Ant Baiting
Ants are a lucrative source of revenue for pest control companies, especially if you are able to control them efficiently and effectively. The most common products available for controlling them are liquid residual sprays (both of the fast-acting and slow-acting varieties…aka repellents or non-repellents) and baits. In this video we are going to focus on baiting for ants.
Baits can be broadly assigned to three groups: granules, liquids, and gels. Liquids and gels are generally carbohydrate or sugar-based and perform well on sugar-loving ants. Granules tend to be protein and/or fat-based and thus perform well ants ants that prefer a heartier meal. Lets discuss how these different baits should be applied Ryan Speaking to camera
Baiting with granular baits
Granular baits are formulated as a carrier, usually corn grit, soaked or coated with an attractive food matrix combined with an undetectable insecticide. The granules are generally broadcast by hand or using a hand spreader. In extreme cases, as with RIFA control over large areas, they can be spread via aircraft or helicopter. Granular baits are typically used for controlling fire ants, carpenter ants, velvety tree ants, and other species that prefer a granule over a gel or liquid based food source.
Liquid and gel baits tend to be sugary baits that are preferred by sugar-loving ants. Think Argentine, OHA, rover, ghost, and white-footed ants. Another giveaway is if ants are foraging up trees, which often means they’re getting honeydew produced by scales or other honeydew-producing insects.
Liquid baits are usually deposited inside a bait station and placed near active foraging trails. Care should be take not to place baits out in open where children, pets, and other non-targets can access them.
While everyone has their preferred method for baiting, we generally recommend against baiting indoors unless there is an active colony nesting within the structure (and even then I would generally recommend finding and treating the nest directly if possible rather than baiting). Many watching this video have baited indoors and not seen ants after. The problem is that when populations are large it’s only a matter of time before they return. Save yourself the potential callback and start by treating the ants closer to their outdoor source. If you do need to bait indoors, try to bait in discreet locations. Under sinks, behind refrigerators, behind dishwashers, and behind cabinets.
When you bait indoors you reinforce the trail leading to that bait. While the actual trail pheromone will disappear after several hours or days, there are other pheromones which last for months that can lead to reinfestation down the road. Another reason not to bait indoors if the colonies are located on the exterior is it takes significantly more time for the active ingredient to reach the colony or colonies. Baiting outdoors reduces the time and distance to get the bait where it needs to go, which increases efficiency and efficacy of your treatment.
Keep in mind when you bait outdoors to avoid direct sunlight and areas that could be affected by irrigation or rain. Ants, especially those that quickly mass recruit to resources like Argentine and odorous house ants, can consume large amounts of bait in the space of 1-2 hours. The bait doesn’t need to last a long time, just long enough for foraging ants to consume it.
By combining baiting, especially on the exterior, with slow-acting liquid residuals, you can further increase treatment efficacy through the “Attract-and-Kill” method. Using Sumari gel bait to lure ants over areas treated with Sumari liquid is an excellent way to take out large ant populations without having to go back and retreat. See our other video on the “Attract and kill” approach for more info.
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ABOUT MGK
Founded in 1902 and based in Minnesota, MGK sells insect control products throughout the world spanning several industries including professional pest control, consumer home and pet products, animal health, and crop protection.
An affiliate of Sumitomo Chemical Company, MGK is a worldwide leader in the development and distribution of the botanical insecticide pyrethrum as well as a wide range of conventional insect control technologies. MGK and its subsidiaries employ 250 people at its facilities in North America and Africa.
The company’s mission is to make life healthier by creating responsible products that protect people and their environments from the impact of insects.
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