE ACTIVO: S-Metopreno (N.° CAS 65733-16-6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.9% OTROS INGREDIENTES: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95.1% Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100.0% Este producto contiene 0.4 libras/galón (48 gramos/litro) del ingrediente activo S-Metopreno.
la manipulación de este producto. Lavar la parte exterior de los guantes antes de quitárselos. Lavar inmediatamente la ropa usada y colocarse ropa limpia. ATENCIÓN DE PRIMEROS AUXILIOS Llamar a un centro toxicológico o a un médico para obtener asesoramiento médico. Si entra en contacto con los ojos • Mantenga los ojos abiertos y enjuáguelos lenta y suavemente con agua durante 15 a 20 minutos. • Si tuviera lentes de contacto, retírelas después de los primeros 5 minutos; luego, continúe enjuagando los ojos. Si entra en contacto con la piel • Quítese la ropa contaminada. • Lave inmediatamente la piel con abundante agua durante 15 a 20 minutos. Tenga el contenedor o la etiqueta del producto a mano cuando llame al centro toxicológico o al médico, o si acude a un establecimiento para obtener tratamiento médico. También puede llamar al 1-800-[número de teléfono] para obtener información de tratamiento médico de urgencia. PELIGROS PARA EL MEDIO AMBIENTE – No aplicar directamente en el agua, en áreas donde hay agua superficial o en áreas entre mareas por debajo de la marca de la pleamar media. No contaminar el agua al desechar las aguas de lavado o enjuague de los equipos.
INSTRUCCIONES DE USO – El uso de este producto de cualquier forma contraria a las indicaciones de la etiqueta constituye una violación de la ley federal. Durante la aplicación del producto, sólo pueden estar presentes en el área los usuarios que tengan la debida protección. Para obtener los requisitos específicos de su estado o tribu, consulte con la agencia responsable de la reglamentación de pesticidas. REQUISITOS DE USO AGRÍCOLA – Este producto se debe utilizar exclusivamente de conformidad con las indicaciones de su etiqueta y con la Norma de Protección Laboral del CFR (Código de Reglamentaciones Federales) 40, Sección 170. Esta norma estipula los requisitos para la protección de los trabajadores agrícolas en granjas, bosques, viveros e invernaderos, y para los usuarios de pesticidas agrícolas. Asimismo, estipula los requisitos de entrenamiento, descontaminación, notificación y ayuda de emergencia. También proporciona instrucciones específicas y excepciones relativas a las declaraciones de esta etiqueta sobre los equipos de protección personal (PPE, por sus siglas en inglés) y el intervalo de entrada restringida. Los requisitos de este cuadro sólo corresponden a los usos de este producto cubiertos por la Norma de Protección Laboral. No se debe ingresar ni permitir el ingreso de los trabajadores a las áreas tratadas durante el intervalo de entrada restringida (REI, por sus siglas en inglés) de 4 horas. Excepción: Si el producto se aplica mediante inyección o incorporación adentro del suelo, bajo ciertas circunstancias, la Norma de Protección Laboral permite a los trabajadores ingresar al área tratada si no se produce contacto alguno con ninguno de los objetos tratados con el producto. De conformidad con la Norma de Protección Laboral, en caso de ingresar a las áreas tratadas antes de cumplirse el intervalo de entrada restringida y entrar en contacto con algún objeto tratado, tales como plantas, suelo o agua, el PPE requerido es: • Vestimenta que cubra todo el cuerpo (overol) • Guantes resistentes a productos químicos (fabricados con material impermeable) • Calzado y calcetines INFORMACIÓN GENERAL – El Regulador de crecimiento de hormigas TANGO es un producto concentrado que se debe mezclar y diluir con la matriz del cebo para su uso en el control de hormigas. El Regulador de crecimiento de hormigas TANGO contiene un regulador de crecimiento de insectos (IGR, por sus siglas en inglés) que actúa sobre las colonias de hormigas esterilizando a las reinas que ponen los huevos e impidiendo el desarrollo de las larvas. Al salir en busca de alimentos, las obreras transportan el cebo insecticida a la colonia; el IGR se disemina en toda la colonia y alimenta a la reina y a las larvas, lo cual origina huevos estériles y evita que las larvas se conviertan en obreras adultas. El IGR actúa más lentamente que los productos tradicionales, que matan directamente a las hormigas. A pesar de su acción más lenta, el IGR proporciona un control completo y evita que las colonias se vuelvan a