CASE STUDY

One American Response -
A Community Abatement Programme

In 1993 fire ants were a public health hazard in Texarkana, Arkansas. The community response was an abatement programme based on each city block. Major features of the programme were:

• each block selected a coordinator
• each home owner paid fees for insecticides, equipment and labour
• Government employees applied treatments and re-treatment
• 96% to 100% reduction in active fire ant mounds

1994

• double the number of homeowner participants
• weather conditions and work demands on city workers reduced follow up treatments

 

1995

• participation equal to 1994
• some homeowners reluctant to fund programme as fire ant problem now minimal

  1996

• scaled down maintenance programme

  Problems

• homeowners reluctant to continue participation once initial control of fire ants is obvious
• weather caused treatments to be late and ineffective
• untreated commercial properties source of continual reinfestation

Impacts of Fire Ants on the USA | Infestation of the USA | A Case Study from the USA | The USA Response