How to prevent ant problems

Dr. Cisse Spragins, Founder and CEO, Rockwell Labs Ltd

To prevent ant problems, each quarter apply a repellent pyrethroid or botanical spray on the foundation and around entry points per the label. Add a weatherable 10 percent boric acid granular bait in a 2- to 3-ft. band outside the spray, at a rate of 0.25 lb. per 100 ft. Weatherable granular bait provides something for ants to take back to the colony to nip problems in the bud between services.

For fast knockdown, apply an imidacloprid granular bait outside. Add a sweet gel or syrup ant bait along trails on and/or inside the structure. Try to avoid baiting trails inside unless it is as close to the entry point as possible. Use baits to help stop them at entry points or pull ants outside. This way, they aren’t annoying clients while they are feeding sufficiently to eliminate the colony.