Texas Pesticide Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (TPDES)

Posted on by
AgriLife Logo

Many of you have heard about a new Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requirement/regulation relating to pesticide applications to, over, or near water. The regulation is the result of federal court decisions which place pesticide applications and use under not only the
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), but under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

TCEQ and other state environmental protection agencies nationwide (including Puerto Rico, Guam, and Samoa) had until October 31, 2011 to develop or adopt a Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (PDES) permit. TCEQ worked with stakeholders and EPA to develop an acceptable permit for Texans from all pesticide user communities (agriculture, structural pest management, governmental/political subdivisions, and consumer/homeowner…) to comply with without financial burden.

There are five sites of pesticide application to aquatic environments, which have thresholds requiring operators to file a “Notice of Intent” (NOI) with TCEQ ten (10) days prior to the application. A NOI is good for 1 year.

Operators are defined by TCEQ as individuals responsible for the site where pesticides will be applied. They can be an applicator (commercial or noncommercial), an entity (city or county), or an organization (homeowners association…) or an individual (farmer, rancher, or homeowner…).

1. Applications made to control “Mosquitoes and Other Flying Insect Pests” where the treatment area is greater than 6,400 contiguous acres and containing waters of the U.S. will require the “Operator” to submit a NOI ten (10) days prior to the application.

2a. Applications made to control “Aquatic Weeds and Algae” In Water where the treatment area exceeds 100 contiguous surface acres will require the operator to submit a NOI ten (10) days prior to the application.

2b. Applications made to control “Aquatic Weeds and Algae” At Water’s Edge where the treatment area exceeds 200 contiguous linear miles will need to file a NOI ten (10) days prior to the application.

3a. Applications made to control “Aquatic Nuisance Animals” (undesirable fish, lamprey eels…) In Water where the treatment area exceeds 100 contiguous surface acres will need to file a NOI ten (10) days prior to the application.

3b. Applications made to control “Aquatic Nuisance Animals” At Water’s Edge where the treatment area exceeds 200 contiguous linear miles will need to file a NOI ten (10) days prior to the application.

4. Applications made Over Forest Canopies for “Forest Canopy Pest Control” where the treatment area exceeds 6,400 contiguous acres and containing waters of the U.S. will need to file a NOI ten (10) days prior to the application.

5. Applications made for “Area Wide” pest control where the treatment area exceeds 6,400 contiguous acres and containing waters of the U.S. will need to file a NOI ten (10) days prior to the application.

There are three levels of compliance, each based on application site and access, type of entity making the pesticide application, and the size or distance of the application to, over, or near waters of the U.S.

Level I have two subcategories (Level IA and Level IB).  The operator must insure applicators have TDA licenses for the application of restricted use or state-limited-use pesticides and regulated herbicides.  In addition, Level IA operators (applicators) must submit a written or electronic NOI along with the appropriate fee(s) ten days before they commence any applications in a “Pest Management Area (PMA).”  Annually they must file certain information for all pesticide applications to, over, or near waters of the U.S. with TCEQ.

Level IB operators (applicators) do not pay “NOI” fees, but they must submit a “Self Certification Letter” to the nearest TCEQ Regional Office ten (10) days before they commence any applications to, over, or near waters of the U.S.  If they use restricted use or state-limited use pesticides, the applicator must be licensed with TDA.  No annual reports are required.  However, if an adverse incident occurs, the applicator must report the event to TCEQ within 24 hours

Level II and Level III are not subcategorized and have no financial or reporting implications for any affected operators (applicators).  If restricted use or state-limited-use pesticides or regulated herbicides are applied, the applicator must have the appropriate TDA license.  If an adverse incident occurs, the applicator must report the event to TCEQ within 24 hours.

All operators (applicators), including homeowners must keep records of all applications of pesticides to, over, or near waters of the U.S. regardless of threshold limitations for three years.

 

Click TPDES General Permit Requirement Matrix (PDF), which delineates each application area and the compliance efforts, fees, licensing requirements and reporting responsibilities based on the level of compliance an operator falls under.

