Now Approaching the Mound . . .

So, you heard they were coming and they finally did. The fire ant invasion has come to your backyard. Now what to do?

You fight back--carefully.

In a demonstration staged by a state pest-control industry association along with Orange County’s agriculture commissioner, experts on Thursday took aim at fire ant mounds discovered at Los Alamitos Racetrack to show how area homeowners can wage their own war against the red imported fire ants that have, so far, infested more than 50 square miles of the county.

Agriculture officials encourage property owners to report sightings of the insect--by calling (800) 491-1899--but will not show up to exterminate them. While the state is considering wholesale methods to wipe out the pest, for now it’s up to homeowners to battle the bug.

So where to begin?

First recognize that fire ants--despite their venomous sting--look similar to the innocuous, garden-variety ants already teeming in your backyard. But their large mounds, which are both higher and deeper than normal anthills, give them away. The ants also are more active and erratic, especially on hot, sunny days.

Once you’ve confirmed that you have them, there are four ways to wipe them out, ranging from pouring hot water down the mound in hopes of drowning the queen to calling in a professional.

What experts recommend for do-it-yourselfers are the slow-acting, over-the-counter baits like Combat--a stomach poison--or Logic, a compound made of soybean oil and corn grits that sterilizes the queen and stunts the growth of the colony.

According to Orange County Agricultural Commissioner Rick LeFeuvre, the bait method has worked in wiping out the ants at county parks, median strips and other public spaces since colonies were discovered in the county last November.

Logic--which looks like Parmesan cheese--is sprinkled around the perimeter of the mound. Experts recommend laying the bait on a warm, sunny day and then leaving it.

At Thursday’s demonstration at the racetrack, ants went for the bait immediately and began hauling the particles back to the colony. Experts said, however, that it can take weeks to see results.

“They will have a silent invasion of their own colony without even knowing it,” said Chuck Severino, an Orange County exterminator who conducted the demonstration on behalf of Pest Control Operators of California.

Currently in short supply at gardening and home-improvement stores throughout the county, Logic runs about $10 per pound.

Another treatment to consider is a liquid pesticide injected into the mound with a probe. Materials are available over the counter at nursery or home-improvement stores. While the costly liquid treatment works, it may scare ants away before they are killed, experts said.

They say keeping a low profile while waging your battle is important.

“If a queen senses there is impending danger,” LeFeuvre said, “she’ll just pick up and leave,” perhaps moving elsewhere on your property.

Finally, if all else fails, homeowners can call in the professionals. Depending on the location of the mound, a professional exterminator can use either the bait or liquid pesticide methods at a cost ranging from $125 to $250.

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Ants Be Gone

Combating red imported fire ants can take a more active or passive approach. Among the most active is the use of a probe to deliver poison deep into the ground where the pests live. While it’s more direct than using bait, it’s also more expensive. Approximate costs for the fight:

Probe method

* Probe: $300 plus costs of pressure equipment

* Poison: $40-$80

Probes come in different lengths, but to get at the ants a 4- to 5-foot-long probe is needed.

*

Bait

Sprinkle around ant mound

* 16 ounces of Combat: $10

*

Exterminator

Professional help does work

* About $200 and up

*

Boiling water

Pour it into the ant mound

* Essentially free

Sources: Orange County Pest Control Inc., Home Depot