Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/110922
Sarasota News Leader February 22, 2013 Page 70 [snowy plover] nesting on County beaches Each red ant nest is about the size of a basketand further assess the impact, if any, of red ball, Worms told the SKA audience. imported fire ants on the nesting success.��� THE PRINGLES TEST It continues, ���Since there does not appear to be a problem on County beaches, we do not At the prompting of SKA President Catherine recommend [use of the pesticides] on public Luckner ��� Bob���s wife ��� Worms explained beach and dune systems at this time.��� that the ants are attracted to various types of ���We���ll treat where we get permission,��� Luck- oils and juices. To be sure he and Bob Luckner ner told the SKA members. ���We���re going to have located a fire ant mound, Worms continued, they will sprinkle bits of Pringles potato start ringing doorbells in the next month.��� chips in the area and leave for about 15 minLuckner and Worms said they will use a com- utes. bination of the poisons Amdro and Extinguish; the latter makes the queen in each colony ster- When they return, he said, the area will be ���covered black with ants��� if, indeed, the ile. mound represents a fire ant nest. The mix looks like cornmeal, Luckner added. ���Not even 15 minutes,��� Catherine Luckner, inAsked about the toxicity of the mix, Luckner responded of Extinguish, ���It���s 60 times less terjected, pointing out how fast the ants pick toxic than salt to a human being.��� Amdro, he up the Pringles pieces. noted, is about five times less toxic. ���And they will carry that substance back into If a person were to eat approximately 6.8 the nest,��� Worms said, cautioning, ���This is not pounds of the combination, he continued, that an avocation of a particular brand [of chips].��� would be harmful. It is just easy to work with Pringles because Mote personnel use Amdro if they find fire they come in cans, he noted, drawing chuckants attacking a sea turtle nest, Luckner point- les among the audience members. ed out. Because the pesticide mix they plan to use has The poison���s potency has a 24-hour lifetime, a soybean oil taste to the ants, Luckner said, Worms said. Moreover, for it to be effective, the ants will ���clean this stuff up in a matter of he added, the temperature must be no lower a few hours.��� than 60 degrees at night ���and the warmer the better in the daytime.��� He pointed out, ���It���s not going to wash into the water table or out into the Gulf.��� ���Who���s going to apply it?��� Luckner asked. ���Well, you���re looking at it,��� he said, pointing ���This has been a year in coming,��� Catherine to himself and Worms. Luckner told the SKA members, adding that The men plan to conduct another survey of she wanted to compliment staff in the counthe fire ant nests ��� which look like mounds ty���s Natural Resources Department as well as on the surface near the dune area ��� before Florida Department of Agriculture personnel for their assistance. % they begin the treatment, they noted.