propagar o se muden a otro lugar. La reducción del tamaño de la colonia es visible a partir de las 3 semanas. Cuando las obreras mueren, no se generan nuevas obreras, con lo cual la reina muere de hambre y la colonia desaparece. Las colonias de algunas especies de hormigas, tales como la hormiga argentina, pueden ser muy grandes, por lo cual es importante proporcionar un suministro continuo de cebo insecticida. Se recomienda controlar frecuentemente las trampas de cebo para asegurar el consumo del mismo y la presencia de las hormigas en las trampas. LUGARES DE TRATAMIENTO: Uso exterior – Utilice el Regulador de crecimiento de hormigas TANGO en áreas tales como: • Viñedos de uva de mesa • Cosechas de árboles frutales y no frutales • Viñedos de uva de vino • Cultivo en hileras • Cultivos de almendros y otras nueces • Céspedes y jardines residenciales • Cultivos de cítricos • Áreas circundantes de edificios, viviendas, • Viveros comerciales, incluyendo cobertizos, lugares para animales, cultivos a raíz desnuda y en graneros, criaderos de aves, cerdos, contenedores tambos y demás áreas donde las hormigas son un problema. Uso interior – Utilice el Regulador de crecimiento de hormigas TANGO para tratar infestaciones interiores de hormigas en todas las áreas donde las hormigas sean un problema, incluyendo: • Viviendas • Establecimientos gastronómicos • Edificios • Restaurantes • Hospitales • Graneros, criaderos • Tabernas • Departamentos de aves y cerdos • Depósitos, establecimientos de preparación y procesamiento de alimentos
PROCEDIMIENTO DEL TRATAMIENTO E INTENSIDAD DEL CEBO Aplicaciones en áreas circundantes interiores y exteriores: El número de cebos por área variará en función de la intensidad de la infestación. Para el uso en áreas circundantes interiores y exteriores contra hormigas faraón y pequeñas colonias de hormigas argentinas, la intensidad promedio del cebo es un cebo por cada 3 m2 (27 pies cúbicos). Asegúrese de que no quede ninguna zona del área infestada sin cebo. La cantidad de cebo varía según la especie de hormiga y el tipo de cebo (líquido o sólido) colocado. Para cebos sólidos, use de 1 a 2 gramos de cebo o de 1 a 2 onzas líquidas por lugar. Aplicaciones exteriores: Para tratar viñedos, huertas u otras áreas cultivadas o no cultivadas Hormigas que se alimentan de dulces o líquidos: Utilice trampas de cebos que puedan contener 250 ml o más de cebo líquido para colonias grandes de hormigas que se alimentan de dulces o líquidos. Las colonias de hormigas argentinas pueden ser especialmente grandes, de modo que es importante mantener una cantidad suficiente de cebo para controlar las poblaciones. Es recomendable buscar cual es el rea o la presencia de hormigas en el área a tratar para determinar cuál es el mejor lugar para colocar los cebos. Después de colocarlos, controle las trampas y la población de hormigas, y reponga la mezcla de cebo según sea necesario. La presión e intensidad de las hormigas puede variar según los lugares; comuníquese con el personal de agencias o universidades locales para determinar la colocación y densidad adecuadas de las trampas de cebo. Hormigas que se alimentan de proteínas: Aplique el cebo en las trampas y colóquelas en los lugares donde haya presencia de hormigas. Es importante colocar y mantener una cantidad suficiente de cebo para lograr el control de las poblaciones de hormigas. Es recomendable controlar la presencia de hormigas en el área a tratar para determinar cuál es el mejor lugar para colocar los cebos. Después de colocarlos, controle las trampas y la población de hormigas, y reponga la mezcla de cebo según sea necesario. La presión e intensidad de las hormigas puede variar según los lugares; comuníquese con el personal de agencias o universidades locales para determinar la colocación y densidad adecuadas de cebos. Preparación del cebo Mezcle cuidadosamente el Regulador de crecimiento de hormigas TANGO con la cantidad requerida de cebo, según lo indicado en la tabla siguiente, para obtener una matriz de cebo que contenga 0.25% de S-Metopreno. CANTIDAD DE CEBO CANTIDAD REQUERIDA DE REGULADOR NECESARIO DE CRECIMIENTO DE HORMIGAS TANGO 6 onzas 0.3 onzas líq. (9 ml) 1 galón 6 onzas líq. (177 ml) 2 1/2 galones 16 onzas líq. (473 ml) 5 galones 30 onzas líq. (887 ml) 10 galones 60 onzas líq. (1,774 ml) (1.8 l) 20 galones 120 onzas líq. (3,549 ml) (3.55 l) Las preferencias alimenticias de las hormigas pueden variar y cambiar durante el año; en general, prepare cebos dulces para hormigas tales como las argentinas, que