Ant Control Products

Bait stations contain an attractant that draws foragers in to feed. The bait is slow-acting by design, so they carry it back and share it before it takes effect - that is what reaches the nest, which is the only thing that ends the problem.

Bait stations are enclosed to prevent access by pets and children, which is why they are the sensible choice in a kitchen. Place them out of reach where you can and follow the safety instructions on the product.

Bait works over days to a couple of weeks, and that delay is intended - the foragers need time to carry it back. Sprays and powders act on the ants they are applied to directly. If you want the trail gone today and the nest gone next week, you need both, but not in the same place.

Usually one of two things. The bait was removed too early, before enough had reached the nest - leave it down until activity has stopped for several days. Or the trail was sprayed while the bait was out, which kills the foragers before they get home and leaves the colony intact. Don't spray a trail you are baiting.

That is the bait working. Foragers recruit others to a food source, so numbers on the trail rise before they fall. Leave it alone rather than switching to a spray at that point - the increase is the mechanism, not a failure.

Seal cracks and entry points, keep food in airtight containers, and clear crumbs and spills promptly - particularly anything sugary. Ants follow scent trails laid by previous foragers, so wiping down the route with detergent after treatment removes the map as well as the food.