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Placing Bait Outside around the structure:
The main cause of failure to control ants through baiting is failing to use enough bait and maintaining them. As with most other ants, Argentine ants depend on ever changing dietary needs. Seemingly one minute they are looking for Protein and the next minute they are looking for grease or oils. This change is due to the Queen (s), they set the colony demands, sending orders for the diet needs. If the nest is reproducing then the colonies demands are ever changing. One never-ending need is their need for a sugar or carbohydrate source. Worker ants are basically nothing but muscle tissue and their needs are limited to basic sugars and water. That’s why a sweet bait works so well when dealing with ants. The workers are so attracted by it that you get good control using these baits.
Only the larva and reproducing ants need protein in their diet. During the non- reproducing periods such as winter when the queens leave the nest to take shelter. They leave the workers to fend for themselves. Many workers don't live through winter dying of old age or exposure. While the majority find a nice warm area inside a structure to spend the winter months. During these times water is a primary need. Ants will be found trailing around a sink or bathroom area in search of moisture sources. Many ants may relocate inside a wall or tub enclosure. If moisture is present inside a wall due to a shower pan leak or other type of moisture issue, ants may be present inside the structure and never actually seen by the occupants of the home. This home may have ant problems during the reproductive months when the colony is too large to be supported by the moisture area.
Thus a never ending ant problem continues until the moisture area is resolved.
In extreme cases the moisture area may be large enough to support a large to medium colony causing distress to the home occupants year round. In this case the moisture area is well known to the homeowner and even the pest control company. Knowing that this moisture is the source of the ants is extremely important to the control of the population. No matter what type of control measures are taken ants and even worse pest issues such as roaches and termites are going to be present in this area. You may be able to keep knocking down the population but as long as the conditions persist ants and other pests will always continue to be a issue here. Same as outside if the landscape or building supports both moisture and harbourage areas then controlling pests and ants becomes extremely difficult. Uneducated or unmotivated pest control operators or homeowners will just continue to pour pesticides into this area in a spray and pray approach.
IPM pest control is based on this knowledge of moisture, food plus harbourage equals pests.
Another area to pay attention to is Black Sooty mold on plants.
This is an indication of a sucking insect infestation. Honeydew decays and produces this black mold on plants. If you see this on plants during a inspection or regular treatment then you need to make a note that this area needs to be treated with a systemic insecticide before the spring. Once the plant sucking insects get a foot hold on the area and the ants begin to feed on the honeydew you are already behind the eight ball in the control of ants. Applying an insecticide in the spring will do one of two things, it may force any ant nests to bud or move into the structure creating a already bad situation worse. If this is a new account you need to educate your customers that while you can get good control with allot of follow up and work. Changes need to be done to get the level of control they expect. Attempting to control ants without educating your customers will just create a unnecessary level of frustration that will lead to a unhappy customer along with a frustrated tech.
Ant control requires teamwork from both the company and the homeowner.
The best control will come after a full season. When you can begin your control measures early before the ants have a chance to repopulate. Preventing Honeydew producing insects before they start, changing landscape issues, solving moisture issues, sealing cracks and repairing moisture damaged wood. Placing Bait stations around perimeter filled with 3-4 different types of baits.
Applying Termidor or Premise around the perimeter as directed on the label.
Use a non-repellent such as Phantom. Even then, if you use the Phantom and Termidor Inside and Out procedures you will still need to use the gel bait inside where ants are trailing.
Use a quality gel bait such as AntMasters™ Sweet Gel Bait and the ants will stop at the point where the bait is placed. Follow the indoor baiting instructions, using the bait to generate a strong trail through the insecticide. The more ants that come through the treated area the faster knockdown you will get. There is nothing worse then using a expensive product and then having the homeowner still see ants trailing for many days or weeks afterwards.
Save yourself a service call from a irate customer and do it right the first time.
In the more severe cases we even recommend leaving a syringe of AntMasters™ Sweet Gel Bait with the client. Train then in the proper baiting techniques, what time you spend with them at this moment will be rewarded later when they can place bait out and save a service call. It reassures the client that something is being done with the ants while they are away. Most ants are more active in the early morning, so it can create a problem if a client sees ants in the morning then calls in a request for service The Tech arrives in the heat of the midday and may not see any activity inside. Wouldn't it be better if the client can place some bait inside and generate a strong trial so that a tech can come to the house at his best available time and inspect the outside while the client is at work or running errands. It's a win- win for everyone. The tech and the homeowner who doesn’t have to wait for the appointment. And they can go to work knowing that the ants aren't taking over their home while they are away. Don't worry that the client will just buy their own bait and fire your service. Like we already established, Homeowners have been doing battle on ants on their own, already. They need your expertise and knowledge to do it right.
Giving them a syringe of AntMasters™ Sweet Gel Bait
is a service to them. And that’s what they pay for;
Good Service.
AntMasters™ Sweet Gel Bait can be bought at wholesale to make it extremely affordable to give them to the most severe accounts.
With the price of gas these days that becomes a deal hard to pass up.
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