More information about the TPDES, NOI Letters, and self-certification letters can be found under the AES website “Links” section  http://www-aes.tamu.edu/links/

By Dr. Don Renchie, Professor and Team Leader, Ag & Environmental Safety

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

School Pest News Volume 10, Issue 8

Posted on by
AgriLife Logo

Contents

Section 1 Crazy ants making tracks through South Central Texas. 1

Section 2 IPM and IAQ inspections can find open floor and wall penetrations. 2

Additional Information – University of Florida – Tight Spaces. 3

Section 1 Crazy ants making tracks through South Central Texas

Travis County is one of the most recent areas of Texas to be invaded by crazies – in this case, Caribbean or Rasberry crazy ants, said entomologists with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Crazy ants get their name from their erratic movements as they do not trail in a straight line, but rather in a random pattern, the experts said. They are small, black ants with long legs and antennae, and upon first glance may resemble tiny spiders.

“Crazy ants don’t sting and they’re not really a health hazard in that they’re not a disease vector,” said Wizzie Brown, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management specialist for Travis County. “They’re basically an outdoor ant, but in their search for warmth, water, or food, they often come indoors.”

Brown said confirmed crazy ant identification in Travis County has been from the northwestern part of the county, near where Travis and Burnet counties meet.

She said once crazy ants find their way into a home it is easy for them to multiply and spread to different areas, especially into bathrooms, kitchens, and pantries.

“Although not harmful, crazy ants can certainly be very annoying, especially if they get into your food or invade your house in large numbers,” she said.

The main problem with crazy ants, she said, is that they just won’t go away.

“Once they have invaded an area, you will hardly ever hear about them leaving on their own accord,” Brown said. “They have a very high reproduction potential and tend to stick around.”

Crazy ants were already discovered in nearby Bexar County earlier this year, so residents there have been aware of them for several months.

“We’ve even had crazy ants at the AgriLife Extension office here in San Antonio,” said Molly Keck, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management specialist for Bexar County. “I’ve gotten calls from people all over the county saying they have them, but so far they really haven’t taken hold in any particular residential area.”

Keck said crazy ants love concrete, so sidewalks, driveways, or paved areas around the home provide them with an excellent habitat.

“To manage crazy ants, try some basic integrated pest management practices first,” she suggested. “Seal and caulk up small cracks and holes around windows and doors. Remove trash, leaf litter and other debris from near the house and keep food well hidden and off the pantry floor. Trash piles, discarded papers or magazines and cardboard are some favorite places for crazy ants to nest.”

Keck said chemical control is limited and there are few, if any, effective organic options.

“Barrier sprays around the foundation of the home and long concrete pathways are reasonably effective,” she said. “And indoor sprays at entry points may also keep them at bay. However, these are only temporary and will not permanently control crazy ants.”

For large quantities of crazy ants, both Keck and Brown recommended calling a pest control professional.

“You can manage small numbers of ants adequately with spray or barrier pesticides rated for ants,” Brown said. “But these control methods are less than effective against large ant populations, especially if they keep spreading to new areas.”

“You’re better off having pest control professionals managing large crazy ant populations because they are more experienced with pesticide mixtures and treatments,” Keck added. “Ultimately professionals tend to use far less pesticide than non-professionals.”

Both experts also noted that if county residents need help identifying a particular ant species, they may bring samples of the ants to the AgriLife Extension office in a closed baggie or small container with a well-fitting lid.

Brown can be contacted at 512-854-9600 or ebrown@ag.tamu.edu, and Keck at 210-467-6575 or mekeck@ag.tamu.edu.

 

Section 2 IPM and IAQ inspections can find open floor and wall penetrations

When a Facility Director receives complaints from teachers, staff, principals and others it leads to some type of investigation or inspection.  Investigations into indoor air quality (IAQ) complaints have revealed several cases where the IAQ of a classroom, staff office, or school building was adversely affected by an open and unsealed pipe penetration through a floor, wall, or ceiling of the building.  The next time you have an unknown problem consider these situations.

In each case, occupants of the classroom were experiencing an adverse reaction to an unknown airborne irritant that was not identifiable by visual traits or normal IAQ tests.  The occupants reported their concerns to the school administrator who contacted an IAQ consultant to conduct a building investigation.  In each case, the investigation revealed that an open floor or wall penetration was hidden from view.  The penetrations were either above a suspended ceiling, in an enclosed chase, behind cabinetry, or hided by a counter or other classroom furnishings.

