The stinging truth: nursing home operators need to protect their residents and themselves from the threat of fire ants.

Nursing home operators are faced with a variety of challenges every day; pests in and around the facility should not be one of them. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. One pest, in particular, that has been giving operators a run for their money (and time) is the red imported fire ant (RIFA). If your facility is located in one of the 19 southern states where fire ants are established, you are all too familiar with these little pests that pack a dangerous punch, especially to those with weakened immune systems.

Extremely aggressive by nature, fire ants will attack when disturbed, and unlike other stinging insects they are able to sting multiple times. After silently blanketing a victim, a pheromone is released that signals the attacking ants to sting all at once. This mass stinging injects a surge of venom that can cause serious, sometimes fatal, injury to their victim.

Over the past decade, the fire ant has become an increasingly threatening pest for nursing home operators. Although primarily found outdoors, fire ants have been known to enter buildings through cracks, crevices, and open windows in search of moisture and a consistent heat source. In recent years, fire ants have infiltrated several nursing homes and assisted living facilities, posing a real danger to residents who are immobile and unable to protect themselves.

"Fire ants pose a significant health threat that, unfortunately, many nursing home operators are unaware of," says Frank Gennuso, president of LoneStar ChemPro in Livingston, Texas. "Because fire ants have the ability to blanket their victim rapidly, they are especially dangerous to those who cannot react quickly."

In fact, several nursing homes have been sued for negligence in treating their facilities for fire ants. In 2001, a nursing home in Mobile, Alabama, was sued by family members of a resident with Rett syndrome (a neurodevelopmental disorder) after she was attacked in bed. Similar cases have popped up throughout the South, including Florida, Texas, and Georgia.

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Reactions to fire ant stings vary. Typically, there is a burning and itching sensation after a sting; within 24 hours a pustule usually forms. However, 10 to 15%ofthe population is allergic to fire ant venom, and as a result they may experience hives, swelling, nausea, and vomiting, and they may go into shock. In the most severe cases, fire ant stings can result in death.

Such extreme cases, although rare, emphasize the need for further awareness about these pests and the best methods of identification and elimination.

Identification

Identifying a fire ant mound can be a challenge, especially if the property is mowed regularly. Unlike other ant mounds, fire ant mounds have no central opening. They have many entrances and look like worked soil. Fire ants come in a variety of sizes and range in color from reddish to brown. They are extremely aggressive and when disturbed hundreds or even thousands of ants will emerge from their mound, looking as if they are almost boiling out of the ground.

A single fire ant colony may have dozens of queens, each capable of laying up to 1,500 eggs per day. The average colony contains 100,000 to 500,000 workers that protect and feed the queens. Fire ant mounds, the most visible part of the colony, can be located in almost any type of soil, They are most commonly found in open, sunny areas. However, the visible mound is just the tip of the iceberg. Extending into the ground 20 feet deep or more, the mounds have lateral tunnels that reach out more than 8 feet in all directions.

Locations that have zero tolerance for fire ants, such as schools, hospitals, and nursing homes, require inspection by a pest management or lawn care professional. These professionals are trained to identify and treat for fire ants. "In certain instances, hiring a professional to inspect and treat is essential," says Gennuso. "Fire ant mounds are not easily identified, and it often happens that nursing home operators don't realize they have an infestation until someone is stung."

Working With a Professional

When working with a professional, it is important to understand what a thorough treatment entails. Any pest management or lawn care professional should take the following steps when faced with a fire ant infestation:

* Inspection. When visiting a site for the first time, a professional should walk the property and mark all fire ant mounds. Most companies will do an initial inspection for free.

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* Broadcast treatment. Once the situation has been assessed, the professional should apply a broadcast granular treatment throughout the entire property. A single, professional application of a treatment, such as TopChoice[R] insecticide, can be applied at any time and will last an entire year. If after the initial inspection no active fire ant mounds are identified, preventive broadcast treatments can still be applied to prevent potential future infestations.

* Individual mound treatments. Because broadcast treatments take several weeks to fully eliminate an entire colony, the professional should then treat any identified mounds with a bait, which provides quick knockdown. Together, these two treatments will eliminate existing mounds and prevent any future infestations for an entire year.

For a list of lawn care and pest management professionals in your area, visit www.nofireants.com and insert your zip code into the dealer locater, located on the home page.

Although fire ants are a potentially dangerous pest, new advances in technology means professionals are armed with effective tools to help nursing home operators combat a potentially serious problem.

Nate Royalty, PhD, is an Insecticide Development Manager with Bayer Environmental Science. He has conducted extensive research on fire ants and their behavior. For more information, phone [phone] or visit www.bayerprocentral.com. To send your comments to the author and editors, e-mail [e-mail].

BY NATE ROYALTY, PHD