I've received some technical review on this fire-ant-control report by means of the Internet. The following is the technical review and then my response to it.
On Tue, 19 Mar 1996 mitchald@ix.netcom.com wrote: I just read your feasibility study on treating fire ants on a ten-acre plot. I thought it was very clear and concise. I have two questions about some of the arithmetic conclusions. The first is in the Toxicity section. Should the practical answer be that a fifteen kilogram dog requires 1131 mg of active ingredient times 15 or approximately seventeen grams of active ingredient. This would mean three to four pounds of Amdro product not three to four pounds of active ingredient. The second question involves the treatment amounts. Since the infestation involves eighty mounds per acre and treatment involves five tablespoons per mound, doesn't this mean 400 tablespoons per acre? This equates to ten pounds per acre since there are about forty tablespoons per pound. The toxic limit is one and one half pounds per acre, therefore there is not the capability of applying enough Amdro to achieve the kill ratios from the test studies. Broadcasting of a pound per care will not achieve the same degree of kill as five tablespoons per mound. If I am incorrect please let me know. But it seems to me that if my ratios are correct then you cannot treat this kind of infestation with Amdro. Thanks for you time and for the article. Mitch Alderman