When to Use Ant Baits

Ant bait is the ideal means of targeted elimination of ant infestations. Baits are used to kill the entire colony, not just foraging workers. They are unobtrusive, ready-to-use, and take less time to apply than conventional insecticides. No backpack sprayer or hose is required to apply bait. Ant baits eliminate chemical drift, will not harm plants, and are odorless.

Ant Biology & Baiting

MAXFORCE^® Ant Killer Baits were designed to work compatibly with the biology and social behavior of ants to achieve effective control. The ant population in the colony includes ants in the four developmental stages: eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. Through trophallaxis, or the sharing of food, the entire colony consumes bait containing hydramethylnon or fipronil for effective control. Workers locate food and water and return it to the colony and feed solids to larvae. The larvae digest the solids, producing a liquid. The other member of the colony take this liquid and feed each other and the queen. When larvae consume bait as food, their liquid output contains the active ingredient.

With a conventional crack and crevice application of a contact insecticide, only a small percentage of the colony is normally exposed. Additionally, using conventional insecticides to kill foraging workers can result in colony budding. One or more queens may move with workers to a new site to establish a new colony or colonies. This expands the infestation and makes future control efforts more difficult. MAXFORCE^® Ant Killer Baits are a far more effective method of control. When they are used, the ants do the work for you, transporting the bait directly to the nest, via the MAXFORCE^® Domino Effect^TM.

Advantages of Maxforce Ant Baits:

• Long residual, long-term control
• Ideal speed of kill
• Great bait acceptance
• No known resistance
• Broadly labeled
• Non-volatile and non-repellent
• Odorless
• Ideal for IPM programs

Proper Placement of FC Bait Stations

Place bait station by ant trails and/or where ants have been seen. Place three bait stations in an average size room, or approximately one bait station per 100 square feet. (Increase for heavy infestations.) Do not spray chemicals or disturb trails between ant nests and bait stations. Killing ants or disturbing trails will prevent ants from carrying the bait back to the colony. On follow-up visits, replace bait stations that are empty and relocate stations that show little or no ant activity. Accurate records of any activity and bait placements will allow for more efficient and effective follow-up visits.

Proper Placement of Bait Granules

Fire ant mounds are treated with one ounce around the perimeter of the mound. A 1/2 ounce application is sufficient for treatment of cracks and crevices. Apply 4 to 8 ounces in a 1-2 foot-wide band adjacent to the foundation around the perimeter of buildings. To broadcast granular bait, use one ounce per 1,800 square feet.

Indoor applications include cracks, crevices and other inaccessible areas such as wall voids, unfinished attics and crawl spaces within residential and non-residential buildings or structures and within non-food/non-feed areas of industrial, institutional, and commercial buildings.

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