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Basic Ant Management
These methods work for many ants species, but not all.
This part of our website is all about ants and control of Carpenter Ants, Argentine Ants,
Black Ants, Crazy Ants , Ants, Fireants, and pictures of ants.
Good Ant control is best done with a 5-step process.
1. Correct identification. This is absolutely essential in selecting the control techniques to be used. Several species can be controlled with insecticide baits, while others may require wood and/or void injections of insecticides. Some are best controlled utilizing IGR baits (i.e. Award and Logic).
2. Location of the nest(s). Nest location is critical in determining if the ants are coming from outside or from within the structure. Ants tend to trail along/in corners or along/on edges such as the top of baseboards, the edges of countertops and splash boards, or under the edges of carpets (remember the "tack strip" used to fasten the carpet to the floor"?, and they tend to use the tops of wires and pipes in walls as a highway system. Location of the nest can many times be accomplished by following the trail of foraging workers back from the food source. Such workers will have their abdomens swollen and/or they will be carrying bits of food in their mandibles. Outside, be sure to pull back the grass from around foundation walls and the edges of concrete sidewalks and driveways because ants will trail below the grass line where they cannot be seen; likewise check below the mulch line. Check under and/or in objects laying on the ground such as stones, boards, logs, firewood, landscape timbers, debris, etc., and tree trunks for tree-infesting species. After the nest(s) is located, direct pesticide application will usually eliminate it. I prefer one material to use Suspend SC for direct application using a hand pump sprayer. Depending on the nest location, use aerosol like Whitmire MicroCare or dust (Delta Dust) as is appropriate.
3. Baiting. This is often the most effective or only way to control some ant species-e.g. Pharaoh ants, fire ants. Baits for more species are becoming commercially available, and this will eventually be the preferred method of control in most instances.
4. Perimeter barrier treatment. Such barriers are usually effective in reducing or preventing outside entry. This includes the application of an appropriately labeled pesticide, with repellent microencapsulated and wettable powder formulations working best. Occasionally, treatment of outside perimeter wall voids is desirable. In this case, long lasting highly repellent dusts are ideal if moisture conditions permit, otherwise boric acid or borates should probably be used. Treatment of infested trees may be required for tree-nesting species such as carpenter and velvety tree ants. Ground fumigation may be required to control such species as leaf-cutter ants, while mound drenches may control other species.
5. Non-chemical control methods. These should be used when applicable. Depending on the ant species involved, these may include one or more of the following:
- Sanitation to remove ant food, removal of plants attractive to ants
- Changing landscaping to discourage ants and/or plants attractive to aphids (plantlice), tree and shrub trimming to eliminate entrance via branches
- Reducing moisture sources including condensation, sealing pipe and utility line entrances, and replacing outside hollow-core doors with solid doors.
- A new material I like to utilize whenever possible is called Nougard. This material is the essence of jalapenos peppers and should be used with extreme care so as not to get the liquid on your skin where possible rubbing of the eyes may occur. This works for several months to control ants.
We Recommend the Following Products:
Suspend SC An emulsifiable concentrate that, when mixed with water provides quick knock-down and residual control
Whitmire MicroCare An aerosol spray with good residual capacity
Delta Dust A dust with unique properties allowing it to remain effective even though it has become wet
Cynoff WP A wettable powder that is effective against ants, Carpenter ants, Carpenter bees, centipedes, chiggers, cockroaches, earwigs, fleas, millipedes, pill bugs, fireants (mound), scorpions, spiders, termites and wasps.
TopChoice
Pest King Three-Way Ant Bait Kit - Includes three basic food requirements that most, if not all ants utilize in their everyday foraging; Basic kit comes with the same products above, except a 10 ounce shaker-container of insect granules is included for baiting the perimeter of your home.
- Maxforce Ant Gel w/Fipronil The newest bait designed with an irresistible food source and active ingredient
- Maxforce Insect Granules (fine)
- Assortment of tips and plunger for syringe application to areas of concern
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