Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait - Questions & Answers

We have not had an experience with this exact species of ant. We did do a little research and the most recommended product was Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait that contains the active ingredients hydramethylnon and S-Methoprene (methoprene is an insect growth regulator and helps to stop the growth of eggs, larva and juvenile ants). Extinguish is a protein based bait and should prove to be more attractive than liquid or gel baits that you may have used in the past as those are carbohydrate or sweet based baits Generally, an eradication attempt will require at least 4-5 treatments with an appropriate poison bait over a two year period plus extensive monitoring for several additional years. Because this ant species is not wide spread there has not been wide spread research and there are not any products that are directly labeled for them.

Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait should be used within three months of opening the container. We recommend using baits within 1-2 years of purchase.

Extinguish Plus should only apply this product if the soil temperature is about 65 degrees, it is not going to rain within 8 hours, and the fire ants are foraging and it does not get watered in.  If you can keep your dogs from the area right application for a few hours that would be best and it would be fine after.

The shelf life for Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait is approximately one year, unopened and if kept sealed in a cool, dry place. Once opened, it should be used within 3 months.

Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait cannot be used in the garden but can be used as a broadcast around the perimeter of it.  Ants must be foraging for this to work. You should not apply this product in the late fall or winter of ants are not foraging...it will not work!  A good way to test to see if ants are foraging is the "Potato Chip Theory"  Place a potato chip within a couple feet of the mound and if you see ant activity on the chip within a couple hours, then you know it is the right time to apply the ant bait.

No, a little bit of moisture caused from dew or something of that nature will not lessen the effectiveness of the Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait.  It is meant to be used outdoors and they have taken weather conditions into account.   

You do not want to apply Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait near an area where the product could run off into the water. It is highly toxic to fish and aquatic life.

Yes, you can use Extinguish Plus FIre Ant Bait  in pastures where you have companion animals that are not used for food or feed. There is no grazing restrictions for companion animals like horses.

We also have Extinguish Fire Ant Bait as well, and has no withdrawl or grazing restrictions on the label. 

Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait would be a good choice, you can use it in Ants No More Bait Stations if it's outdoors. Fire ants must be actively foraging for food in order for the bait to work. Another bait you can use is Advance 375A Select Granular Ant Bait and Advion Ant Bait Gel inside Bait Plate Stations if it's indoors or Ants No more Bait Stations as well, if outdoors.
 

You could potentially use a broadcast spreader to apply Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait, but you would usually need a sensitive spreader on the lowest settng to get the correct rate. Extinguish Plus is used at 1.5 - 2 pounds per Acre.

Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait has a minimum re-treatment interval of 90 days. Do not exceed 8 pounds per acre per year or more than 4 times a year. Please refer to the Outdoor Use Rate Table located on page 2 of the product label for broadcast and mound application rates. 

We would recommend using Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait in the wall void and other cracks or crevices to control the fire ant infestation. Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait has two active ingredients, hydramethylnon to help kill the ants and methoprene to sterilize the queens and prohibit normal growth of juvenile ants. Extinguish Plus is one of the most effective fire ant baits on the market and most folks see results within just a few days. Apply 0.25 - 0.5 ounce (2 teaspoons – 1 tablespoon) per crack, crevice, or other inaccessible areas where ants are entering the structure or where ants are nesting.

For Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait, a 1.5 lb container which when broadcasted will cover an acre. Just one of those would be sufficient to cover that area multiple times for new colonies that pop up. You should mound treat or just sprinkle it out of the container a little bit rather than use a spreader. It is hard to find a spreader with a small enough setting. 

We would recommend doing individual mound treatments since it the mounds are near water. You do not want to apply Extinguish Plus near an area where the product could run off into the water. It is highly toxic to fish and aquatic life.

We apologize for any confusion and we will update the Q&As on both products to reflect the most up to date labeling and accurate information. The Extinguish Fire Ant Bait can be applied to pastures and rangeland with zero grazing restrictions or withdrawal periods. The Extinguish Plus can be used on pastureland as well. It may be applied to grass forage (pasture and rangeland) for the control of fire ants only in the following states - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. No grazing restrictions for companion animals, (horses, llamas etc). Any animals that would be used for food or sold would need to be kept off the area or use the Extinguish Fire Ant Bait instead. 

Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait works best in the spring and summer when temperatures are warmer and the ants are actively seeking a food source. Since you are located in Florida, you may have a longer period where they will be accepting of a bait. To discover acceptance, place a potato chip on the mound. Please take a few moments to review our treatment article/video on How to Get Rid of Fire Ants for a successful program.

 

Eliminating the ant colonies would be a good place to start using Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait. You can apply a broadcast application (1.5-2 lbs. per acre) or treat individual mounds with (2-5 tablespoons per mound). **Ants must be foraging for this to work. A good way to test to see if ants are foraging is the "Potato Chip Theory"  Place a potato chip within a couple feet of the mound and if you see ant activity on the chip within a couple hours, then you know it is the right time to apply the ant bait.

Myrmica Rubra aka European Fire Ants can be very difficult to eliminate and there has not been a lot of research or product development on this particular species of fire ant. The few studies that we have seen do indicate that hydramethylnon, one of the active ingredients in Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait, is somewhat effective for European Fire Ants, though how effective it is has not yet been established. The studies also indicate that sweet gel baits or liquid baits containing boric acid can also be effective for this ant species. Cultural controls methods are very important when trying to eliminate or control a European Fire Ant colony. These ants prefer high humidity, moist soil, reduced exposure to the sun and they will usually feed off of the secretions or honey dew from aphids. By controlling any one of these needs you can help reduce the number of ants to a more manageable level. For instance, you can spray trees or bushes that are hosts to aphids with a product such as Talstar P to get rid of the aphid population, you can remove lawn debris, rocks, logs or boards which European fire ants will try to use as a nesting site and you can mow tall grasses and reduce irrigation to cause dryer soils. Most successful European Fire Ant control programs utilize both ant baits and cultural control practices.

Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait is not labeled for odorous house ants. We recommend you use both an ant bait gel and an ant bait granule to be sure that the ants will accept a bait. We have both baits together in our Complete Ant Kit. You will need to place the bait near the areas where see ant activity and foraging.

If unopened and stored away from extreme temperatures Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait has a one year shelf life. However, once opened it should be used within 3 months.