Backyard Gardener
I N T HI S
ISSUE
Fire
Ant Management…. Page 1
High
Society…
Page 5
Beautiful
Problem
Solvers… Page 6
Quick
Tips from
Master Gardeers…
Page 6
Excitement in
the
Garden… Page 7
Discover
Discovery… Page 8
Family Photo
Album… Page 10
Can You
Name
This… Page 11
Calendar
of Public
Events… Page 12
V O L U S I S A
C O U N T Y
E X T E N S I O N
Sustainable Fire Ant
Management
Joe Sewards
Urban Horticulture Agent and Master
Gardener Coordinator
UF/IFAS Extension, Volusia County
The red imported
fire ant is a wellknown and troublesome
pest
throughout
the
southeastern
United
States.
This invasive species is aggressive, and
their painful stings can injure both humans and animals. The nuisances and hazards of fire ants cause many people to
seek a “quick-fix” control strategy. While
it may not be possible to eradicate fire
ants, we can make them easier to live
with. The best management programs use
a combination of non-chemical and
chemical methods that are effective, economical, and least harmful to the environment.
The high demand for a fast solution has
led to the development of many “home
remedies” and practices advertised as alternatives to pesticide treatments. Most of
these have not been scientifically tested,
A P R I L
2 0 1 4
and many have proven ineffective. But,
some control efforts do hold promise for
sustainable solutions to manage fire ants.
To effectively deal with fire ants in the
landscape, it is necessary to first, understand their biology and then effective and
environmentally safe ways to control
them.
Fire Ant Ecology Basics
The lifespan of RIFA workers depends on
their size. Minor workers may live 30 to
60 days, median workers 60 to 90 days,
major workers 90 to 180 days, and queens
may live two to six years! Complete lifecycle from egg to adult takes between 22
and 38 days (Hedges 1997).
Here are some amazing facts about fire
ant biology:
 Mating flights are the primary means
of colony propagation
 Six to eight mating flights consisting
of up to 4,500 alates each occur between
the spring and fall (Vinson & Sorenson
1986).
 In the southern United States, as many
as 97,000 queens may be produced per
acre of infested land per year (Vinson &
Sorenson 1986).
Continued on Page 2
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race,
creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions, or affiliations. U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A&M University Cooperative
Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is
an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services only to individuals and
institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation,
marital status, national origin, political opinions, or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service,
University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners
Cooperating.
From Page 1…
Baits
Baits can be used as a broadcast or individual mound
treatment. Conventional recommended treatments involve a “two step” process of
broadcast bait treatments and
individual mound treatments.
But, broadcast baiting may be counterproductive because it can also decrease native ant populations that
slow fire ant spread. If there are native ants in your
treatment area, try using only individual mound treatments to prevent affecting non-target ant populations.
 Once the female alate has mated, she will rake her
legs forward to snap her wings off at the basal suture
and find a suitable spot to begin a new colony
(Hölldobler 1990).
 Within 24 hours of mating, the queen will have
laid between 10 to 15 eggs, which will hatch in eight
to 10 days. By the time the first group of eggs
hatches, the queen will have laid from 75 to 125 more
eggs
 The queen is
the single producer
of eggs and is capable of producing
as many as 1,500
eggs per day.
Least Toxic Pesticides
Pesticides containing the active ingredients hydramethylnon and sulfluramid kill ants by preventing them
from converting food into energy.
Mature colonies
may contain as
many as 240,000 workers with a typical colony consisting of 80,000 workers (Vinson & Sorenson 1986).
Red imported fire ants prefer open, sunny areas such
as pastures, crop fields, and lawns. They will form
either single-queen or multi-queen colonies. Multiqueen colonies are not territorial.
Avermectin is derived from a soil fungus and inhibits
nerve function. As a broadcast treatment it works like
an insect growth regulator.
