NEW SERVICE SPOTLIGHT: Fire Ants 101 Tools from FMC Professional Solutions
Last year, fire ants posed a threat to students across the southern U.S., but it was school administrators who felt the heat most. From upset parents to canceled football games, fire ants proved to be more than just a nuisance. FMC Professional Solutions is currently providing several online tools that facility managers can use to determine the best course of action for their sites.
While these tools are geared to school facilities departments, facility managers in all types of organizations can use these tools to take a proactive approach to fire ant control by assessing risk and carrying out a plan to prevent or rid their properties of fire ants.
For school and government entities, the company is also offering free samples (while supplies last) of Talstar XTRA, a fast acting granular insecticide.
The online tools available from FMC Professional Solutions assist facilities professionals in:
Assessing risk. What areas of your school pose the most threat of fire ant stings? Use the Fireants101 Risk Assessment Tool, developed by leading fire ant experts, to prioritize treatment areas, and help determine which products to apply. In high risk areas where young children play, a fast acting insecticide is preferred over slower products that take days or weeks to work.
Determining thresholds. Learn how to create a Fire Ant Threshold Guide specific to your school. Action thresholds determine when pests reach levels that justify treatment, so pesticides are applied as part of a program approach, not on a reactive case by case basis.
Creating a plan. Learn about application methods (broadcast, mound, and perimeter), label and reentry restrictions, state and local regulations, and new products to create your school’s Fire Ant Action Plan.
Sharing information. Share Fire Ant Identification Tips with teachers, administrators, and maintenance crew. They will learn how to distinguish fire ant mounds from native ant mounds; when fire ants are most likely to build mounds; and what to do if a student is stung. Awareness is the first step to keeping people safe.
Also on Fireants101.com are free samples of Talstar XTRA, a fast-acting granular insecticide from FMC Professional Solutions (for schools or government entities). Visit this page to request samples.
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