During construction or renovations, the penetrations were made for passage of a pipe, conduit, or duct through an exterior floor or wall but were left unsealed due to insufficient construction funds to pay for proper sealing of the wall or floor opening.

In some cases, the penetration was for an abandoned building system but in most cases, the penetration was formed during the installation of a new building system.

The opened and unsealed penetration allowed contaminated exterior air to enter the interior space and the building’s HVAC air conveyance system.  The infiltration of this unconditioned air carried water vapor, particulate matter, gaseous odors, and infectious microbes into the school building.  The infiltrated water vapor increased the interior relative humidity and led to mold development or other microbial activity.  Airborne particles, gases, and microbes increased the adverse health effects of the classroom students and teachers.  In many cases, the unconditioned air was coming from a basement or crawl space with an earth or dirt floor.  Some openings were large enough for small rodents, skunks, or raccoons to enter the classroom.

School construction and renovation activities must include sufficient funding to properly seal these floor and wall penetrations during the construction phase.  If they are not sealed at this time, the costs to seal them will go up higher, since walls or furnishings that have to be removed to gain; access for the repair will require additional labor costs after the fact.  Once corrected these additional sealing procedures of these penetrations can improve the thermal efficiency of the School’s Heating and Air Conditioning system and save dollars from the district’s energy bills.  Funds for sealing penetrations in walls and floors must be included in the total school construction budget and should be considered before not after a new project is started.

This information is not complete without some vital images – Penetration images that can cause pest and odor problems to see the images most often found once the problem has been diagnosed.  Remember when you are conducting a school IPM inspection; there ARE areas that you should note as well on an inspection sheet.

Additional Information – University of Florida

Know the Facts: 90 years of tight spaces

 
  • The association between tight spaces as cockroach harborage has been known for over 90 years.
  • In 1975, Walter Ebeling, the father of urban entomology, wrote a textbook where he referenced a 1920 publication by Wille.
  • Ebeling credits Wille with determining that adult German cockroaches can “move about in space only 1.6 mm in width or depth.”
  • How much is 1.6 mm? 
    • About 0.06 inches, which is virtually meaningless to me.
    • However, my UF credit card is almost 1 mm thick.
    • So 1.6 mm would be just shy of the thickness of two credit cards.

Emphasis on clutter and sanitation

Why de-clutter?  The virtues of de-cluttering are endless:  eliminate breeding sites, increase ability to treat and most importantly, de-cluttering will help with all-important inspections and monitoring programs!

Does sanitation really improve treatment results?  We have a number of excellent cockroach products, particularly baits, but their efficacy can be compromised because of poor sanitation.  Sanitation includes de-cluttering and the removal of competing food sources, which will improve your treatment results.  Additionally, cleaning surfaces appropriately (soapy water with water rinse) will help remove grease that can compromise the effectiveness of some products as well as remove allergens deposited by cockroaches, which are known triggers for asthma.

Finally, cleaning surfaces of fecal spots will also remove pheromones will are responsible for cockroach aggregations.  The gregarious behavior of German cockroaches in association with pheromones has been recorded as early as 1945 by Ledoux.

For more information about school IPM, go to https://schoolipm.tamu.edu  

To join or leave this listserv, reply to this e-mail with SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject heading.

 Go Ahead!   Make Our Day! STEAL This NEWSLETTER!!

AgriLife Extension School IPM program gives permission for you (IPM Coordinators, Maintenance & Operations Directors, teachers, custodians, and other interested parties) to steal this or past newsletters. In fact, we beg you to pass this newsletter on, steal articles to use in your own school’s newsletter. Our newsletters are for informational and educational purposes. Our objective is to educate everyone about IPM.

 

Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Praise for another successful Statewide School IPM Coordinators Conference

Posted on by
AgriLife Logo

I would first like to thank all the individuals who gave their time to speak at the conference, I know for some of you, this took you away from your home and family, and we appreciate it. Second I would like to thank TASBO for their support of this conference, we really could not have done it without you. To the TIPMAPS Board – you all deserve a “round of applause” thank you for helping with obtaining door prize items; speaking, helping with set up and making sure sign in sheets were completed. Finally, thank you all who attended this workshop, we had a small group (132) but you were all engaged. All the talks have been posted to the TASBO website. Click here to be directed to that page.

