Baiting Ants Chapter 3 Section II – General Pest Control Basics of the Pest Bear & Affiliates Service Personnel Development Program , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Introduction Ants are the second highest revenue generators in the pest control field cockroaches are first fleas are third Spraying ants is the worst control procedure because: 1. It will not provide long-term control 2. It only kills the foraging workers and not the nest 3. Since ant colonies are usually in accessible areas spraying does little to control the infestation 4. It can make the problem worse by forcing the colony to split or “bud” into two or more colonies

Steps for successful ant baiting 1.Make a thorough inspection 2.Determine if pre-baiting is necessary 3.Select the proper treatment option 4.Apply the proper bait 5.Reinspect and evaluate success or failure

Making a thorough inspection 1.Identify the ants 2.Find the colony (if possible) 3.Identify contributing conditions 4.Keep a record of your findings

Proper Identification Different species prefer different food sources habitants The more you know about a particular species the more accurate you inspection will be Knowledge about a particular species will help you locate the colony Information from your client will assist you in locating the colony There are twelve (12) major pest ants which we will consider

Ghost Ants Cornfield Ants Argentine Ants Pyramid Ants Carpenter Ants Large Yellow Ants Small Honey Ants Pharaoh Ants Pavement Ants Thief Ants Little Black Ants Acrobat Ants Ants to be considered

Major Ant Species Very small and hard to see 1/16th inch long Pale color Have a single node Front is dark and back is light Normally found outdoors Feed on sweets and insects Common in warm climates Ghost Ants

Major Ant Species Workers are brown to black 1/8th inch long Found throughout the US Normally lives outside May invade homes Commonly found at picnics Feed on sweets Cornfield Ants

Major Ant Species Small and shiny brown 1/8th inch long Have a single node Found in southern areas Live outdoors Move indoors in winter Have large colonies Feed on sweets and fats May switch away from baits Argentine Ants

Major Ant Species Are all the same size 1/8th inch long Have a single node Found in southern states Nest in soil outside Make simple mounds Forage inside for food Feed on a variety of foods Get along with Fire Ants Pyramid Ants

Major Ant Species Come in variety of sizes and colors Are polymorphic Have a single node Live in dead wood Found throughout US Forage at night Like sweets May switch off baits Carpenter Ants

Major Ant Species Also known as Citronella Ant Common in US 1/8th inch long Have one node Colonies usually underground Not known to accept baits Large Yellow Ants

Major Ant Species Light to dark brown Has a single node Found in Eastern US Lives outdoors in shaded areas Very cold tolerant Feeds on sweets Small Honey Ants

Major Ant Species Light yellowish color 1/16 th inch long Two nodes Have large colonies Have multiple queens Very common in southern US Major hospital pest Likes fats, oils and sweets May switch away from baits Pharaoh Ants

Major Ant Species Dark brown 1/8th inch long All one size Found in Eastern US Nest outdoors Forage indoors Feed on sweets, fats and other foods Pavement Ants

Major Ant Species Light brown to yellow Very small 1/16th inch long Steal food from other ants Move in trails along walls Feed on grease Rarely eat sweets Thief Ants

Major Ant Species Black with two nodes Very small 1/16th inch long Similar to Pharaoh Ants Commonly found in houses Feed on sweets, oils and fats Little Black Ants

Major Ant Species Light brown to dark black Have two nodes 1/16th inch long Have heart-shaped abdomen Nest outdoors Found throughout the US Found in old termite damage Feed on sweets and grease Acrobat Ants

Find the Colonies The more you find the more successful your treatment will be Look for trails, mounds, frass piles and dead ants Check spider webs and window sills for dead ants Check along walls and around water sources Around foundations, along slabs and in leaf litter Expansion joints around patios are a favored trailing area Look for ants going up and down trees

What are conducive conditions Moisture sources (ants need moisture) Ants need food, shelter and air to survive Trees, branches or shrubs touching the structure Foliage touching a structure is like a highway Cracks or crevices which could provide nesting areas The underside of a concrete slab is preferred habitant Alternative food sources (pet food, garbage etc.) This will aid in selecting a proper bait

Prebaiting Prebaiting aids in the identification of infested areas Prebaiting gives an indication which bait to use **** A major drawback to prebaiting is that it takes a considerable amount of time **** A thorough bait program can function as a prebaiting program Placing baits in monitoring stations and relocating stations to active areas is a combination prebait and control procedure

Indoor Baiting - Using bait stations Bait stations should be tamper-resistant and inspectable Place the stations next to trailing ants or in areas of high infestation probability Place station in convenient but hidden locations If station is to be in fixed position, putting thin tape around the edges will increase the number of ants entering the station Instead of wiping a trail, blowing the ants off the trail will usually not interfere with the pheromone trail Bait stations may be effective for a year if properly placed Replace stations which have had the bait consumed Move undisturbed stations to other areas

Indoor Baits - Gel Baits Gel baits can be very effective if properly placed Apply gel to areas where ants are trailing or feeding Several small applications are better than single large applications Make sure the gel bait is cleared for interior application Control depends on a complete inspection and thorough placement of bait

Outdoor Baiting Stations labeled for outdoor use work well if applied to the exterior of the building Granular baits are very effective outdoors Granular baits are not granular insecticides - they are baits Place the bait in areas where it will be discovered quickly Bait can be applied to perimeter areas of the structure, as broadcast applications or directly to mounds Thoroughness is the key to exterior baiting for ants

Controlling the situation If the colony can be located, it can be eliminated by direct application of insecticide dust or baiting If the ants will readily accept a bait, baiting is the best means of control No control procedure will be successful if natural foods are readily available…Cleaning up the conducive conditions is vital to a successful control program Communicate with the client and gain cooperation in eliminating the food and harborage conditions