Insect growth regulators that reduce egg production
and prevent worker ant development include products
with the active ingredients, fenoxycarb, methoprene,
and pyriproxyfen. These treatments do not kill adult
ants, so treated colonies will persist until workers die
naturally. This usually takes a few days.
Fire ant nests usually take the form of large dirt
mounds, but ants will also nest in rotting logs; around
trees; under pavement and buildings; indoors; or inside electrical equipment and utilities, which sometimes causes short circuits. Fire ant nests will not
have a single nest entry, but rather, several entrances
under the mound. When the nest is disturbed, many
fire ants will swarm out to attack the intruder.
Organic Insecticides
Commercially available organic products that contain
ingredients such as boric acid or diatomaceous earth
can kill ants, but their effectiveness to kill whole
colonies has not been consistently demonstrated.
Some products available have ingredients that are derived from botanical sources, such as rotenone, nicotine sulfate, d-limonene, and pyrethrins.
Fire ants are omnivorous. They eat plants, insects,
oils, and sugars, but they are only able to ingest liquids. Larvae break down solid food into liquids for
fire ants by regurgitating digestive enzymes onto the
food. Although fire ants do prey on flea larvae,
chinch bugs, cockroach eggs, ticks and other pests,
the problems they cause usually outweigh any benefits in urban areas.
Spinosad is another toxin that affects the nervous system. Spinosad is considered organic because it comes
from a bacterial fermentation process and is then put
into bait. Look for products certified by OMRI
(Organic Materials Review Institute).
Physical Treatments
Sustainable Control Methods
Treatments may be more effective on sunny, cool
mornings when the majority of ants and brood are
closer to the surface of the mound. (Cont. on Page 3)
To eliminate a colony, the queen must be killed; in
multi-queen colonies, all queens must be killed. Even
if the queen is killed, surviving ants may inhabit the
mound or make a new mound until they die off.
2
From Page 2…
they will eat the grits, swell, and then explode is
false.
Hot Water
Soap or wood ashes. These substances supposedly
remove the wax layer that protects the ant’s body,
which is not true.
Scalding water (190ºF-212ºF) has been used on
mounds with an elimination success rate of 20%60%. Slowly pour at least 3 gallons onto the mound,
being careful to avoid getting burned. A mound may
need several treatments to reach and kill the queen
and brood. Hot water will probably injure plants near
the mound.
Shoveling mounds together. Multi-queen colonies
are not territorial and this method is not even effective for single-queen colonies. Florida has multiqueen populations, so by following this ineffective
method you risk increasing your fire ant problem.
Excavation
Some “non-pesticide” treatments are harmful to the
environment and dangerous to apply. These include
gasoline or petroleum products, battery acid, bleach,
ammonia, or other cleaning products.
Fire ant mounds can be dug up and removed. Apply
baby powder or talcum to shovel handles and the inside of the bucket to keep ants from crawling up and
escaping or stinging you. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this treatment since you probably won’t get
them all and, if you miss the queen, the mound will
simply reappear.
Biological Control
One reason fire ants are such resilient and successful
invaders is that they have little competition and no
natural enemies in the United States. To try to counter
this imbalance, scientists began releasing phorid flies
from fire ants’ native South America in the 1990s.
Phorid flies are a natural parasite of fire ants in their
home range. These flies lay their eggs in the ants’
heads; as the larvae develop, they take over
(“zombify”) and eventually decapitate their ant host.
Mound Drench
A Texas A&M Extension study showed potential success with a mound drench treatment of 1.5 fluid
ounce of orange oil and 3 fluid ounces of liquid dish
soap per gallon of water. After one week, there was a
significant reduction in the number of active mounds
in the treatment plots compared to other treatments.
Researchers did cite the need for future studies to
confirm the effectiveness of this treatment.
The USDA is releasing a fifth species of phorid fly to
control fire ants in the southeastern US. Pseudacteon
cultellatus is being released at several sites in Florida
to help control workers in multi-queen colonies. Of
the four species released previously, three have become widely established and expanded beyond their
release sites.
