12 | SUNRAYS APRIL 2014
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
CA NEWS
Howdy, neighbors! This is the month in which weather condi-
tions are favorable to broadcast fire ant bait throughout our
common areas, golf courses, and your residential lawns and
flower beds. As a reminder, the CA has staged signs in high
traffic locations throughout Sun City Texas. Your Neighbor-
hood Rep most likely has contacted you already to see if you
would like to participate in ant baiting.
How ant bait works
First, ant bait is not a poison. The active ingredient is an insect
growth regulator which works over a period of two to six weeks.
The bait is not harmful to your pet. The sandy, corn-sized bait
is coated with coconut oil, which is like candy for ants. When
temperatures stay in the 70s, ants are actively foraging for food
and will travel quite a distance to pick up the bait and carry
it back into the mound. It is shared with the soldiers and the
queen and, depending on how the growth regulator/inhibitor is
designed, it inhibits growth of the mouth so the worker ants can
no longer feed the soldiers and the queen and, basically, they
starve to death. Ants are quite smart and have shown resistance
to baits after a period of time; this is why you need to make sure
to switch ant baits every time you apply it―we schedule ant bait
application twice a year. Some of the basic product names for
baits are Amdro, Combat Ant Killer Granules, Ascend, Varsity,
Award, Logic, and Hi-Yield Fire Ant Bait, among others.
Tips for successful applications
• Do not schedule any irrigation for 48 hours, and wait until
all dew has dried from turf areas.
• Do not apply if there is a chance of rain in the 2-day forecast.
• Do not apply if temperatures are below 60 degrees.
• Use small amounts of bait and broadcast with a small hand
spreader. If applying by hand be sure to wear plastic gloves
and follow label directions.
• Before purchasing a product, check with your lawn care com-
pany to see if this insect control is included in your contract.
• If you live in a Landscaped Maintained Home, you do not
need to do anything. Ant bait application is part of the
scope of work in the landscape contract. TCB Landscap-
ing will leave door tags at your residence so you know the
work has been done.
• And, remember, if you see ant mounds during the year and
you wonder if the product is working―ant bait is a means
of control, not eradication.
For more information, visit fireant.tamu.edu.
Ant Bait Application this Month
Submitted by Catrin Dubois, Landscape Superintendent
Firewise Town Hall and National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day
Submitted by Dan Dodson, Firewise Education Coordinator
S
un City Texas is a Certified Firewise Community, a proj-
ect of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
The Sun City Texas Emergency Management Committee
Firewise Group is hosting two events focused on educating
residents about the dangers of wildfires and encouraging
participation in activities that can be accomplished to reduce
the probability of losses if a wildfire occurs.
Firewise Town Hall
Wednesday, April 30, 9:30 a.m., SCB
The annual Firewise Town Hall will be held on Wednesday,
April 30 at 9:30 a.m. in the ballroom. Learn what the Firewise
Group is doing to provide information about landscaping and
maintenance around the exterior of your residence, and how
resident volunteers work with the CA Landscaping Depart-
ment to hand-clear vegetation in Sun City Texas common
areas, thereby reducing fuel loads. Also, this Town Hall will
provide information about the National Wildfire Community
Preparedness Day and how you can participate.
National Wildfire Community
Preparedness Day
Saturday, May 3, 9:30 a.m., SCB
The upcoming second event hosted by the Firewise Group will
be held on Saturday morning, May 3. On that day, communi-
ties across the nation will conduct projects designed to reduce
wildfire risk and increase preparedness. Our community
will join the effort by having a common areas clearing event.
Resident volunteers will meet in the ballroom at 9:30 a.m. for
coffee and doughnuts, followed by a short project education and
safety briefing. Then, volunteers will go to designated areas to
remove Ashe Junipers and ladder fuels using hand tools. Staff
and Firewise Group members will oversee all activities. At the
conclusion of the clearing activities, volunteers will return to
the ballroom for hot dogs and soft drinks. Participants will
be given a small memento to recognize their participation.
Note:
Volunteers participating in the Saturday activities
should bring their own loppers and handsaws marked with
their name. No resident-operated power tools will be permit-
ted. Gloves and good footwear are a must. No open-toed shoes.
Long pants are highly recommended.
