Bayer Environmental Science once again held its Fire Ant Free Schools Program in 2006, which offered qualified public and private schools one free bag of TopChoice, the company’s revolutionary fire ant prevention technology, with every two bags purchased. The 2006 promotion was available to schools Apr. 1 through Oct. 31. TopChoice, a granular insecticide spread over turf like fertilizer, both controls and prevents fire ants for one year with a single, professional application.
“Bayer realizes that schools are zero-tolerance zones when it comes to fire ants. We believe that the best way to combat fire ant infestations is to prevent them in the first place,” says Bryan Gooch, business manager, insecticides, Bayer Environmental Science.
Fire ants, which currently infest more than 325 million acres across the southern U.S., pose a serious and growing public health threat – injuring more than 20 million people each year with their stings. A full-blown colony of fire ants can number up to 500,000 members. When disturbed, hundreds, sometimes thousands of ants, will attack an intruder, inflicting painful stings that, in the most severe cases, can be life threatening. Studies show that 10 to 15 percent of those stung by fire ants experience severe localized allergic reactions.
Next year’s program will kick off in spring 2007. For more information about TopChoice, visit www.nofireants.com, contact your local Bayer ES sales representative, or Bayer customer service at 800/331-2867.