The City of Buda Parks and Recreation Department is busy treating play areas, park benches, and structures for fire ants. With the warm weather and wet soil conditions, you are likely to see more fire ants in our area parks. For treatment, we use granular insect growth regulator baits (IGR’s) in the larger parks and green areas that pose no threat to pets or children. It takes time for them to work and they need to be applied when there is no rain in the forecast. In high use areas, a liquid contact product is used for quick control due to pet / people safety issues. When we use the liquid treatment, we have to close down the area for a short time. Other products such as dusts are often used in electrical locations where there cannot be any moisture present.
We encourage the public to pay attention to play areas around swings, slides, and benches before using them. It is also a great idea to carry some type of antihistamine, ice pack, and sting relief spray with you, if venturing outdoors. Please use trash receptacles as sugar and greasy foods attract ants, as well as wasps and bees. If you know that you are extremely allergic to insect stings, your doctor may be able to prescribe an EPI-PEN.
For more information, you can visit the Agrilife Extension web page for Hays County or the Texas A&M website at fireant.tamu.edu
If you encounter ants in any of our outdoor spaces, please contact the Buda Parks and Recreation department 512-295-7170.
