Effect of Irrigation on the Control of Red Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) by Water-Resistant and Standard Fire Ant Baits.

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (Buren), is an invasive pest of agricultural, urban, and natural areas. It is also considered a public health pest due to its painful stings. While it can be efficiently controlled by commercially available fire ant baits formulated with a corn-grit carrier, rain or irrigation is thought to degrade the carrier, compromising bait effectiveness.