Success StoryIdentifying Fire Ant Infested Colonies for Eradication



Identifying Fire Ant Infested Colonies for Eradication

Author: Ricardo Bessin

Planning Unit: Entomology

Major Program: Pest ID

Outcome: Initial Outcome

Working with Tracie Goodman and Stacy White in McCreary and Whitley Counties we have been able to identify and locate invasive fire ant colonies. Fire ants are a federally regulated invasive pest and once established a federal quarantine is typically imposed.  Currently, there are no quarantines for fire ants in Kentucky.  A quarantine would have significant impacts on those affected counties in that movement of some agricultural commodities (eg. hay, sod, nursery stock) would be restricted. These county agents working through social media in their counties were able to have residents report suspected fire ant colonies. Specialist for UK traveled to these sites, identified the ant species, and treated the confirmed fire ant mounds. Approximately 120 fire ant mounds in these tow counties were eliminated.  Without the efforts of these agents, we would have not recognized the fire ant invasion moving up through the Daniel Boone National Forest as all previous fire ant eradications occurred in the Land Between the Lakes region.  As part of this work, we worked with the Kentyucky Department of Agriculture, the EPA, and a chemical company to obtain a 24(c), State Local Needs registration, to allow use of a commercial fire ant bait on livestock pastures in Kentucky.  After considering the situation, the 24(c) was granted in just 2 days.






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