Arkansas PMP donates TopChoice to local park

LITTLE ROCK, AR — Just in time for fire ant season, Murray Park will receive a donation of TopChoice fire ant control from Command Pest Control & Fairway Lawns, a local lawn care and pest control company, and Bayer Environmental Science, developers of the TopChoice technology.

TopChoice, a professionally-applied granular insecticide spread on grass and plant beds like fertilizer, provides unsurpassed control of fire ants for a full year with a single application, the company says.

“I’ve seen first hand how dangerous fire ants can be to people and pets. We at Command Pest Control & Fairway Lawns want Little Rock-area families to know there is a better way to help keep your loved ones safe from these dangerous creatures,” says Nigel Peet, branch manager of Command Pest Control & Fairway Lawns. “TopChoice attains unsurpassed control of fire ants for one year, eliminating existing mounds and preventing new mounds from forming. It is a truly revolutionary way to fight fire ants.”

Murray Park, located along the Arkansas River, is a perfect location to go walking with pets, or taking kids to spend the day. The park is filled with bike and jogging paths that wind along the river, and includes eight pavilions, three soccer fields, two playgrounds and a boat dock. Command Pest Control & Fairway Lawns will focus the TopChoice application on the 100 most active acres of the park.

“With so many guests spending time in our parks each year, we can’t take chances with fire ants. We are excited to be able to provide a new level of fire ant control to those visiting Murray Park,” says Jim Sick, deputy director of maintenance and pest control for Murray Park. “Murray is one of the hottest park spots in Little Rock, especially during the summer months, and it is our responsibility to make sure it is a pleasant and safe experience for every visitor.”

“Fire ants are a particular issue in heavily populated urban areas like Little Rock, and where families spend a lot of time outdoors,” says John Fortino, Bayer Environmental Science. “To protect kids and pets, grounds managers and homeowners should consider a professionally-applied preventative insecticide like TopChoice.”

Recent studies indicate that fire ants, which currently infest more than 325 million acres across the southern United States, sting more than 20 million adults and children each year. This number will continue to grow as fire ants move northward and westward. Studies also show that 10 to 15 percent of those stung by fire ants experience severe localized allergic reactions, with one to two percent experiencing dangerous systemic reactions that, in rare cases, result in death.

Symptoms of fire ants stings that may require immediate medical attention include shortness of breath, thickening of the tongue, nausea, sweating, dizziness or chest pain.

“Within the first four to six weeks of a TopChoice application, ants unknowingly come in contact with the product and bring it back to contaminate and eliminate the rest of the mound in what is known as the “Domino Effect,” says Fortino. “Unlike temporary fixes, the Domino Effect means the entire ant colony is destroyed, not just surface ants. The product remains in the soil to prevent new colonies from forming.”

TopChoice is labeled for use on home lawns, commercial lawns, golf courses, sports fields, cemeteries, parks, school grounds and other recreational areas. It has been successfully used on tens of thousands of acres throughout the South including areas of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.