For those of you who could not make it or were not aware of this conference – start planning now! The Facility Masters Group will be meeting with TIPMAPS to determine the date and location of the conference next year. Know this, the Statewide School IPM Coordinators Conference is here to stay, so if you need CEU credit or really want to make your IPM program successful, this is the conference for you, budget for it.

If you are not a TIPMAPS member, please contact or download a membership form from www.tipmaps.org :

Paul Duerre, CIE – President TIPMAPS
Environmental Specialist, Killeen ISD
O 254-336-0071
C 254-681-0442
Paul.Duerre@killeenisd.org

John Gann RTSBA, CPSI, ATEM – Vice President TIPMAPS
Director of Maintenance, Keller ISD
O-817-744-3958
C-817-456-4201
John.Gann@kellerisd.net

Charles “C G” Cezeaux, RTSBA – Treasurer TIPMAPS
Director of Operations, Spring ISD
O 281-891-6425
C 713-594-0217
charlesc@springisd.org

A.J. Clinton – Secretary TIPMAPS
Maintenance Director, Springtown ISD
O 817-523-7375
C 817-980-7014
AClinton@springtownisd.net

Here is some of what you missed at the conference

Dr. Tom Green explains to the crowd about dirty floor drains and how they affect an IPM program.

 

 

Dr. Green presents Katy ISD with their IPM Star Award

Spring ISD receives their IPM Star award and Dr. Green loved their green IPM shirts as well!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Myers, Klein ISD receives the plaque for their IPM Star Award.   All three schools will also receive certificates and recognition in front of their school board later this year.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

School Pest News VOLUME 10, ISSUE 7

Posted on by
AgriLife Logo

SECTION 1 THREE TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR IPM EFFORTS
By Steve Byrns
Students aren’t the only ones in class this fall; unwanted insect and animal pests of all shapes and sizes also “attend school” at times, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist II.

Janet Hurley, AgriLife Extension school integrated pest management specialist in Dallas, said school districts across the state face a constant invasion of pests to the degree that since 1995 every independent school district in the state is required to have an integrated pest management coordinator.
Hurley said three school districts in the Houston area, Katy, Klein and Spring independent school districts, all recently earned the IPM Star certification after passing a rigorous 37-point inspection.

“The IPM Star evaluates school systems and childcare centers for integrated pest management or IPM, which is a common-sense approach to solving pest problems with a minimum amount of pesticide use,” Hurley said.

“All three school districts will be receiving national recognition for their work during the 2011 Statewide School IPM Coordinators Conference set for Nov.
16-17 in San Marcos,” she said. “Dr. Tom Green, the conference keynote speaker and president of the IPM Institute of North America, will present the awards.
“Winning this honor is no easy feat, because it really takes commitment on the part of the whole school district to make this achievement happen. It’s quite an honor.” Hurley said Spring ISD started their integrated pest management program in 1995.

Prior to that, they were essentially in a reactive mode when it came to dealing with unwanted critters. Since then they have all but eliminated the use of harsh pesticides in favor of only the safest products which, when applied correctly and only as needed, have provided effective and longer-lasting control than the methods used previously.
Klein ISD has a similar story, she said. Their school district looks at ways to solve pest problems without chemicals whenever possible. This includes sealing insect entry ways and using individual control methods which allows them to seldom resort to broad spectrum approaches.

Katy ISD is one of the fastest growing school districts in Texas and the nation and since it is located in a relatively rural setting, pests of many types are a constant concern, Hurley said.

“Katy ISD uses tactics similar to the other two winning school districts by employing a proactive approach to IPM that relies on proper sanitation, pest exclusion and monitoring as their first line of defense before resorting to any chemical use. They also have an active mentoring and educational program that provides opportunities for teaching other school districts similar successful tactics.”

To learn more about the three winning school districts’ programs or about integrated pest management in schools see, https://schoolipm.tamu.edu .

