fireant presentation template

1
Texas Imported Fire Ant Research and Management
Plan
Showcase Program Objectives

• Increase public awareness

• Test methodology for urban management
• - organizational
• - pest problem analysis/ecology
• - application and follow-up

• Data gathering
• - public opinion - public health
• - economic - desirable ant preservation
• - fire ant control - pesticide use

2
Community-wide Fire Ant Management Showcase
Programs
Scott Russell, Dallas/Tarrant County (D-FW) IPM
Agent
3
Lakeview Country Estates

• Isolated neighborhood
• Active leadership and members
• High interest from residents, ...highest
  attendance at a meeting since Ive been here
  Lesa Spangler
• Commitments from leadership and residents, 52 of
  54 residents

4
Background Information

• Lot sizes 0.25 to 0.90 acres
• Front yards of sampled residents averaged 9345.8
  sq. ft.
• In initial survey 93.8 of respondents stated
  fire ants are present in yard
• 50 said fire ants are a moderate problem
• An additional 37.5 said fire ants are a minor
  problem

5
Background Information

• 62.5 have spent money on fire ants
• 37.5 treated at least once per month
• 56.3 treat but am dissatisfied with results
• 81 always use an individual mound treatment
• 37.5 never broadcast a bait, never tried the
  two-step, never used a combination

6
(No Transcript)
7
Pre-treatmentBiological Survey

• June 12, 1999 9 Resident Volunteers assisted
• Visual inspection for number of mounds present in
  front yards
• Bait cups using thinly sliced vienna sausage
  left in place 30 minutes collected and capped
  frozen until identified
• 15 front yards sampled

8
Pre-treatment Biological Survey Results

• Averaged 2.87 mounds per front yard
• 6 species of desirable ants present
• Five lawns had no fire ants in bait cups
• Only one lawn had no visible mounds and no fire
  ants in bait cups

9
Treatments AppliedJuly 10, 1999

• Treatment Options
• Broadcast Amdro 1-1.5 lbs. per acre
• Orthene dust, 2 teaspoons per mound
• No treatment, monitor

10
Summary of Treatments

• 42 broadcast bait
• 7 applied Orthene
• Later that afternoon, 1-1.5 inches of rain

11
Post-treatment Biological Survey Results

• 2.00 mounds per front yard
• Desirable ants present
• (bait cups not completed)
• Second treatment needed

12
Second Treatment Applied

• October 23, 1999
• 31 lawns treated, broadcast Amdro
• 1 homeowner asked, I dont have any ants, do I
  have to treat? No treatment, monitoring
• 4 residents retained Othene for individual mound
  treatments as needed for Association
• Follow up survey completed as residents picked up
  materials

13
Follow up SurveyResults

• 18 residents completed survey

• 56 reported an increased knowledge of fire
• ant control

• 94 rated the project as very valuable to
  extremely valuable

• 78 reported fewer fire ants

• 78 reported fewer fire ant related problems

14
Follow up SurveyResults

• 83 reported saving
• money

• 100 reported that the neighborhood-wide method
  is worth the time and effort

• 56 reported they will
• definitely change their
• treatment methods

15
Metro-Plex Fire Ant Treatment Day
16
Other Marketing Activities
17
Community-wide Fire Ant Management Showcase
Programs
Nathan Riggs Bexar County (San Antonio) IPM Agent
18
(No Transcript)
19
Neighborhood Comparison General Characteristics
Jade Oaks Countryside
91 Total Homes 190
20
Neighborhood Comparison Management Methods and
Results
Jade Oaks Countryside
15 (16.5) Homes Bio-surveyed 28
(14.7)
4.7 0.1 Mean no. fire ant 0.4
0.0 mounds per yard
21
Neighborhood Comparison Homeowner Survey Results
Jade Oaks Countryside
29 (31.9) Survey responses 69 (36.3)
55.2 Reporting expenditures 46.6
22
Other Program Activities 98-99

• Presentations to 65 Homeowner, Neighborhood,
  and Civic Organizations
• Organized 10 Fire Ant Days
• Booth at San Antonio Livestock Exposition 98/99
• Presentations at 6 Home and Garden Shows/Fairs
• 5 Ag Fairs (Ag Ed. For Urban 4th Graders)
• Master Gardener Education Programs
• Spanish Translation of Fact Sheets
• Mass Media Outreach

23
Community-wide Fire Ant Management Showcase
Programs
Lisa Lennon Travis/Williamson County (Austin)
IPM Agent
24
Mt. Bonnell Shores/Colorado Crossing
Neighborhood and Organization

• 131 upscale homes in northwest Austin

• Membership in neighborhood association
• is mandatory

• Crime Watch organization used with
• Block Captains handling publicity and
• product distribution

• Window and yard signs used to designate
• homes to be treated by volunteers

25
DOQ map with plat map overlay (from FASIMS)
26
(No Transcript)
27
Mt. Bonnell Shores/Colorado Crossing
Biological Surveys and Treatments

• Pre-surveys of 25 plots indicated relatively
• low fire ant populations and a diverse
• native/competitor ant presence

• Treated on October 24, 1998

• Treatments included several broadcast bait
• products and individual mound treatments in
• areas with desirable ants

• Of 134 lots, 119 were treated, for participation
• rate of 88.8

28
(No Transcript)
29
Mt. Bonnell Highlights 1999

• Continued monitoring of competitor/native
• ant populations

• No decreases in these populations, substantial
• decrease in imported fire ants.

