Allegheny Mound Ant Control, Grant Co., Wv, 1992

Ant mounds were categorized for treatment by diam size as small (up to 1.11 m), medium (1.14 to 1.40 m) and large (> 1.40 m). Mounds were prepared for treatment by scraping off (with a hand trowel) the top of each mound to expose the large passage tunnels; amount of top removed on small, medium, and large mounds, respectively, was 20 to 25 cm, 30 to 35 cm, and 30 to 45 cm. The amount of drench solution applied to the exposed scrape surface of each mound was 1, 2, and 3 liters for small, medium, and large mounds, respectively. Drenches were applied with a sprinkling can. Treatment efficacy was evaluated (mostly at weekly intervals) by excavating (with a hand trowel) a small opening into the undisturbed side of mounds and observing the responding activity of ants to this disturbed area. The mound was judged active or inactive depending on the presence or absence of ants at the excavation site. Final evaluations were made by excavating 1/3 to 1/2 of each mound down to ground level to check for ant activity. The study was conducted in an area comprising 1.33 ha and contained about 100 mounds per ha. Two tests were conducted. In Test 1, one small, medium, and large mound each was treated with the same insecticide. Treatments were applied 24 Jun. Air temperatures and RH at the start and finish times of treatments were 19°C and 33°C, and 75% and 39% RH, respectively; partly cloudy; soil temperature at 5.1 cm into mounds was 25 to 27°C. Accumulative precipitation for the trial period was 1.4, 1.7, 1.7, 6.7, and 11.9 cm at 7, 14, 21, 29, and 35 DAT, respectively. Efficacy of these treatments was evaluated over a period of 35 d and partial excavation made at 35 DAT. In Test 2, a larger number of mounds ranging from 7 to 18 per treatment (except for Karate, 4 mounds) were treated with each compound. An effort was made to include small, medium, and large mounds in each treatment but in some cases large mounds were not included because of their scarcity. Treatments were applied 30 Jul. Air temperature and RH at the start and finish times of treatment were 22°C and 28°C, and 75% and 63% RH, respectively; clear. Accumulative precipitation at 7, 16, and 21 DAT was 0, 2.8, and 2.8 cm, respectively. Partial excavation of mounds were made at 21 DAT. Since complete control was not achieved in the Turcam and Orthene treatments, an additional evaluation of activity was made at 56 DAT.