Baits are the most effective form of treatment for the majority of ant species, especially those which invade structures.* This is because the worker ants will feed on the bait — which contains an attractant and an insecticide — and carry it back to the nest to share with other colony members, including the reproductive queen. They are able to do this because they have two stomachs — one which holds the food for its own consumption, the other for the food that is to be shared with other ants through trophallaxis, e.g., regurgitation.

While some ant species are monomorphic (having all its workers of similar size), others show the evolutionary trait of polymorphism (having workers of varying size). This variation enables a division of labor. Some species, for example, have soldier ants, which are large, sterile females with strong mandibles, enabling them to defend against predators as well as to crush food sources, while the bite of the smaller worker is better suited for cutting.

For a bait to be most effective, access to alternate food and water sources needs to be reduced as much as possible. This means maintaining a sanitary environment, cleaning up spills and crumbs, keeping garbage emptied, repairing leaks, eliminating equipment harborage areas, etc. It also is important to understand that bait does not take effect immediately, but it is a long-term solution. While it can take a week or two to stop seeing ants, the feeding of the bait to the colony and queen enables complete kill of the ants that you don’t see, instead of just the workers that you do.

*Although bait is generally the best choice for controlling ants, applicators need to always ensure the specific application is listed on the label and allowed by the food plant’s third-party audit standards, and that the bait is on the approved products list before any applications are made.