prefieren alimentos dulces como ciertas secreciones azucaradas y néctar. Para las hormigas tales como las faraón, que principalmente se alimentan de proteínas, prepare cebos en base a proteínas, como mantequilla de cacahuate o hígado en polvo. Preparar el área con anterioridad mediante cebos con diferentes alimentos puede indicar cuáles serán los mejores cebos para comenzar el programa. ALMACENAMIENTO y DESECHO: No contamine las aguas, comida o alimentos mediante el almacenamiento o el desecho. Almacenamiento: Almacenar en lugar fresco, fuera del alcance de los niños. Desecho del pesticida: Los restos del uso de este producto deben desecharse en el lugar o en un establecimiento autorizado para desechos. Desecho de los contenedores: Enjuagarlos 3 veces (o enjuague equivalente). Ofrecerlos para reciclaje o reacondicionamiento, o perforarlos y desecharlos en un vertedero sanitario; incinerarlos o, si el estado o las autoridades locales lo permiten, quemarlos. Si los quema, manténgase fuera del humo. Para obtener información o en caso de emergencia, llame al [número de teléfono]. El vendedor no otorga garantía alguna, ni expresa ni implícita, en relación con el uso de este producto, excepto lo indicado en la etiqueta. El comprador asume todos los riesgos si este material se usa o manipula de manera contraria a las instrucciones de la etiqueta.
Wellmark International Schaumburg, IL 60173 Fabricado en EE.UU. TANGO™ es una marca registrada de Wellmark International.
106172
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LFA FACT SHEET 6 (V ER S IO N 2: O C TO BE R 2 0 13 )
MIXING HAL GEL BAIT WITH BORIC ACID FOR CONTROL OF LITTLE FIRE ANTS Many people regard boric acid as a natural pest control product and can be used in some circumstances in organic agriculture. However, just because boric acid is a natural substance, does not mean it is completely safe. It is harmful to both children and adults so contact should be avoided. Also, too much boric acid in the soil can be toxic to plants.
BACKGROUND Boric acid is a refined form of boron – a naturally occurring element which is an essential trace nutrient needed for plant life. Boric acid is used for a variety of purposes including as a preservative, fungicide, antiseptic, flame retardant and insecticide. As an insecticide it affects insects in two main ways. First, as a powder, it abrades insect cuticle and removes the waxes that prevent insects from drying out. Secondly, when ingested, it accumulates in the insect’s stomach and fatty tissue and acts as a stomach poison.
Many common off-the-shelf ant baits use boric acid as their active ingredient and it is also sold in dry form as roach powder or roach dust. It is also sold in pharmacies simply labeled boric acid. Sometimes it will be listed on product labels as “pentahydrate” or “tetrahydrate”. As an active ingredient in ant baits, boric acid is slow acting, and accumulates gradually in insects until a lethal dose is reached. LEGAL STUFF YOU NEED TO KNOW Some “home-made” baits use boric acid as the active ingredient, but making your own pesticide formulations may not be legal. The use of anything that acts as a pesticide needs to be registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as well 1
as the state pesticide regulators. The registration process may take years and is generally a costly exercise. The reason for this is that any pesticide needs to be carefully reviewed and tested to make absolutely sure it is safe as well as effective. Safe for you, the environment, and other people. However, there are certain circumstances where you may be able formulate your own pesticides. FIFRA, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act stipulates that a person may be permitted to make their own pesticide when it is: 1. “solely for application by themselves”, and 2. “solely for personal use”, and 3. Only on their own property. If someone makes or uses an unregistered pesticide on another property, supplies another person with an unregistered pesticide, even when no payment is made or received, they would be breaching this legislation and could be liable to prosecution or fines. I’m an entomologist and not a lawyer, so please seek your own legal advice regarding this. The FIFRA policy that covers this is attached at the end of this fact sheet. You must read this and also understand there could be other laws or regulations that apply. Back to making your own ant bait… Ants are notoriously difficult to control around houses and other structures.
