Fire Ants: Master Gardener Module

Overview

This module is designed by a team of eXtension’s Fire Ant Community of Practice members to provide training and resource material to eXtension faculty, staff, paraprofessionals, and volunteer trainers on Master Gardening programs related to the imported fire ant.

Extension agents requested that this material be multi-functional: both as agent training and MG training. They indicated a need for two levels of Master Gardener training: one that provides the basics in shorthand and the other with more advanced content that could double as agent training. Users will find PowerPoint presentations for each level within this module. These presentations are available as a narrated version that can be used for self learning. Trainers can watch the narrated versions to learn how best to use the presentations in their educational programs.

Master Gardener Training Modules

Extension agents and Master Gardeners can use these narrated versions of each PowerPoint presentation as a training tool or an individual course of study. Molly Keck, Extension Program Specialist – Integrated Pest Management, Texas AgriLife Extension, narrated the presentations, which are in mp4 format.  Click here for Powerpoint versions of these modules.

Basic Training for Master Gardeners
Advanced Training for Master Gardeners

Tests to Use Before and After an Event

Volunteer Outreach

Publications
Videos
  • Fire Ant Control Made Easy – good for online viewing because it is divided into chapters
  • Fire Ant Control Made Easy – without chapters, could be played at a training meeting
  • Life of a Fire Ant Video – good information on fire ant biology
  • Fire Ants: Instructional Videos  – video clips, including the decapitating flies in action and many of the video clips from Texas.
Controlling Fire Ants Information Materials

There are many fire ant control chemicals. It is impossible to list them all, as the products change frequently. Not every product is registered in every state. The following sites are updated frequently, and provide guidance on the various control products.

Posters, guides, activities
Ideas for Visual Aids to Use in Fire Ant Educational Programs

Note to Master Gardeners: Please mail photos and ideas for fire ant programs to Kerry Smith. We will post them on this page.

  • Empty product bags to read labels and better understand products
  • Hand spreader with fire ant bait
  • Blue tarp or black plastic, to demonstrate swath width of bait spreader
  • Tape measure
  • Posters (see above)
  • Fire Ant Mound Cast (see above)
  • Laptop to demonstrate fire ant eXtension and other useful sites
  • Big red ants to attract attention (see Make an Ant in the List of Exercises for the Youth Module above)
Existing Extension Programs That Need Master Gardener Volunteers

(Check with the Master Gardener Coordinator in your state)

  • Neighbor to Neighbor
  • Adopt A Garden Center
  • Plant Clinics and Master Gardener Hotlines
  • Community-wide Fire Ant Management Programs