Anyone focus on Fire Ant control

[tinman]

Just like to hear experiences with controlling fire ants as a major part of your business. thanks

[shortgrass01]

good tip, how every subpressing these guys arnt easy. At best you can make them move off to the next yard.
I I watched a thing on tv about these guys and how they can cotrol these ants with a fly that lays eggs underneath the head of an ant. Killing the mound.
if you disturb these mounds in any way they just move and make a new mound some where else.
Im no pro tho, However I have fought them to a draw..

[Ric]

shortgrass01

The trick to Fire Ant Control is plenty of water to soak the insecticide in.

Tinman

You ask about a subject very near and dear to me. I was out of business for a few years and then started back up about a year and half ago. My Plan was to do only Fire Ant Control. No Large inventory of Chemicals and a very good margin with very little stress was the plan. I named my new company ANTS and my Phone # ends with 2687 or the word ANTS. I was all set to Market Fire Ant Control only, along with Inside pest control. When My old crew who bought me out found out I was spraying, They send me so much business from old customers I stopped marketing Fire Ant Control and have been doing Fine yards. I hooked up with some other LCO's who have send me a lot of business also. This last Phone book I took a one inch in column ad saying "Got Fire Ants call XXX ANTS (2687)". I have picked up a few straight Ant Control Customer but I am at 95% Fine Yards and 5% Fire Ants. I would rather be at 95% Fire Ants and forget the hassle of Fine Yards. But I still have not really started a Market plan to sell Fire Ant control other than the phone book.

Do I think it is a excellent business model?? I know it is because I see others making a nice living doing it. But I am at the age (68) where I don't want to do physical work all day long. I need an younger person who wants to build a business to help me. If I can find that person who is honest and hard working, I would set them up for life and give them right of survivor ship in the Fire Ant business. Of Course finding that person is the problem and just to make sure they are committed, I would want them to buy in so that had more than a pay check invested. Their Buy In would only go towards Marketing and not into my pocket.

BTW I started a thread here just to try and see if anyone was interested. Because I was offering an opportunity and not a free pay check, I had ZERO response. People would rather complain about how hard it is to get Fla Pesticide license, rather than working toward a future.

[azjojo99]

I think doing just fire ants would be hard to make serious money. Most, if not all, the pest control and lawn care guys around here offer it as a service. Many home owners are willing to buy a few shaker cans a year at the home stores or Walmart. Covering all your overhead with just fire ants, I don't know about that.

[Ric]

I think doing just fire ants would be hard to make serious money. Most, if not all, the pest control and lawn care guys around here offer it as a service. Many home owners are willing to buy a few shaker cans a year at the home stores or Walmart. Covering all your overhead with just fire ants, I don't know about that.

azjojo

I don't believe Fire Ants are as bad in SC as they are in Fla or Ga. or all the way to South West Texas.

When researching a Market we should look at two basic factors. First the Need. Yes the deep south has a greater Need than transitional states. But because of the Fire Ant's Sting there is also a big demand for services. If the Fire Ant didn't sting then people might Need Services but not demand them.

I feel there is enough Demand in my area to keep many pest control companies busy doing nothing but Fire Ant Control.

[humble1]

Ric, Did you get a call from some ahole in Florida saying he would sue you for using got fire ants? I had Got Ants? on my ant control page of my website. Apparently there is a guy in Florida that patented Got Ants? and any thing involving the words Got Ants? involving ant control is in violation of the patent law, I got a letter from him and his attourney, they gave me a month to remove it or they were going to sue me. Sorry for the rant but was wondering if he contacted you also?

[Ric]

Ric, Did you get a call from some ahole in Florida saying he would sue you for using got fire ants? I had Got Ants? on my ant control page of my website. Apparently there is a guy in Florida that patented Got Ants? and any thing involving the words Got Ants? involving ant control is in violation of the patent law, I got a letter from him and his attourney, they gave me a month to remove it or they were going to sue me. Sorry for the rant but was wondering if he contacted you also?

