Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/110922
���A NASTY LITTLE BUGGER��� A Sarasota County illustration shows the location of snowy plover nests on Siesta Key last winter and the proposed areas for a pilot program to eradicate fire ant nests. Image courtesy Sarasota County VOLUNTEERS WILL SEEK PRIVATE HOMEOWNERS��� PERMISSION TO TRY TO KILL RED ANT COLONIES ENDANGERING BIRD AND TURTLE EGGS ON SIESTA KEY By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor To fight an invasive species of fire ant on Si- told about 22 members of the Siesta Key Assoesta Key���s beach that is threatening bird and ciation about their plans to try to eradicate as turtle nests, two memmany of the fire ants bers of the Siesta Key as possible by treatAssociation soon will ing the ants��� nests a begin seeking propercouple of times a year, ty owners��� permission starting this spring. to kill the ants with Both Sarasota Auduan environmentally bon volunteers, Luckfriendly poison. ner and Worms beOn Feb. 7, Bob Luckcame involved in the ner, a chemical engi- A photo taken by staff at Texas A&M Univerinitiative because of neer, and Allan Worms, sity shows an imported red fire ant mound. their efforts over the a wildlife biologist, Photo by Drees/Texas A&M past several years to