Management Options of Fire Ants for Composting, Mulch and Pavement

• Introduction
• Management Options

• Home Lawns and Ornamental Turf
• Homes and Buildings
• Electrical Equipment and Utility Housing
• Home Gardens
• Composting, Mulch and Pavement
• Bodies of Water

• Organizing a Community-Wide Suppression Program
• Treatment Methods
• Biology and Identification
• Medical Problems
• History of Control Efforts
• Fire Ant Insecticides
• Policy Statement
• Acknowledgments
• Print this Lesson

Fire ants invade compost piles and mulched flower beds seeking warmth and moisture. They also nest under cracked pavement, removing dirt from underneath sidewalks and roadways and aggravating structural problems. Grounds around these areas can be treated as described for Home Lawns and Other Ornamental Turf. However, colonies nesting in these sites may be difficult to locate precisely. When the exact location of a fire ant colony is unknown, treat the area of greatest ant activity with a fast-acting bait product containing hydramethylnon, abamectin, indoxacarb or spinosad.