Baits are used to kill the entire colony, not just foraging workers. No backpack sprayer or hose is required to apply bait. Ant baits eliminate chemical drift, will not harm plants, and are odorless. Ant Killer Baits were designed to work compatibly with the biology and social behavior of ants to achieve effective control. Through trophallaxis, or the sharing of food, the entire colony consumes bait containing hydramethylnon or fipronil for effective control.
Workers locate food and water and return it to the colony and feed solids to larvae.
The larvae digest the solids, producing a liquid. The other member of the colony take this liquid and feed each other and the queen. When larvae consume bait as food, their liquid output contains the active ingredient. With a conventional crack and crevice application of a contact insecticide, only a small percentage of the colony is normally exposed. Additionally, using conventional insecticides to kill foraging workers can result in colony budding.