Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook - 2023 - 185

INSECT CONTROL
Chemical class (IRAC)
Flea Beetle
Colorado potato beetle*
Cucumber beetles
Corn earworm*
European corn borer
Fall armyworm
Cabbage looper
Imported cabbageworm
Diamondback moth*
Squash vine borer
Beet armyworm*
Stinkbugs/Harlequin bug
Squash bug
Aphids*
Thrips
Western Flower Thrips*
Leafminer
Maggots
Whiteflies*
Cutworms
Wireworms
White grubs
Spider mites*
Broad mites
TABLE 2-24. FIRE ANT MANAGEMENT IN COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE FIELDS
Active Ingredient
(Brand Name)
pyriproxyfen (0.5%)
(Esteem)
spinosad, MOA 5
(Seduce Insect Bait)
Abamectin, MOA 6
(Clinch Ant Bait)
Amount of
Formulation
Per acre
1.5 to 2.0 lbs
4 hrs
20-44 lbs
12 hrs
1 lb
See Label
(varies among crops)
Restricted
Entry Interval
(REI)
12 hrs
Preharvest Interval
(PHI) (Days)
1 day
Precautions and Remarks
Bait. Broadcast when ants are actively foraging. Do not overhead water
treated area for 24 hours after application. Slow acting. Esteem is
labeled on most, but not all fruits and vegetables. Check label before
using.
Scatter the bait around the perimeter of vegetable plantings to intercept
pests.
Broadcast applications to soil when ants are actively foraging. Apply
after dew or rainfall on the soil surface has dried and do not apply if
rainfall is anticipated within 4-6 hrs after application. Do not apply if rain
is expected within Do not apply within 25 ft of water sources, or to areas
accessible to livestock or chickens.
* Do not use Extinguish Plus in vegetable crops. This product contains methoprene + hydramethylnon and is not approved for use in vegetable crops.
Timing Bait Applications
Fire ant baits can be applied anytime during the growing season, but spring is the best time. Baits should be applied when ants are active and foraging. Fire ants are generally
active on sunny days above 65o
see if they have found them.
F. Foraging activity can be verified by spreading a few potato chips (fried, not baked) on the ground and checking in 20 to 30 minutes to
Apply when rain is not expected for 1 to 2 days. Do not apply when leaves or soil are wet and reapply if rain falls within 6 to 12 hrs of application. A single bait treatment in
the spring will reduce fire ant numbers by about 80%. For improved control subsequent applications in mid-summer and/or fall can be made. Fall treatments help reduce
the number of mounds the following spring.
Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) baits (MOA 7) are slow acting and take up to two months to have their full impact. Hence, consider harvest timing when planning applications.
For short season crops apply baits shortly after planting. For perennial or " U-Pick " crops, treat preventively in the fall and follow up with a spring application.
Applying Baits Properly
Rates for most granular fire ant baits range from only 1 to 2 pounds per acre, which can be easy to over-apply. Avoid using fertilizer spreaders, instead use hand-operated
spreaders sold to apply fire ant baits to home lawns. Hand seeders designed to spread small seeds will also work if calibrated properly. Use a power-operated spreader for
large acreages. Herd Seeder Company and Spyker Spreaders both make spreaders driven by small electric motors that can be mounted on a tractor, ATV, or other vehicle. Be
sure to treat turn rows and field borders, because fire ants are often highest in untilled areas around field edges and from where they move into fields.
TABLE 2-25. RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF INSECTICIDES AND MITICIDES FOR INSECT AND MITE CONTROL ON
FIELD-GROWN VEGETABLES (CONT'D)
Not all insecticides listed below are registered on all vegetable crops. Refer to label before applying to specific crop. Ratings are based on consensus
of vegetable entomologists in the SE United States.
Key: " E " Excellent; " G " Good; " F " Fair; " - " ineffective or insufficient data
Common name
carbaryl
1A
methomyl
oxamyl
malathion
acephate
1B
diazinon
dibrom
dimethoate
Example Product
Sevin
Lannate
Vydate
Malathion
Orthene
Diazinon
Dibrom
Dimethoate
E F G F G F F G F F − − − − F − − − − F − − − −
F − − G G G G G G − F G G F E G F − − − − − − −
F F F − − − − − − − − F F G G − − − − − − − − −
G F G F F F F G F F - F F F F − − F − F − − − −
− − − F E G F G − − − − − G G − F - − G − − -
− − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − G − F G F -
G − − − − F G G G − F − − G − − − − − − − − F −
G − F − − − − − − − − G F E E G G − − − − − − −
-
-
* Denotes that insecticide-resistant populations may occur in some areas and can affect the performance of insecticides.
2023 Vegetable Crop Handbook for Southeastern United States
185

Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook - 2023

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