To find out more on the 2011 Statewide School IPM Coordinators Conference http://www.tasbo.org/training/ipm-coordinators-conference we are offering 6 CE credits for school IPM coordinators. Walk-ins welcome – $125 payment made to TASBO

SECTION 2 EPA IMPROVES THE PESTICIDE PRODUCT LABEL SYSTEM
EPA recently launched an improved version of the Pesticide Product Label system (PPLS). Below is an excerpt from an email from the director of the OPP IT division. A link is at the top of the OPP homepage.  PPLS was first created as a CD-based tool in the late 1990’s and moved to the internet around 2001. As you know, the old PPLS provided access to EPA approved labels via the EPA registration number. These files were TIFF images — an older technology which is really only an image or picture of a document. These files were increasingly difficult to access as computer technology evolved. You may recall that many of us had problems accessing these TIFF files using our new CTS computers.

Since then PPLS has become an essential part of our historical record and a resource and is heavily used by us and outside groups, particularly our state regulatory partners. Many users, both internal and external, have expressed interest in modernizing PPLS and we drew from everyone’s ideas and
suggestions in our design for this new version. Particularly, I want to thank those who have participated in demo sessions over the last several months and provided very useful input to our design.

New Features

As you explore this new version, you will find some new enhancements, including the following:
All 170,00+ labels have upgraded from TIFF images to text searchable PDFs. You can now use the search feature in Adobe Acrobat to search the text of an individual label. New options for finding labels. On the front page of PPLS, we have added the ability to search by product name and company name, in addition to the traditional search by registration number.

Google-like interface. Start typing in a product or company name and the new PPLS will start suggesting options for your search. Information on transfers. This new version of PPLS has information on when and to whom a product has been transferred. When a product has been transferred, a tab will appear with the details of its transfer history.
New flexible format. We are using a new web technology that allows you to easily refine your results, resort columns, reorganize the results, and download to a spreadsheet, if you like.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION – INSECTS IN THE NEWS
Recluse spiders by Wizzie Brown, Extension Program Specialist II
With the holidays quickly approaching (holy crikey Thanksgiving is only two weeks away!), many people will begin to venture into garages, attics and storage areas to get out decorations. My husband and I generally have a heated discussion as to when all the stuff will come out- hubby likes it right after Thanksgiving (possibly even right after we get finished eating) while I prefer to wait until December rolls around. Only time will tell who will triumph this year….
Anyway, back to y’all taking out decorations. I really recommend that you wear leather gloves to avoid spider bites when venturing into those little-disturbed areas to dig out those once a year decorations. There are numerous spiders that may lurk in areas that are seldom disturbed, but recluse spiders are ones that could cause concern. I don’t want to make you panic or be paranoid, I just want you to take precautions.

Recluse spiders are also known as fiddle-back or violin spiders. While many people use the violin shaped marking on the cephalothorax (the front part of the spider’s body) as a key characteristic, there are other spiders that have similar markings that may be mistaken for recluse spiders. The key characteristic is the eye pattern which is three pairs of eyes, called dyads. There is one dyad in the front center and then a dyad on each side in the front (see image).

Recluse spider. Image courtesy of Mike Merchant.
Recluse spiders come by their name because they do not like to be out in the open and are reclusive. They hunt at night and during the day hide in dark areas. They may be found in cracks and crevices, under plywood, tarps or in boxes among other places. Recluse spiders do not occur everywhere, so here is a distribution map to see if they’re in your part of the US.

The venom causes necrotic skin lesions that usually heal fine as long as they are tended to in a proper manner. If you are bitten by a spider, it is recommended that you capture the spider to have it identified. If you are concerned about any reaction to a spider bite, see a physician.

So when you’re digging out those holiday decorations (whether it’s right after Thanksgiving or in December), take care and wear some gloves for protection.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DATES TO LOOK FOR:

66th Texas A&M University Urban Pest Management Conference and Workshop
Date: January 11 -13, 2012
Location: Brazos Center, Bryan, TX http://pcoconference.tamu.edu/

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

EPA Takes Next Step to Cancel 20 Mouse and Rat Control Products Used in Homes

Posted on by
AgriLife Logo

Action will reduce accidental exposures to harmful chemicals

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today took another step in the process to cancel 20 mouse and rat control products that do not adequately protect people, particularly young people, from exposure to toxic chemicals. EPA has determined that safer rodent control products are now widely available, effective, and affordable. The products EPA plans to remove from the consumer market are those that contain the most toxic and persistent active ingredients, products sold as loose bait and pellets and any remaining products without protective bait stations, which keep children, pets and other animals from accessing the enclosed rodenticide bait.