Humble

It is a rainy Sunday Morning and I am not in the best spirits. Please don't tell that because I played that game with Lawn Doctor not so long ago. My Phone book ad says GOT ANTS call xxx ANTS (2687).

BTW From William Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew" "First we kill all the Lawyers"

[humble1]

Humble

It is a rainy Sunday Morning and I am not in the best spirits. Please don't tell that because I played that game with Lawn Doctor not so long ago. My Phone book ad says GOT ANTS call xxx ANTS (2687).

BTW From William Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew" "First we kill all the Lawyers"

Ric PM sent with his name and company. I searched the trademark office and he owns rights to it when refering to pest control.

[gregory]

I think doing just fire ants would be hard to make serious money. Most, if not all, the pest control and lawn care guys around here offer it as a service. Many home owners are willing to buy a few shaker cans a year at the home stores or Walmart. Covering all your overhead with just fire ants, I don't know about that.

like ric said down in south florida fire ants are a huge problem.. one night you have nothing in your yard you walk out the next morning and there is a fire ant condo in your front yard they can and will build a huge mound over night.......


ric is right i have spoken to him and there is great gp in fire ant control and the way and what he sprays.. ric i am sure if your fire ant control was 95% of your buiness you would maybe work 2-3days a week and be sitting on a healthy bank account.....

[Ric]

like ric said down in south florida fire ants are a huge problem.. one night you have nothing in your yard you walk out the next morning and there is a fire ant condo in your front yard they can and will build a huge mound over night.......


ric is right i have spoken to him and there is great gp in fire ant control and the way and what he sprays.. ric i am sure if your fire ant control was 95% of your buiness you would maybe work 2-3days a week and be sitting on a healthy bank account.....

Karl

Like I said before, I will be happy to set you up in the Fire Ant Control business in your area. :)

[humble1]

Karl

Like I said before, I will be happy to set you up in the Fire Ant Control business in your area. :)

Ah I wish we had fire ants.

[gregory]

i can box some up and ups them up to you if you want them.. i remember growing and my dad calling them piss ants b/c they bite the piss out of you......

[GTP]

I do about 50% fire ants and 50% fert/weed control. I started thinking seriously about just doing fire ants last year because this is not my primary job and like Ric said, the equipment, overhead, etc. is so minimal on the fire ant side that it makes for a lot less hassle. I think you can make a go at it with just fire ants if you can get a lot of small lawns and maybe entire neighborhoods. In my area, most lawns are at least a half-acre with most being closer to an acre. This makes Top Choice a tough sell against the off the shelf stuff. I use Advion and liquid insecticide and can make pretty good profit, even on bigger yards. What area of GA are you in?

[Ric]

i can box some up and ups them up to you if you want them.. i remember growing and my dad calling them piss ants b/c they bite the piss out of you......

ROFLMAO

Yep before they sting you, they bite to hold on so they can Sting you even harder. People will often ask if they Sting or Bite? They do both and normally all at the same time. Insects talk by smells, The arlam smell goes out even if you smash a Fire Ant and all the rest go on the attack.

Do a Search here on Lawnsite. About 5 years ago I posted a small novel about Fire Ants. I am too lazy to search for the link and way too lazy to retype it.

GTP

Everyone's Market is different. Even Gregory's area is different than mine yet we are but one town apart or 20 miles. Our soil has very low CEC or chemical holding power, It is all Sand. Top Choice might work great in your area but in ours it leaches out long before the year is over. Therefore what works best is Bi Monthly Treatment. Baits work good in the dry season here, But Baits have limitations also. Advion works fast on Fire Ants but doesn't effect Pavement or Pyramid Ants. Customer don't want to hear Pavement and Pyramid Ants don't sting and not to worry about them. Other Baits take 4 to 6 weeks to gain control. Economy reason as well as excellent control, I use Liquid insecticide and lots of water. Fact is Cost wise, I almost feel like I am stealing. But remember it takes a lot of Marketing to build routes. If you want to get rich, then start marketing like TruGreen.

[tinman]

thanks for all the replies especially ric.