There are 2 types of granular treatment: insect growth regulator, and fast-acting insecticide. Both are made of small granules.
In Australia, there are 2 kinds of granular fire ant treatment that are approved to use:
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has approved both products. They consist of small pieces of corn grit soaked in soybean oil, each containing different active ingredients.
The ingredient used depends on the property, and whether the ants pose an immediate threat to people or animals.
Foraging ants collect the granules and take them back to the colony. When the ants consume the granules, the active ingredients circulate through the colony and go to work. This kills off the worker ants, larvae, and the queen.
The granules are small enough for fire ants to collect and sink low into grass or the nest. Any uncollected granules will break down within days.
The amount of active ingredient is enough to affect fire ants, but is too small to affect plants, animals, or people.
Insect growth regulator
Insect growth regulator (IGR) treatment contains 5 grams per kilogram of pyriproxyfen or S-methoprene. These ingredients are used in household and agricultural pest control products such as fly spray and pet flea tablets.
This treatment prevents the fire ant queen from producing viable and reproductive offspring. As the last adult worker ants die, the queen starves because there are no ants left to feed her.
A residential block of 500 square metres needs about 100 grams of IGR treatment. The treatment consists of 0.5% (half a gram) of the active ingredient.
Fast-acting insecticide
Fast-acting insecticide (FAI) contains either:
- indoxacarb
- a combination of hydramethylnon and pyriproxyfen.
These active ingredients are found in cockroach baits or flea collars.
After eating the insecticide, worker ants spread the active ingredient around the colony. This ingredient kills the worker ants, larvae, and the queen over the next 1 to 4 weeks. If the ants are still active 5 weeks after a FAI treatment, report it to us:
- report online
- call 13 25 23.
FAI with indoxacarb contains 0.5 grams per kilogram of the active ingredient. A 500 square metre property would need about 85 grams of treatment, which works out to 0.04 grams of indoxacarb.
FAI with a combination of hydramethylnon and pyriproxyfen contains 6.15 grams per kilogram of the active ingredient (3.65g of hydramethylnon and 2.5g of pyriproxifen). A 500 square metre property would need 100-200g of treatment, depending on how many fire ant nests are there. This works out to:
- 0.36-0.73g of hydramethylnon
- 0.25-0.50g of pyriproxyfen.