Often, the use of toxic sprays and dusts has little effect. Some workers will be killed but the ant colonies recover very quickly, and this often leads to a cycle of spraying to gain temporary relief, a fast recovery by the ants and spraying again. Decades ago, scientists researching better ways of controlling ants found that using a bait was more effective. Baits are made from a food that is attractive to ants and laced with a small quantity of slow-acting toxin. Worker ants feed on the bait, and when they return to the nest, share it with other workers and the queen. This approach has proven to be more effective than toxic sprays and has an added benefit of minimizing the use of pesticides. To be effective, a bait must be attractive to ants and contain a toxin that is slow acting and effective. If the toxin works too quickly, the worker ants become sick before returning to the nest and will not share the bait with other workers in case they also get sick. The Little Fire Ant (Wasmannia auropunctata) is very difficult to control. They have many small colonies, each with many queens, and will have nests on the ground as well as in trees and other vegetation. All these small colonies are inter-connected and if some die out, they are re-populated by neighboring colonies. One problem facing the homeowner is that virtually all commercial baits consist of small granules. These are easy to spread on the ground, but can not be applied to vegetation. If only the colonies on the ground are treated, neighboring 2
ants living in trees will quickly spread back to the ground. The bait granules are also inactivated by rainfall. Once the granules become soggy, they are no longer attractive to ants. Windward locations in Hawai`i often experience regular and frequent rain. In some locations it is difficult to predict if it will rain on any given day. WHY USE A GEL BAIT? Contrary to popular belief, ants do not eat solids - they only consume liquids. Granular baits are made from corn and vegetable oil, and when a worker ant finds a bait granule, she sucks the oil out of the granule and leaves the rest behind. Ants can consume a gel bait far more easily than a granular product, so in theory, gels should be more effective than granules. Baits in liquid or gel form do not have the same limitations as granular products. They can be applied to vegetation where they will stick to the leaves and branches and are not affected as quickly by rainfall. They are, however, a bit more difficult to apply compared with granular baits. HOW DOES A BORIC ACID BAIT WORK? An ant colony contains mostly worker ants that do not lay eggs, eggs and larvae and sometimes new queens and males; along with one or more queens,. Only a portion of the worker ants collect food for the rest of the colony. The worker ants
only live for a few months, so the queen needs to keep laying eggs to replace worker ants as they die of old age. If the queen (or queens) stop laying eggs, the colony becomes smaller and smaller until eventually no ants remain. Boric acid is a stomach poison that slowly builds up in the ant’s body eventually causing death. If a bait contains too much boric acid, the ants can detect it and will not feed on the bait. The idea is to feed them enough over a few applications. Do not expect instant results. It may be a couple months before you notice that ants are no longer a problem. The slow mode of action typical of boric acid baits will mean that you will continue to see ants for 2-3 months. Be patient, and repeat treatments every 4 weeks or so for several months. The repeat treatments will ensure that all colonies are properly treated. If only some colonies are controlled, the surviving ones will spread very quickly and all your efforts will have been in vain. THE RECIPE Before mixing the bait, there are a few things to think about. First, this is NOT a job to be done in your kitchen, or using bowls and measuring cups that will later be used to prepare food. Buy all these items specifically for this purpose, mark them “not for food use” and keep them in the garage or wherever you normally keep your yard care products or other chemicals. Also, make sure you have 3
adequate protective equipment as follows: • a sturdy pair of rubber or chemical resistant gloves, • a chemical resistant apron, • eye protection, and • access to a faucet and soap for washing your hands etc. after mixing. 40 oz of finished bait is sufficient to treat an average house lot. Only make enough bait for immediate use and do not store excess bait – it spoils quickly. To make a 40 oz batch you will need the following ingredients:
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3 cups warm water 2 cups corn oil or other vegetable oil 1 ounce boric acid 1 tablespoon xanthan gum 2 teaspoons smooth peanut butter
Equipment needed: • Large mixing bowl (at least 1/2 gallon capacity) • Cup measure • Tablespoon measure • A whisk or similar device for mixing. We use a cordless drill with a kitchen whisk modified so it can be fitted into the drill chuck. A paint mixer also works well.
