ANT CONTROL SOLUTIONS FROM PCT
Dick Murray
Manager – Research and Development
PCT International Pty Ltd
Ants continue to be problematic but they represent an important business growth opportunity for most professional pest managers. To minimise call backs impacting revenue it is important to achieve quick and sustained management with a treatment strategy for the best ant control result.
So, the obvious question has to be “What treatments are the most effective”. The steps for successful ant control generally involve;
- Take the time for investigation and Inspection – attempt to find the colony nest or at least access the trail as the direct treatment of the nest or trail is often very effective. However, the tracing of ants back to nests is not always easy to do and you may need to build in extra time into the job.
- Treating the perimeter – For areas of located ant pressure the application of a non-repellent residual spray product such as Terminade Termiticide and Insecticide (containing 100g/L Fipronil) or the application of Surefire Fipronil Granular Ant Killer (containing 0.25g/kg Fipronil) is recommended.
Application should be to the exterior perimeter of structures, targeting possible entry points such as gaps around door and window frames, vents and expansion joints. The use of these two non-repellent products allows foraging ants to unknowingly trail through the treated barrier, take back the treatment to the nest, and transfer it amongst their nest mates and ultimately eliminate the nest. Avoid the use of repellent products such as synthetic pyrethroids as ants can detect these products and practice avoidance of treated areas to find other entry points. - Baiting – Many ant nesting sites in buildings are often hidden which can make baiting an effective option, if they are put in the right place. The baiting approach in addition to perimeter treatments makes for a good treatment strategy. They are a particularly effective option in sensitive indoor environments.
A bait such as Intice Sweet Ant Gel (containing 8.9g/kg boron), a clear gel bait for control of sweet feeding ants, is recommended where ants are trailing. The success of these treatment options are best achieved with the adoption of an integrated pest management approach. Such an approach includes working with your client to understand the past history of the problem and education regarding attention to hygiene, modifying ant habitat which may even require some physical exclusion work.
In addition to liquid, granular and gel products for ant control solutions , PCT – an Australian owned company – offers a wide range of high quality Australian made products to meet most of the needs of the Professional Pest Manager. The PCT range of products are available from your local Agserv branch.