Ineffective Treatments
Many home remedies and control devices have not
been scientifically proven to reduce fire ant populations. Most of the time these treatments just disturb
the mound or kill enough ants to cause the colony to
relocate. If the queens are not killed, the colony will
not be destroyed and will most likely establish itself
in another nearby area.
UF/IFAS scientists have been researching biological
control methods for fire ants and recently published a
study that shows that there is potential to use a type
of fungi as a control method against these creatures.
The following are some popular “home remedies”
that do not control fire ant populations:
Unfortunately, no control method will permanently
eliminate fire ants from an area. Fire ants can quickly
re-infest areas after treatment stops, and may even
resurge with greater populations. Because successful
fire ant management techniques and products differ
across localities, be sure to speak with your county’s
Extension agent for management tips and questions.
Club Soda. One myth is that pouring club soda onto
mounds suffocates the colony. This method is ineffective and at most may only drown a few ants. This
method has been promoted on the Internet along
with an inaccurate statement that the method is recommended by Walter Reeves of the University of
Georgia.
(Cont. On Page 4)
Grits. Fire ants only ingest liquids, so the idea that
3
From Page 3…
Currently, the best biological control method for fire
ants is to preserve other ant species that compete with
them for food and nesting sites, attack small fire ant
colonies, or kill newly mated queen ants. In some areas outbreaks of other exotic ant species, such as Argentine ants and tawny crazy ants, have displaced imported fire ants. Even imported fire ants from singlequeen or polygyne colonies will prey upon newly
"How many people on Earth serve people? And how
many people on Earth serve the Earth? The difference in the numbers must be enormous. It would reveal that the Earth is definitely not the primary concern of the human species. This might be fatal both to
mated fire ant queens and eliminate small, neighboring colonies. Ants, in general, are considered beneficial insects because they prey upon many other arthropods and collectively till more earth than earthworms, thereby reducing soil compaction. Ways to
preserve native ants include preserving their habitat
and using insecticides judiciously.
the Earth and to humanity. Please, leaders of the
Earth and the nations, wake up to this potentially fatal disparity."
Robert Muller
Adapted and excerpted from:
D. Oi and P. Koehler, Imported Fire Ant on Lawns
and Turf (ENY226), Entomology and Nematology
Department (rev. 05/2003).
K. Schofield and B. Drees, "Comparison of individual
mound treatments for red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta," Integrated Pest Management Manual
(2.5MB pdf), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (2008).
P. Sullivan, "Sustainable Fire Ant Management
Does this look familiar?
(CT068)," National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (2003).
S. Durham, "New Red Imported Fire Ant Enemies in
"There are no gardening mistakes, only experi-
Place for Combat," United States Department of Agri-
ments.”
culture Agricultural Research Service (01/2011).
- Janet Kilburn Phillips
4
leaves with a bulb like rhizome root. Each flower
cluster blooms on the end of a spike that can be more
than 1 ft. tall. Once the flowers are spent small black
seed pods form. Society Garlic is best planted as a
clump to give it the effect of a larger plant. Over time
the plant naturally clumps and will fill in a large area.
The plant does best in full sun and blooms profusely,
but will tolerate shade with few blooms. Society Garlic prefers sandy well drained soil and is tolerant of
salt. Over time and when established this plant is
drought tolerant.
High Society
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Xubfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Tulbaghia
Species: t. violacea
Tulbaghia violacea is native to South
Africa. The genus name Tulbaghia
come from the name of 18th century
Dutch governor of Cape of Good
Hope, Ryk Tulbacgh. The species
name violacea refers to the color of
the flowers, violet. There are two
theories regarding the origin of the
common name Society Garlic. Some
believe the Dutch settlers favored it
over garlic as it was a milder, more
refined and therefore more suitable
for polite society. Others were impressed by the plant’s strong tendency to form clumps in a close societal group and the strong scent of garlic from the
leaves.
Society garlic will tolerate temperatures down to 25 degrees and if damaged will grow again from the bulb.
