A study conducted by Clemson University shows that "broadcasting" fire ant bait, as opposed to spot treating individual mounds with a contact killer, is the most effective way to control fire ants.

The 1998 study, conducted over a 2-month period, compared different products’ effectiveness by recording the number of new fire ant mounds that appeared after an initial treatment and three repeat treatments.

The plots treated with broadcast applications of AMDRO Fire Ant Bait produced only two new mounds—a 96.3% control of fire ants.

The plots where individual mounds were treated with contact killers exhibited a higher number of new mound occurrences—22 and 28 mounds, respectively—representing less than 50% control.

More recently, a study was conducted by the University of Arkansas, to measure the effectiveness of an AMDRO broadcast product.

Just 24 hours after application, the population of foraging ants was reduced by 98.6% and control levels exceeding 90% were maintained for the entire two-month duration of the test.

The Difference is Getting Underground

Recent studies demonstrate the effectiveness of broadcasting fire ant bait,” said Dr. Mac Horton, professor and chair of the Department of Entomology at Clemson University. “Broadcasting bait increases the potential for the ants in a treated area to pick up the product and take it directly to the colony.”

“Contact killers control the individual fire ants that are exposed to them. But ants that are not exposed may oftentimes relocate to a new domain,” said Dr. Horton.

Dr. Horton also attributed the high number of new mounds that occurred when using contact killers to underground colonies that were not readily visible during the time of treatment. “These hidden mounds were not individually treated and subsequently popped up later,” he said.

Broadcasting AMDRO Fire Ant Bait, however, is effective in controlling both visible and hidden mounds. AMDRO makes broadcasting incredibly easy with the NEW FireStrike and Yard Treatment. Yard Treatment was the first and only fire ant bait designed exclusively for broadcast application. Simply empty the contents of the bag into any standard lawn spreader, set the spreader to the correct setting, (see labels or application instructions for suggested spreader settings), and apply like you would any other granular lawn product such as fertilizer.

For individual mound treatments, sprinkle 2 to 5 tablespoons of original AMDRO Fire Ant Bait around the mound, being careful not to disturb the mound.

An excellent time to apply AMDRO fire ant products is when ants are foraging for food, Ants are most active in the early morning or late afternoon, or after a light rain.

NEW AMDRO FireStrike, AMDRO Yard Treatment, and the original AMDRO Fire Ant Bait should never be applied to grounds that are soaking wet or when rain is expected within 24 hours.