Granular insecticides are released when water is poured over the granules on treated mounds. To treat a single mound, sprinkle the recommended amount of granules with a measuring cup on top of and around the mound. Then, gently sprinkle one to two gallons of water over the treated mound to avoid disturbing the colony or washing the granules off the mound. Remember, if you apply less than the recommended amount of water with either liquid concentrates or granular insecticides you can expect poor results. Unless the product completely penetrates the mound, ants will move to a different site via underground foraging tunnels to avoid the poison.
Some products come in aerosol containers to which an injection rod is attached.
The rod is inserted into the mound and the insecticide injected according to the label instructions for a quick kill of problem mounds. Any of the three programs can be used on specific sites within a managed area where different levels of fire ant control are desired. On golf courses, for example, the ant elimination method might be suitable for high use areas such as putting greens and tee boxes. In fairways and rough areas, the two-step method may be sufficient. It pays to monitor for fire ant activity before applying baits, since the success of baiting programs is directly related to the ability of ants to rapidly collect materials and return them to the colony.