Various fire ant control products are labeled for use in the vegetable garden. However, only a few bait products are currently approved for use in the home vegetable garden:

• Extinguish Fire Ant Bait (methoprene) can be used on most cropland and vegetable plots.
• Baits containing the active ingredient spinosad (Green Light Fire Ant Control with Conserve, Ferti-lome Come and Get It!, Safer Fire Ant Bait, etc.) can be used on home vegetable gardens, and they are OMRI approved.
• Esteem Ant Bait (pyriproxyfen) can be used on many vegetable and fruit crops.

Certain contact insecticides can be used for individual mound treatments in vegetable gardens. You may also apply baits or other products around but not inside the garden to reduce the overall fire ant population.

Check the labels for the various products that can be used in home vegetable gardens. Read and follow the directions.

Related Content

• Which bait do I use?
• Management Options of Fire Ants for Home Gardens

Find more information about fire ants in eXtension's Imported Fire Ant Resource Area.

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