Ant Control Update

By Paul J. Bello

September 3, 2013

Introduction: This article was written by request from the editor back in 2013. It’s a bit interesting to see the questions they asked and the responses thereof.

Can you please discuss three new technical trends you see regarding how PMPs combat ants?

Ants continue to be problematic pests and pest professionals are adapting their control methodologies to meet the ant challenge. To combat ants PMPs have adopted an increased use of bait products in their ant control protocol and strategy. Baits placed strategically on the exterior of a structure may serve to keep ants outdoors.  Baits placed strategically indoors may help to eliminate ants from finding their way to kitchen counters, cabinets and pantries.

What three new business trends do you see regarding how PMPs sell and service ant accounts?

With bed bugs garnering so much attention do we wonder if ants are still a top pest?  Analysis of the business potential attributable to ants might support that ants may hold the primary position as the Industry’s greatest potential revenue producer.  This is so for the following reasons:

• There are a variety of species of ants which can be problematic within structures.
• Pest ant species may be found in nearly every region of the country.
• Ant problems are not contingent upon the sanitary conditions present within the structure or account. Think about it, even a clean and well maintained structure can be invaded by ants.

In order to capitalize on the market potential presented by ants the pest management industry has included ants in their marketing campaigns. Yes, we still see fire ant ads on television, in print media and hear them on the radio each spring however, now we also see television ads that specifically target other ants. In fact, just last night a prime time television commercial aired which featured ants climbing a tree branch to enter a customer’s home.

In addition to these ad campaigns business savvy pest professionals are including ant training within their technician curriculum such that their techs can speak knowledgably to potential customers.

— Without mentioning technologies — without naming companies, brands or active ingredients — and being sure to stay positive … 

PJB’s Top 3 Control Technique Do’s for ants:

1. Know your ants !  Be sure you are familiar with the ant species normally encountered within your area of operation. This does not mean that you need to commit all the biology and behavior of various ant species however, you should be at least familiar with them such that you can look them up and read additional information when need be. After all, pest management is not a memory test and who amongst us would seek the services of a hear surgeon who has no books on his shelves?

• Identify correctly !  Not all ants have the same biology and behavior nor would we expect to control all ant species using the same techniques.  This is why the correct ant identification is critical to the success of your control program. Ultimately, it is important that the ant species is identified correctly.

• Learn how to problem solve !  Not all of our critter problems can be solved using a cookie cutter approach and ants are no different. Just because a reference book states that a certain species of ants usually nests outdoors does not mean that this ant species might not be found nesting within your account’s structure.  Remember, the ants don’t read these books.

PJB’s Top 3 Control Technique Don’ts for ants?

1. Don’t assume that every ant behaves and will be controlled successfully using the same methodologies.  Ants can be very different in many ways.
2. Don’t make quick decisions and assumptions when tackling a persistent ant problem. Be sure to consider many factors to learn why the ants continue to be a problem at the account.
3. Don’t forget to call upon the resources available to you to help you resolve problem ant accounts. Such resources include your training manuals, reference books, industry magazine articles, experienced co-workers, distributor representatives, manufacture representatives, extension representatives and others.
4.   

What are your Top 5 Ant Exclusion Tips?

1. Tree and shrub pruning to eliminate bridges for ants to access the structure.
2. Selective choice of plants, shrubs and trees to reduce those plant types that are usually inhabited by honeydew producers which draw and support increased numbers of ants.
3. Caulking and sealing of utility penetrations to prevent entrance by ants from the exterior.
4. Caulking and sealing of interior utility penetrations to prevent ants from accessing the interior of a structure. Note that suitable insecticide dust may be applied within the hidden void prior to sealing.
5. Some folks use either petroleum jelly or glue to prevent ant access however, these substances are soon rendered useless due to debris, weathering and other factors. We have multiple hummingbird feeders which are protected from ants using mote like devices which prevent the ants from getting to the sugar water solution by using a mote of soapy water.

What are the industry’s Top 3 ant management obstacles?

The top ant management obstacles or challenges include:

1. Recent label restrictions on applications for certain pesticide products.
2. The great reproductive capacity of certain problematic ant species.
3. Recently introduced invasive ant species such as the Caribbean Crazy Ant.

What are the industry’s Top 3 ant management opportunities?

The top three industry ant opportunities include introduced species such as the Caribean Crazy Ant, Carpenter Ants, Fire Ants and those species which we regularly see invading our customer’s homes including Argentine Ants, Odorous House Ants, Pharaoh Ants, White Footed Ants and other such species.

Twelve years down the road, in 2025, how different will the professional ant management be and why?

In the future we will likely see more effective bait products developed for ants. These baits will be species specific and we will see those species that are more problematic than others have bait product developed and commercialized especially for them.  Currently there are ant baits specifically targeting Fire ants and Carpenter ants. In the future we may see baits that are specifically intended to control, say, Argentine Ants, Ghost Ants or Caribbean Crazy Ants and these baits will work well.