Recently, researchers and educators with Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology have begun educating entire communities on how to greatly reduce their fire ant problems. Fire ant colonies compete with one another for territory. Frequently, when small areas such as single yards are treated, colonies from border areas rapidly move into the area once the treated colonies die off. Our goal with this work is to help homeowners extend the effective life of treatments by encouraging them to cooperate with one another and pool their resources for cheaper, more effective fire ant control. Interested communities also receive the benefit of learning about fire ant biology and control by working closely with Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service personnel.
The two community abatement programs in Oklahoma in 1999 were followed-up 2 months after treatment by a survey in which residents were asked several questions. Results are summarized in the table below.
Reply
Sought medical attention?
Participate again?
Garden damaged?
Electrical damage?
Ornamentals damaged?
Mean control rating (± SD)
Yes
12.5 %
97.5 %
25 %
12.5 %
16 %
1.9 (± 1.0)
No
87.5 %
2.5 %
Among survey respondents, 70% claimed to have spent less on fire ant control in 1999 than the previous year. The vast majority of participants were willing to participate in similar abatement efforts in 2000. Community abatement programs will continue, with the goal of convincing interested homeowners to contract with local PCOs or take it upon themselves to organize yearly efforts to manage their fire ant problems.
"Ridgemont Estates"
At Ridgemont Estates, a small community in Bryan County, Oklahoma, homeowners pooled their money to purchase AmdroŽ fire ant bait. Several homeowners in the community had been spending money on fire ant control only to have ants from neighboring yards and vacant lots move in after treatments. By working together, residents of this community saved money and time, and greatly reduced their population of fire ants with the application of less that 1/4 pound of active ingredient over a 25 acre area.
Click on image to view full size. Bryan County IPM Educator Wayne Smith talks to reporter about Ridgemont Estates Community Abatement Program, the first of its kind in Oklahoma.
Click on image to view full size. Satisfied residents confer with Wayne.
Click on image to view full size. Summer IPM Intern Kristie Thrasher demonstrates the HerdŽ Seeder, while State Representative Jim Dunegan looks on.
Click on image to view full size. Recent news article.
Click on image to view full size. Recent news article.
Click on image to view full size. Beth Hoffman (L) and Mona Campbell organized the residents of Ridgemont Estates in preparation for their community abatement effort. The dedication and hard work of community leaders are necessary to insure success of these programs.
Click on image to view full size. Wayne Smith (L) and J. T. Vogt (R) talk with local newspaper reporter Regina Phillips about fire ants at Ridgemont Estates.
Click on image to view full size. Summer interns Autumn Williams (Choctaw Summer Youth) and Kristie Thrasher assisted with education of residents and application of baits during the abatement programs in 1999.
Click on image to view full size. Oklahoma and Texas television stations covered community abatement efforts in 1999. Here, Wayne Smith points out a fire ant colony next to a resident's driveway while J. T. Vogt looks on.
"Country Estates"
Neighborhood abatement programs continue in southern Oklahoma, with the hope that homeowners will learn from the process and take it upon themselves to organize and pool their resources for future efforts. At Country Estates, Mrs. Laura Hamblin managed to organize over 60 homeowners, resulting in the largest community abatement program in Oklahoma to date. The area was treated August 12, 1999 in the late evening, and several neighborhood residents turned out to learn proper methods for broadcasting bait products. OSU Cooperative Extension Service and OSU Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology personnel will follow up with observations to determine the success of the program. Bryan County IPM Educator Wayne Smith says, "Working together is the most economical and effective way to reduce fire ant populations in neighborhoods. Of course, nothing is 100% effective, so some additional treatments may be necessary, but in the long run cooperation can pay off."
OSU personnel point out that community abatement programs such as this can pay off environmentally as well. Individual mound drenches or broadcasts of contact insecticides could result in a several-hundred fold increase in the amount of pesticide used to control fire ants over the same area. The bait product used in this abatement program resulted in the application of approximately 0.36 lbs. of active ingredient over an area of approximately 35 acres.
Click on image to view full size. Autumn Williams (Choctaw Summer Youth) lets a homeowner know she's going to treat his backyard. Fenced backyards were treated with hand-held seeders.
Click on image to view full size. Field Technician Jeff Thrasher takes a break. This is hard work!
Click on image to view full size. Bryan County IPM Educator broadcasts bait using the official OSU Fire Ant Vehicle (FAV). The FAV will just manage 4 MPH wide open. By next year, we hope to replace the FAV with a more suitable ATV.
Click on image to view full size. Bryan County IPM Educator Wayne Smith talks with Jeff Hamblin, one of the organizers of the abatement program.
Click on image to view full size. Autumn Williams and Jeff Thrasher. The large signs are used by OSU personnel to raise awareness of fire ant research and management efforts.
Click on image to view full size. Field Technician Jeff Thrasher gets directions from a participant in the abatement program.