The garlicky odor can be strong so it is
best planted away from the house.
There is some thought that due to their
scent certain insects avoid this plant
and deer do not like to eat the plant.
But I have heard from people who
have a deer problem that if the deer are
hungry enough they will eat anything.
There are many cultivars now available and the flowers are showier and come in pink,
and multiple colors of blue and violet combinations.
I planted this plant around my palm trees. The roots
of the palms were so dense around the base nothing
would grow, not even weeds. I took a screw driver
and made holes throughout the root balls at the base
of the trunk. I twisted in the bulbs and the leaves
promptly died, but within a month I had healthy
leaves on each plant. Within one growing season I
had a border around the trunk, within a few years the
trunk area was surrounded by large clumps of Society
garlic and the dense roots were all broken without
harm to the palms. Those first plants have given me
thousands over the years and I have never had to replant around the palms
The genus Tulbaghia has about 24 species; most of
the species are pollinated at night by moths when the
plants are more scented. Tulbaghia violacea on the
other hand is more scented during the day and is pollinated by bees and butterflies.
Society garlic is edible and the flowers and leaves
have a pepper-sweet onion flavor when eaten raw.
The bulb when boiled is believed to have medicinal
properties. The Zulus of South Africa used the leaves
and flowers for spinach like dish and to make a hot
peppery seasoning. They believed the bulbs when
boiled were an aphrodisiac medicine.
My neighbor’s all have some kind of border with this
plant from my originals and with the blooms swaying
in the sea breeze they look fragile and delicate but I
know they are hardier than a weed.
It was also thought to make a good snake repellent,
so was planted around their homes. I cannot opine on
the medicinal or recreational value of the plant but I
can say it is not effective an effective snake repellant
(at least for benign, non-venomous Florida snakes).
Myrna Moore
Society garlic is an ornamental plant and even when
not in bloom makes an attractive border. It is grown
in this area year round and blooms from March to
fall. The leaves grown up to 1ft and are green with a
silvery tinge. Each plant will have approximately 6
“Butterflies are self propelled flowers.”
― Robert A. Heinlein
5
BEAUTIFUL PROBLEM SOLVERS
tered except for rain and they reach the tops of maple
trees.
Vines are the problem solvers in most landscape
plans. They can fit in the smallest space and be used
to cover the largest areas if you install a trellis. They
can be used as accents and focal points, or they can
place flowers, color and fragrance exactly where you
want it. They can be used in hanging pots, ground
cover, or to soften a blank wall with foliage and
color. When trained over a fence or trellis, they make
effective privacy
screens. A deciduous flowering vine
on a pergola will
provide color, fragrance and shade
in the spring and
summer, while allowing the sun to
warm the area in
winter.
Coral Vine, also called Rosa Montana, is a jewel
whose time
has
come.
This vine is
as comfortable in the
hot
humid
areas of Florida as in the
deserts of the
Southwest.
The branches
are open and
airy,
with
cascading
sprays
of
deep rose colored
blossoms, attracting
both
hummingPassion Vine—Photo by Dodie Ulery
birds and butterflies. It thrives in summer heat and poor soils,
growing at least forty feet by summers end. During
dry periods it dies back and waits patiently for rain,
springing to life when the rain arrives. It requires no
fertilizer or sprays for few insects bother it.
In Central Florida
we are blessed
with a climate that
supports a large
variety of vines.
Passion Vines are
fast growing and
fragrant, with very
Rosa Montana—Photo by Dodie Ulery
unusual flowers,
available in blue,
purple, red and white. They attract butterflies and are
a larva food source for Gulf Fritillary and the Zebra
Longwing butterflies. These vines tolerate unimproved soil and winter well in most areas.
Dodie Ulery
Quick Tips From
Master Gardeners
Trumpet Vines, available in oranges and red and
Cross Vine make bright colorful display as they move 
up trees or over trellises. They attract hummingbirds
and butterflies. They do well in unimproved soils
and require very little care, with exception of pruning
back the vines in early spring when needed.
