Managing the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), through broadcast applications of fire ant bait products has been demonstrated to dramatically reduce the cost, insecticide use, maintain control of fire ants, and help eliminate problems caused by the fire ant.
We want to introduce you to Lago Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Texas and the Lago Santa Fe Fire Ant Project. Lago Santa Fe is a Private Lake Community, situated 25 miles south southwest of Houston, Texas, in Galveston County. The community consists of 100 acres with four, half-mile long by 200 feet wide lakes, with 48 one-acre lots that border the lakes and 12 lots that do not border the lakes.
In 2001, Lago Santa Fe was chosen as the site to host the 2002 National Water Ski Championships and the 2002 U.S. Open Water Ski Championships. This meant that in August of 2002, 1000 participants from all over the U.S. and the world, with up to 4,000 spectators would invade this 100 acre area for 7 days. Initial fire ant mound activity evaluations showed over 160 active fire ant mounds per acre. The Lago Santa Fe community realized they needed a coordinated approach to manage these pests. The Texas AgriLife Extension Service decided to work with the residents of Lago Santa Fe and develop an annual repeatable process for the management of the fire ants in this community.
The Lago Santa Fe Fire Ant Project gave us a chance to showcase various ideas, practices, products, and product uses developed by the Texas Imported Fire Ant Research and Management Plan, which included:
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of the "hopper blend" treatment (50:50 hydramethylnon plus s-methoprene ant bait) at 1.5 lb blended product/acre.
- Demonstration of application methods such as the truck-mountable industrial "bait blower"; and the ATV-mounted Herd Broadcast Spreader.
- Demonstration of the practicality of scheduling fire ant bait treatments to reach a goal of maximum control for the athletic events being hosted by the Lago Santa Fe community, i.e., the 2002 and 2003 National Water Ski Championships, and U.S. Open Water Ski Championships.
- Demonstration of how coordinating the efforts of the entire community resulted in an efficient process for managing fire ants over the Lago Santa Fe property.
Fire ant mound activity counts showed that after a single spring 2002 hopper blend treatment, fire ant activity was reduced 85% in the community of Lago Santa Fe before the scheduled 2002 water ski events. This community was also chosen to host these same events in the summer of 2003. After an additional fall 2002 and spring 2003 hopper blend treatment, fire ant mound activity was down 95%, before the scheduled 2003 water ski events. The community has continued to manage their fire ants. After 5 scheduled baiting events (April 2002 through May 2004) the fire ant mound activity reduction remained above 90% when compared to initial fire ant activity recorded in the spring 0f 2002.
Lago Santa Fe residents continue their efforts to manage fire ants. Over the past several years they have successfully reduced the highs and lowered the lows of the yearly fluctuations in fire ant numbers.
Lago Santa Fe had a severe fire ant problem in 2002. Watch the video to see how they handled the situation at that time:
Fighting Texas' Fire Ants: The Team Approach
Additional Resources:
For more information regarding fire ant management and Community-Wide Programs, besides that found within this eXtension Imported Fire Ant module, please refer to
- Fire Ant Plan Fact Sheet #001, titled "Selecting a Strategy and Contracting a Commercial Pest Control Service for Community-Wide Management Programs"
- Fire Ant Plan Fact Sheet #002, titled "Commercial Pest Control Operator Involvement in Community-Wide Management Programs"
- Fire Ant Plan Fact Sheet #015, titled "Community-Wide Imported Fire Ant Management Kit"
- Publication B-6043, Managing Imported Fire Ants in Urban Areas Printable Version
- Publication B-6099, Broadcast Baits for Fire Ant Control
- L-5070 The Texas Two-Step Method Do-It-Yourself Fire Ant Control for Homes and Neighborhoods.
- Also visit the Texas Imported Fire Ant Research and Management Project Web site.
Authors/participants: Paul Nester, Bart Drees, and Corrie Bowen Program Specialist – IPM, Extension Specialist – Entomology, and County Extension Agent – Agriculture and Natural Resources, respectively Texas AgriLife Extension Service
