Evaluate seasons and ant species for better baiting

Sarah Bernard, MS, Staff Entomologist, Innovative Pest Control Products

Ant species infesting a particular home or yard may change from year to year. Make sure you know which species you are dealing with when deciding how best to treat for your customers. The species you treated for last year may have been replaced or overtaken by a new species this year.

For example, imagine baiting a home for big-headed ants (Pheidole megacephala), only to find that six months later, red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) have moved in. A sugar-based bait may not be effective on such opportunistic invaders, and your customers may be calling you back to complain when they still see “the ants.”

You may even find that other structural pests, such as subterranean termites, have had their nests or territory re-colonized by an opportunistic species that happened to come along after that area was baited for termites.

Remember that the changing seasons also can affect an ant colony’s nutritional needs and foraging behavior. Consider which baits are most palatable and effective to your target pest at the time of year you are treating for them.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/01/22/evaluate-seasons-and-ant-species-for-better-baiting/
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