Climbing Antique and Heritage roses bring elegance
and beauty to any garden setting. Flower color and
fragrance is as diverse as shrub forms. The recent in- 
terest in antique climbing roses has opened up new
territories for rose lovers. The good news is that the
Antique and Heritage roses require very little attention. Mine have never been fertilized and rarely wa6
Now is the time for your camellia plants to set
seed. Not all plants will set seed but when they
do, it's pretty exciting. I leave my blooms on the
bush and let them fall naturally. It seems that
what is left of the bloom on the bush, will attempt
to set seeds.
Jackie Jones
Eat It Then Plant It… don’t waste the root ends
of scallions/green onions. Cut them off before
cooking then plant in the garden for a continuous
supply of fresh… yum.
Ed Williams
hive. At this point those bees stayed in the hive. I
knew honey bees are totally committed to their queen
so just let the rest of the bees fly around and stay in
separate clumps on the ground. Sure enough the need
to bee with the queen took over and all other bees
(thousands) began marching into the hive to be with
the queen. Within 20 minutes all the bees had moved
into the hive.
Excitement In The Garden
A Beekeepers Dream
Saturday afternoon about 1 PM… sitting at the computer working on a new MG PowerPoint presentation
(really… no kidding). I look out the window and am
over whelmed by the sight of thousands (literally) of
honey bees flying around in a giant honey bee cloud.
This could be bad news as one of my colonies is
swarming. As I watch they begin to land on a branch
of a nearby tree. The queen has landed there and the
rest of t he bees will surround and protect her. You
may have seen this as a large ball (mass) of bees
hanging on a tree branch.
What was all this about? A natural event with honey
bees called swarming. Swarming is a very specific
action taken by a colony not just a bunch of bees in
one place. Swarming is how honey bee colonies reproduce a colony. The nature of honey bees is such
that a single bee cannot go off and start a new colony.
A swarm is how the colony reproduces a new colony.
When the time is right the bees stop taking care of the
queen in the hive and begin chasing her around. The
idea is to get her into shape to fly because up to now
she has done nothing but lay eggs. The bees also
build queen cells in which new queens
will develop. When the time is right
the existing queen leaves the hive and
about half the colony leave with her.
This occurs in just a few minutes time
and is the swarm previously described.
This is good news since there is now a chance we can
capture them. Rose, my bride, and I suit up and out
we go to catch the swarm. They are on the end of a
branch about 12 feet above ground. Not
too high but enough to make catching a
bit awkward. Quickly a hive is set up to
hold this group of girls. A 6 foot step
ladder is set up and the big loppers are
retrieved.
The plan is as follows:



The queen flies a short distance and
lands. All the other swarming bees
now land on and around her. A few
bees go off scouting for a new home.
The search for a new home typically
takes from a few hours to a day.
Therefore, it is critical to catch the
swarm quickly. By the way, at this
time the bees are quite docile as they
have not home, brood or food stores to
Ed does not fall off the ladder
The branch is cut slowly so it will
slowly sag down and become easier
to handle.
Put the swarm into the hive and be
happy.
Ever heard the expression, ‘the best laid
Photo by Ed Williams
plans of mice and men go oft awry.’?
Well, the saying is correct and reinforces Murphy’s
defend.
Law. The branch decided, with great delight and
meanness, to suddenly snap off. Down 12 feet to the The original colony is now queen-less but should
ground goes the branch with the thousands of bees. It have queens hatching soon. When the first queen
hits the ground and most of the bees decide they must hatches she makes chirping noises which the untake off in a great flurry. Unfortunately, Rose was hatched queens respond to. The first queen homes in
standing on the ground near the crash site and some on the sound, chews a hole in the other queens cell
of the bees decided to sting her… fortunately, only and stings her to death. If multiple queens hatch
twice and right through her pants. I was still, thank- close in time they will hunt each other within the hive
fully, securely ensconced on the ladder and escaped and fight to the death. It’s tough being queen bee.
the wrath of the girls.