This action would further implement a 2008 decision in which EPA identified risk reduction measures to protect children, pets and wildlife from harmful chemicals in rodent control products. EPA asked manufacturers of consumer-use rodenticide products to adopt these new, more protective measures by June 2011. Many companies now sell new products that meet the updated safety requirements. When used as directed, these products help consumers control household rodents and reduce accidental exposure. A list of these products and tips to safely control rodents is available on EPA’s website:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/mice-and-rats/consumer-prod.html

As part of the administrative cancellation process in section 6(b) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA will convene its FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) to provide independent input on the scientific basis for the proposed cancellation of the 20 products. The public meeting will take place November 29 through December 1, 2011. EPA will also seek comment from the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services prior to issuing a Notice of Intent to Cancel to the manufacturers of the non-conforming rodenticide products.

The companies that have not adopted the new more protective measures include: Reckitt Benckiser Inc. makers of D-Con, ; Spectrum Group makers of Hot Shot and Rid-a-Rat; and Liphatech Inc. makers of Generation rodent control products.

More information on EPA’s review of rodenticides: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/mice-and-rats

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

October is Children’s Health Month

Posted on by
AgriLife Logo

October is Children’s Health Month as you can see from a statement sent out by Lisa Jackson, Administrator U.S. EPA.

EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection (OCHP) posted this article (see link below) this month of October for Children’s Health Month.  From the University of PA, an article on the “Importance of a Safe and Healthy School Environment: Pests, Pesticides and Children” will be posted on the EPA website.  The article focuses on: What is IPM?, The steps of IPM, Head Lice at school and home, and bed bugs.  The PA IPM Program is a collaboration between PSU and PA Dept. of Ag aimed at promoting IPM both in agricultural and urban situations.

http://extension.psu.edu/ipm/news/2011/importance-of-a-safe-and-healthy-school-environment-pests-pesticides-and-children

 

In addition to this article you will also find a couple documents that deal with Asthma, asthma triggers and how integrated pest management can help reduce indoor allergens.  Remember IAQ and IPM do go hand in hand. October is a good month to remind students and staff about possible allergen and asthma triggers that can happen inside and out.

American Council on Science and Health – Asthma [PDF]

Allergy & Asthma Today – We are what we breathe [PDF]

Reducing Your child’s Asthma using IPM: a Practical Guide for Parents around the Home

 

Dear Colleagues:
Every year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency celebrates October as Children’s Health Month. A critical part of our mission to protect human health and the environment is addressing the vulnerabilities of children exposed to pollution and doing all we can to protect their health and ensure a brighter future. I am proud of the many actions taken across the agency’s programs and regions to ensure that our children have a safe environment in which they can live, learn and play.

This year, Children’s Health Month focuses on clean, green and healthy schools. We are celebrating the many EPA activities that contribute to healthy school environments and that support children’s health and academic achievement. The EPA plays an important role in ensuring healthy indoor air for young students and encouraging well-located, thoughtfully designed, soundly built and efficiently operated schools. By fostering a safe and healthy environment for children, teachers and other staff, we can help our nation’s children reach their full potential inside and outside the classroom.

There are a range of Children’s Health Month activities planned throughout October and many opportunities for EPA staff to promote healthy school environments and to address other pressing children’s health issues. I encourage you to take a moment to visit the EPAs Children’s Health Month website for a list of events and activities and to learn more about our agency’s special responsibility to safeguard children’s health.

As EPA Administrator and as a mother, I am grateful for your continued efforts to protect children from environmental health threats. Thank you again for all of your hard work.

Sincerely,

Lisa P. Jackson

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Got ants in your pantry? Tiny ants can be big bother to many South Central Texas homeowners

Posted on by
AgriLife Logo

Pharaohs and rovers sighted in homes throughout South Central Texas!

No, it’s not a tabloid headline. The pharaohs aren’t related to King Tut or Ramses, and the rovers aren’t really too wild. However, these two diminutive ant species – found in pantries, on kitchen counters, and in and around sinks — can be a big bother for many South Central Texas residents, said Texas AgriLife Extension Service experts.