• Not enough mounds to justify spring treatment.

• Neighborhood treats with Distance Fire Ant
• Bait on October 16, 1999.

30
Apache Oaks Showcase Project- Round Rock, Texas

• Subdivision consists of 74 homes.

• Located in East Round Rock, Williamson Co.

• Pre-treatment mound counts averaged
• 3.4 mounds per front yard (17 yards).

• Pre-treatment biological surveys indicated
• very high imported fire ant populations,
• with little competitor ants.

31
(No Transcript)
32
Apache Oaks Highlights

• Treatment Day- May 22, 1999

• Products used Distance and Award

• All but 5 homes were treated, either by the
• homeowner or a volunteer.

• Post-treatment mound counts reduced by 91

33
(No Transcript)
34
Project Comparisons

• Information from survey results indicate
• 70.3 of residents of Apache Oaks spent
• 21-100 for fire ant control prod.
• Of Mt. Bonnell residents, 90 indicated
• project saved money
• Native ant populations A.O., very few
• pre-treat, high post.
• Mt.B. native ants pre-treat, no change
• post-treat, low RIFA post treatment.

35
Project Comparisons

• Of Mt. Bonnell residents surveyed
• 90 have fewer fire ant problems
• 98 indicate project is worth time and effort
• 92 indicate project saved money
• Of Apache Oaks residents surveyed
• 80 would like to eradicate fire ant problems
• 69.2 say fire ants lessen outdoor enjoyment
• 100 cannot live with fire ants without treating

36
Conclusions

• Neighborhoods are actively learning to
• control fire ants

• A sustainable approach for urban
• neighborhoods to utilize

• Comments from neighbors include
• - my kids can play in the yard again, gives us
  a
• sense of accomplishment
• - This program really works

37
Community-wide Fire Ant Management Showcase
Programs
Pam Traylor/Dr. Paul Nester Harris County
(Houston) IPM Agent
38
NORTH HOUSTON HEIGHTSCOMMUNITY

• 56 Homes - approx. lot sizes -
• 25 x 100 50 x 100

• 15 Total acres.

• Treated 8 acres - excluding park and
• vacant lots

39
NORTH HOUSTON HEIGHTS FIRE ANT
TREATMENT DATA

• 12 yards were randomly selected to collect
• biological data

• Evaluations conducted on October 2, 1998

• Each yard had an average of 4.9 mounds

• One month evaluation conducted
• November 3, 1998

• Each yard had an average of 5.1 mounds

• Community has scheduled a spring
• fire ant day for March 27, 1999

40
(No Transcript)
41
Community-wide Fire Ant Management Showcase
Programs
Dr. Charles L. Barr, Extension Program Specialist
Rody L. Best, Extension Assistant
42
(No Transcript)
43
Mount Pleasant Housing Authority

• 120 units (2, 3 and 4-plexes) on 22 total acres

• Residents 80 elderly or disabled
• 20 low income families

• Surveys conducted
• - Fire ant mound counts
• - Native ant bait vials
• - Interviews with residents

• Press conference w/local media and dignitaries

• Treatments applied September 17, 1998

44
Ant sampling site
Survey response, 1998
Survey response, 1999
45
(No Transcript)
46
(No Transcript)
47
(No Transcript)
48
Management Results
No. active mounds/acre
49
Resident Interviews
How big a problem are fire ants in this
neighborhood?
50
Residents Opinion of the Problem
Survey response
51
Resident Interviews
About how much do you spend per year controlling
fire ants now?
52
Residents Reaction to the Problem
Annual Expenditure on Fire Ant Pesticide
Survey response
53
Resident Interviews
How much would you be willing to pay per year
if everyone else in the neighborhood paid the
same amount? For a community-wide treatment
54
Resident Acceptance of Community-wide Management
4.50
3.00
Survey response
55
Summary

• Treatments yielded 100 control in 3 months
• and maintained 70 control for 1 year

• On a scale of 0 - 3 (none to very bad),
• resident average opinion of the fire ant
• problem dropped from 2.1 to 1.1

• Average per unit expenditure dropped from
• 12.50 in 1998 to 7.08 in 1999.

• Treatments were made with lt 25 lbs of product.
• At 8.00/lb, that comes to less than 1.50
• per unit were a plan to be implemented.

56
A Happy Ending
Due mainly to resident physical disability
and low income, acceptance of community-wide fire
ant management was lukewarm. However . . .
The Department of Housing and Urban Development
has changed their fund allocation system. The
complex manager is planning to use part of the
money to not only make treatments, but also
purchase a bait spreader and utility vehicle.
57
(No Transcript)