So far the swarm seems quite content in their new
Some of the bees stayed in a clump on the branch so I hive and have not swarmed again. Beekeeping
knew the queen was there. Picked up the branch and Rocks!
Ed Williams
banged it on the hive to knock the bee off and into the
7
Discover Discovery
These are photos of first graders from Edgewater provided by
Laura Rocco. These photos show the Discovery Master Gardeners in action.
One of the main tasks that Master Gardeners take on is to run
tours of the Ag Center for school children. They get to see
various types of plants, butterflies (sometimes hatching) and
learn the importance of the environment. Considering that
many young people today are not familiar with gardening and
the source of much of our food this is important work.
More MG volunteers are always needed and welcome. Join
and Discovery session and see what it is all about. You can
make a difference in the life of a child and germinate a new
gardener. Give it a try.
8
*****Family Album*****
Kathryn Kovach’s Sedums and Succulents
Graptopetalum paraguayense –
Mother of Pearl Plant
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi
kalanchoe laciniata
XxGraptophytum supreme
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Master Gardener Program Vision Statement
To be the most trusted resource for horticultural education in Florida
Master Gardener Program Mission Statement
To assist extension agents in providing research based horticultural
education to Florida residents
Like us on Facebook…
www.facebook.com/ UniversityOfFloridaIFASVolusiaCountyExtension
Can You Name This?
Answers on
page 11
Jerry A. Payne, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org
Photo by Ed Williams
10
April & May 2014 Calendar of Public Events
Event
Plant Faire Preview
Plant Faire
Jewish Heritage Festival
Ask a Master Gardener/Plant clinic
Native Plants (1 CEU)
Coffee-can hydroponics (2 CEUs)
Pruning (1.5 CEU)
Stone Fruit for the Home Landscape - Cost: $5 (2 CEUs)
Soil - the garden's foundation (1.5 CEUs)
MG Plant Clinic
Sugar Mill Garden Q&A
Composting & Rain Barrels (1 CEU)
Office closed - Good Friday
Ormond Beach Earth Day
Wild Flowers(1 CEU)
Ask a Master Gardener/Plant clinic
Pest Control(1 CEU)
Butterfly Gardening (1 CEU)
Butterfly Gardening (1.5 CEU)
Rain Barrels and Rainwater Collection System - Cost: $5 (2 CEUs)
Introduction to Beekeeping
Sugar Mill Garden Q&A
Honey Bee Biology and Behavior
Butterfly Gardening (1 CEU)
Date
4/4
4/5
4/6
4/7
4/10
4/11
4/12
4/12
4/13
4/15
4/16
4/17
4/18
4/24
4/24
5/5
5/8
5/15
5/17
5/17
5/17
5/21
5/22
5/22
Location
Ag Center
Ag Center
News Journal Center - Daytona Beach
Ormond Beach Regional Library
Debary Historic Hall
Lyonia Environmental Center
Debary Historic Hall
Ag Center
Lyonia Environmental Center
New Smyrna Beach Library
Sugar Mill Garden
Ormond Beach Regional Library
Office Closed
Ormond Beach Cith Hall Plaza
Debary Historic Hall
Ormond Beach Regional Library
Debary Historic Hall
Ormond Beach Regional Library
Debary Historic Hall
Ag Center
Deltona Library - Lyonia Room
Sugar Mill Garden
Deltona Library - Lyonia Room
HOWARD JEFFRIES
Can You Name This—Answers
Flower is from the Golden Rush potato.
The insect is the Velvet Ant (aka Cow Killer). It is actually a wasp.
Volusia County Agricultural Center
3100 E. New York Ave. (S.R. 44),
Deland, FL 32724
At the Volusia County Fair Grounds
West Volusia… 386-822-5778
Daytona Beach… 386-257-6012
New Smyrna Beach… 386-423-3368
Email questions to… [email protected]
11