Unlike the other vectors the Orange County Vector Control District, Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) cannot be eliminated, or even controlled through any actions taken by homeowners.   The fact is that almost anything a resident does will exacerbate the problem.  Please call the District if you believe you have or have even seen what appears to be a RIFA colony.  District staff will make sure the problem is indeed fire ants and if they are, treatment will begin.  The District’s RIFA education program consists of helping people recognize fire ant mounds, and encouraging them to call OCVCD.

There are two different materials that are used to eliminate colonies of RIFA.  The first and fastest acting product (SIEGE® Pro) is an MI or metabolic inhibitor, this material interferes with the metabolism of food, resulting in the death of the ants by starvation. The colony would eventually die out as a result of those ants that consume the bait and starve not being replaced.  Result are sometimes visible within a week.

The second material (Distance®) is an IGR or insect growth regulator, colonies treated with this product become essentially sterile, as ants die through attrition, and they are not replaced.  This is a slow acting material, and results may take a month or more to be recognized. 

Both of these choices very selective and effective. The type of pesticides most frequently used by homeowners will kill ants, but the problem is that none them are effective against RIFA colonies.  If enough ants are killed, the queen will gather an entourage and move.  This problem is compounded by the fact that most of the RIFA colonies in Orange County have several queens, each of which will move and establish a new colony.