“These ants typically become more active in the summer,” said Wizzie Brown, integrated pest management specialist for AgriLife Extension in Travis County. “Usually people immediately think any small, abundant ants making trails – usually to and from food or water sources in the home — are pharaoh ants, but they might be rover ants. Though different species, both types of ant are very small and move single-file in a row, so it’s easy to be confused.”

Brown said, however, that rover ants are darker – a dark brown or almost black color as opposed to the pharaoh ant’s orange or rust color. Also, rovers are outdoor ants that come indoors searching for food and water – an activity that has become more prevalent with the region’s prolonged drought.

“Pharaoh ants are also known as sugar ants due to their preference for sugary or sweet foods, and are also called pissants,” she said.

While rover ants come indoors from the outside, pharaoh ants are already in the home, and only need a little encouragement to come out, Brown said.

“The pharaoh ant is really about the only ant you can call a strictly urban ant in that it usually lives indoors, making its home behind walls or under appliances or carpet,” said Molly Keck, integrated pest management specialist in Bexar County. “They’re often found going into or coming out of the cover plates of electrical outlets. The outlets make it easier for them to access interior walls and they can use the wires as their super-highway to your kitchen or bathroom.”

Rover ants typically make their home in the leaf litter on roofs or in gutters or under rocks, stones or concrete, she added.

“While rover ants will eat sweet foods when they get really hungry, they seem to be most attracted to foods containing protein, such as dog food or meat,”
she said. “You’ll more often find them clustered around a small piece of meat than something sugary.”

Like other ants, rover ants that invade homes will often nest in damp interior walls around plumbing or near leaky window sills.
Keck said the diminutive size of both species makes them relatively unobtrusive – unless moving en masse in a long trail across a household surface — and that neither species has much of a bite.

Still, most people consider the ants a pest and are interested in ways to control them, Brown noted.

“Ant baits are the best method of control for both types,” Brown said. “You don’t want to use a spray on either of these species as that likely will split up the colony and ultimately lead to more ants in more locations,” she said. “You need to be aware of differences in baits and the safest and most effective ways to apply or set them out.”

“Typically there are only liquid baits or bait stations labeled for indoor use to control pharaoh ants, so you shouldn’t go putting a pile of ant bait in your kitchen or bathroom,” Keck warned.

Keck said she prefers to use a solid bait to control pharaoh ants and a gel or liquid bait to control rover ants.

“Rover ants can enter your house through weep holes, cracks or any other opening large enough to fit through,” she said. “For better pest control, you should seal any cracks or openings around windows and doors as well as other possible points of entry.

“Outdoors, remove the remnants of any uneaten dog food, and trim the grass touching your house and the branches touching your roof as these may provide a means of access. Indoors, remove food sources – bread, cakes, chips, etc. – from kitchen surfaces and clean those surfaces thoroughly before using the bait.”

Brown noted that removing alternative food sources makes the ant bait more appealing to the ants.

“But if the ants don’t seem to be eating the bait, you may want to try a different type,” she said. “For example, some ant baits are sugar-based and others are protein-based, so the effectiveness of the bait may depend on the type of ant and the sort of food the ants are seeking.”

Brown said placing a bait station near the area where the ants appear to be most active is likely the best approach to control.

“But if you’re using a bait, be sure to keep it out of the reach of children and pets, and particularly keep it away from places where your cat might be able to get to it,” she said. She added that since pharaoh ants often enter and exit thought electrical outlets, taking the cover plate off and dabbing a small amount of gel bait in the wall void can be very effective.

“Many people think you have to put a lot of gel in there to do any good, but a small amount is plenty to be effective,” she said. “Just remember to scrape off the old bait before putting on any new bait since the bait will dry and harden over time.”

Brown and Keck both noted that while the ants are not a major health threat, they can potentially transmit disease and contaminate sterile materials – a particular problem in a hospital or similar setting where a high level of sanitation needs to be maintained.

“For both ant species, it’s important that you choose the right type of control because of their ability to disperse and repopulate,” Brown said. “That’s why it is so difficult for some people to get rid of them. They’re persistent and can re-establish quickly, so you have to manage them properly so they don’t relocate and repopulate in multiple locations.”

Print Friendly, PDF & Email