MIXING PROCEDURE:
Combine the boric acid and water in a large mixing bowl. Start mixing and very slowly add the xanthan gum. It can be difficult to mix the xanthan so be patient and add it very slowly and run the mixer at the highest speed safely possible. The xanthan gum allows the water and the oil to be mixed without separating at a later time. Continue to mix until everything is evenly combined. It should look like a thick sticky whitish goop (mixing stage 1). Once completely mixed, pour the oil into the bowl and add the peanut butter. At this point, the oil will sit on top of the water/xanthan mixture (mixing stage 2). Continue to mix until everything is combined. The bait should now have the same consistency as mayonnaise (mixing stage 3).
Some people like to add food coloring so its easier to see where it has been sprayed. Always wash hands and exposed skin after mixing and before eating, drinking, using the restroom or smoking. 4
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE First, make sure you have adequate protective clothing. • Long-sleeved shirt and long pants • Shoes plus socks • Chemical resistant gloves Please consider using chemical resistant headwear, a cap or hat and eye protection. Some people also prefer to use a dust mask or similar, but these items are optional Good quality water spray bottles are available at most garden exchanges and hardware stores. The very cheap types do not work very well, so choose a high quality one like a 32 oz.
Remove this filter
Zep brand or similar. These betterquality spray bottles can shoot a stream of bait more than 15 feet making it very easy to target ant colonies nesting in trees. Remove the filter at the bottom of the intake tube before using. The filter is too fine to allow the gel into the spray pump. Also, have a wide-mouthed funnel available to fill the spray bottle. Pour about ½ of the 40 oz. bait mixture into the spray bottle and plan your treatment. Do not treat if it is windy because this increases the risk of spray drift and the possibility that bait might be
blown back towards you. Work with the wind (even if it is only gentle) so that any possible spray drift will move away from you rather than be blown back towards you. Again, this will minimize the risk of coming into contact with the bait. Make sure that all pets, domestic animals and people are kept away from the area you are treating. Plan your treatment in a way that avoids the need to walk over previously treated ground. It’s a bit like painting a floor – you don’t want to paint yourself into a corner! The spray bottle will shoot a thin solid stream of gel bait. However, the goal is to apply little globs or splatters of bait evenly over the ground and infested vegetation. Pressing the spray trigger while waving the spray bottle around normally results in an even pattern of splatters. Remember, the goal is to spread just 40 oz of bait over the entire property! Trees and vegetation do not need to be soaked. A single squirt up and down the trunk and 2-3 squirts through the smaller branches and leaves is more than enough. Ants foraging through the canopy will find the bait all by themselves, just try to get a nice even splatter throughout the canopy. Also, try to avoid spraying directly on ripening fruits and flowers. Always wash hands and exposed skin afterwards and before eating, drinking, using the restroom or smoking. 5
A single treatment will not necessarily provide good results. Re-treat every 4 weeks or so in summer and 6-8 weeks in winter. Remember, it will take 2-3 months before you will notice a reduction in ant activity. Although it is tempting to help things along by also using other chemical sprays, this does far more harm than good! We need the worker ants to keep on harvesting the gel baits and feeding the other ants in the colony. At this time, they are your friends and are actually helping you to control the problem. INGREDIENT SUPPLIERS
online by mail order. It may also be available from food stores and supermarkets. A rapid-dispersion formulation is available online from http://philoutlet.ecrater.com (search for “xanthan RD”) Spray bottle These should be available from your favorite hardware store or garden exchange. We tested a range of spray bottles and found the Zep® brand bottles work very well but the budget priced bottles were ineffective. There may be other similar bottles available under different trade names.
Corn oil available from any food store or supermarket. Corn oil appears to be the most attractive but any vegetable cooking oil will work also Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener used in cooking and It is available from most health food stores and is also available
Want more information? go to www.littlefireants.com Or contact Hawai`i Ant Lab, Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai`i 16 E. Lanikaula St Hilo HI 96720 Ph: 808 315 5656 email:
[email protected]
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The excerpt below forms part of Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Compliance/Enforcement Manual: Policy Compendium, Volume 5: FIFRA Compliance Program Policy Compendium and was accessed from the EPA website on 30 October 2012.
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DISCLAIMER This fact sheet is provided in good faith and represents an opinion only. The writer(s), or their employer(s) offer no warranty express or implied and accept no liability whatsoever as the result of any and all damage or injury arising from the use, misuse or production of anything contained in this document. The reader is strongly advised to seek further legal opinion on any applicable matter regarding laws statutes regulations and patents, and also stongly advised to obtain further technical advice as to efficacy, possible harmful effects to both people, the environment and any other thing that relates to the information contained herein.
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