Back in June, I reported on efforts to manage the red imported
fire population at the Lone Star Convention & Expo Center in preparation of the 2012 Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC). Since then the 2012 TTBC has come
and gone, and even with the nuisance rainfall (although after last year,
rainfall is extremely appreciated at any time!) that fell over that weekend the three day event was a
success. I think it is a good time to
post about the success of this management effort, so here are the specifics
from the past three years.
 |
| Texas flag over the property of Lone Star Convention Center |
 |
| Sign identifying TTBC site as a Demonstration Site |
Of course, the presence of the red
imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta
Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at any outdoor function can be unpleasant to
those participating in the function, whether it is vendors or the general
public. The Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC) has been held in the Lake Conroe
area the past several years. It is advertised as the world
championship of professional bass fishing and country music festival. The event
is a three-day event that feature anglers from across all major fishing tours
in the U.S., and features some of country music’s premier artists. The event
proceeds benefit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and its youth outdoor
programs. The TTBC has become an annual community event in the Conroe area that offers a wide
range of activities that families, outdoor enthusiasts and music fans enjoy. It
has generated over $1.2 million for the TPWD and the state of Texas (TTBC and
TPWD estimates). The agenda of the tournament typically consists of daily tournament
weigh-ins, and outdoor exposition and concerts.
Fire ants were an issue during the
2009 TTBC in Montgomery, TX. The organizers of the 2010 TTBC voiced their
concern to the property managers of the Lone Star Convention Center, Conroe,
TX, (property chosen for the 2010 TTBC), and asked that something be done. The
Lone Star Convention wanted to secure the business of the TTBC in future years
so in August of 2010, management of the Lone Star Convention and Expo Center
(9055 FM 1484 Rd, Conroe, TX 77303) contacted the Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension Service – Montgomery County Office for advice on controlling the red
imported fire ant before the 2010 Toyota Texas Bass Classic scheduled event in
October of 2010. The Lone Star Convention Center is a Montgomery County
property.
The Montgomery County AgriLife
Extension Agent, Mike Heimer, thought this would be a great opportunity to
showcase the Texas Two-Step Program for fire ant management to control fire ant
populations on a large landscaped property. The Two-Step program is promoted by
the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service which utilizes broadcast
applications of fire ant bait products in the spring and fall followed by
individual mound treatments if needed. See AgriLife Bookstore publication
L-5496, Fire Ant Control: The Texas Two Step Method and Other Approaches. This fire ant management program
encourages owners of large tracts of property to plan fire ant bait treatments
in advance of a scheduled event (minimum of 6 weeks) to reduce fire ant
populations so they are not a nuisance to the event coordinators, vendors, or
participants. If the property is used
several times a year for various events the property managers should consider a
scheduled spring and fall application of a fire ant bait product to keep fire
ant populations on the property at low levels.
Here is what we did to document this
management effort.
1) In
late August 2010 and again in early June 2011and 2012 and late September 2011
and 2012 the fire ant bait product containing hydramethylnon plus s-methoprene, Extinguish® Plus Fire Ant Bait (donated by Central Life Sciences, Dallas, TX in
2010 and 2011) was broadcast at a rate of 1.5 pound product/acre via an
all-terrain vehicle (ATV) mounted Herd GT-77 Broadcast Seeder (Kasco Manufacturing Company, Shelbyville, IN) over the Lone Star Convention Center
property where the TTBC was to be held.
 |
| Broadcasting fire ant bait with ATV Mounted Herd Seeder |
2) Pre
and post fire ant activity evaluations were made in the fall of 2010, 2011, and
2012. Foraging fire ant worker activity was checked using 15 individual hot dog
slice food lures that were placed in a grid across the property during 2012,
2011, and 2012. Here is that information: First date in year is before fire ant bait application.
Observation/Date
|
8/26/10
|
9/27/10
|
9/12/11
|
10/27/11
|
8/21/12
|
9/27/12
|
Number
of “hits”*
|
13
|
0
|
12
|
0
|
12
|
1
|
Total
# ants
|
1180
|
0
|
860
|
0
|
670
|
20
|
Average
# ants
|
79
|
0
|
57
|
0
|
45
|
1
|
Percent
reduction
|
-
|
100
|
-
|
100
|
-
|
98
|
*number
of hot dog slices of 15 with fire ants 1 hr after exposure
 |
| Beverage parasol protecting hot dog slice (with fire ants) from direct sunlight |
3) The number of active fire ant mounds
per acre was recorded utilizing 0.25 acre circles at four locations within the
area to be frequented by vendors and participants on the property of the Lone
Star Convention Center, Conroe, TX. Visible active fire ant mounds were
recorded. Here is that information: First date in each year is before fire ant bait application.
Date
|
Loc.
1
|
Loc.
2
|
Loc.
3
|
Loc.
4
|
Average
|
%
Red.
|
8/26/2010
|
24
|
12
|
8
|
28
|
18
|
-
|
9/27/2010
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
94
|
9/12/2011
|
0
|
12
|
0
|
4
|
4*
|
-
|
10/27/2011
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
8/21/2012
|
0
|
12
|
16
|
16
|
11
|
_
|
9/27/2012
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
* Very hot and dry year in the Conroe
area
4) In 2010 and 2012 a survey of the event
organizers as to their satisfaction with the fire ant management strategy was
conducted.
5) In
2011 and 2012 a random face to face survey of the vendors as to their
satisfaction of the fire ant management strategy was conducted.
From Vendor face to face surveys
conducted in 2011 (11 vendors) and 2012 (12 vendors):
1) 100%
were satisfied with the level of fire ant control obtained through the fire
ant management strategy recommended by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and
adopted by the TTBC organizers and The Lone Star Convention Center?
2) 100% would want the hosting facility
of future TTBC’s adopt a fire ant management program at their location?
3) 100% would consider recommending to
event organizers the need to request that the hosting facility of future TTBC’s
to adopt a fire ant management program?
I
consider this to be a great endorsement of planned fire ant management before
scheduled events.
How did the Conroe area benefit? Well the Conroe Convention Bureau estimated
the economic impact of the 2010 TTBC on the Conroe area was $700,000 and the economic
impact of the 2011 TTBC was $764,000 with the 2012 event to be equal or greater
than that seen in 2010 or 2011. It is noteworthy that from the survey given to
the TTBC organizers, they would consider a fire ant baiting program as one of
the negotiated items before signing a contract and the vendors would recommend
that event organizers request that the hosting facility of future TTBC’s to
adopt a fire ant management program.
The management of the
Lone Star Convention & Expo Center has witnessed the benefit of fire ant
bait applications over the past three years and understands the positive effect
it has on the advertising of their property to organizers of outdoor events,
especially the Texas Toyota Bass Classic.
The comfort of the participants attending these various outdoor events
can be emphasized in their promotional material resulting in economic benefits
since more organizers are prone to book the property. The management has placed purchasing of a
fire ant bait product as a priority and will schedule bi-annual applications of
a fire ant bait to manage the fire ant population on the property.
Acknowledgements
The authors would
like to thank the managers of the Lone Star Convention Center and the
organizers of the TTBC for unlimited access to the property before and during
the 2010, 2011, and 2012 events. We also thank Doug Van Gundy, Central Life Sciences, Dallas, TX, for the generous donation of the Extinguish® Plus Fire
Ant Bait product in 2011 and 2012 for this demonstration study.
For more information on fire ant management please visit these sites:
Like information on available fire ant products, see this link:
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