Which Ant Control Products are the Best?

With an estimated 14,000 different species of ants world-wide, ants have emerged as the number one household pest across America. Right now, there are approximately 1 million billion ants working diligently across the globe. While many species of ants serve beneficial purposes in the environment, some can prove invasive, bothersome, and at times dangerous.

When searching for the best ant control solution for your particular ant problem, it is important to consider several factors. Professor Pest's Ant Control Blog provides articles, insights, and reviews on all things ant-related.  Although most ant control products on the market work to a certain extent, not all products work equally well for all ant species or in all environmental conditions. To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of your pest control applications, we encourage you to utilize the resources available through our site to help guide you through the ant control product selection and application process. 

And for real-time help, please consider using our Ask Professor Pest Live Chat option for questions regarding which products might work best for you, or connect with licensed pest professionals in your area today. 

Best Ant Baits of 2019

Four ant bait products made Pest Control Everything's list of best ant bait products of 2019, including 2 ant gel baits, 1 ant bait granule, and 1 ant bait liquid. Each formulation has its own unique set of characteristics and advantages, with some being better in certain environments and for certain ant species. Being equipped with these 4 ant bait products will enable any pest control applicator a high likelihood of quickly eliminating ALMOST any ant infestation.

#1 Advion Ant Gel Bait

One of the most versatile ant gel bait products on the market today, Advion Ant Gel Bait combines a highly attractive bait formulation with effectiveness against more than 19 different species of ants. In addition to its broad spectrum versatility, what makes this bait our #1 overall ant bait product of 2019 is the bait formulation consistency that enables it be effectively applied on horizontal and vertical surfaces without excessive deterioration, dripping, or running, and its ability to maintain its consistency in varying temperatures.

Pest Control Everything recommends Advion Ant Gel Bait as its top option for White Footed Ant Control. 

#2 Maxforce Complete Granular Insect Bait

For larger ant species such as the Big Headed Ant, Imported Fire Ant, Harverster Ant, and Carpenter Ant, Maxforce Complete Granular Bait may deliver an effectiveness that is second to none. In addition to be highly effective against several ant species, Maxforce Complete Granular Insect Bait also control additional pests such as cockroaches, crickets, silverfish, and earwigs, making it the most diverse, multi-faceted ant bait on our list of Top 4 Ant Baits of 2019. 

#3 Optigard Ant Gel Bait

Through the active ingredient Thiamethoxam, Optigard Ant Gel Bait provides a powerful knockdown of a broad spectrum of ants, with an overall effectiveness on par with Advion Ant Gel Bait. Unlike many other syringe-based ant gel bait products, Optigard tubes comes with a built-in applicator tip, providing for ease of application. Like Advion, Optigard has proven highly effective against ants such as White Footed Ants, Ghost Ants, and many others, but was inched out by Advion on our list primarily due the differences in formulation consistency. Optigard tends to disperse in a chunkier, less easy to control manner without the same targeted application controls and versatility that Advion exhibits. 

#4 Maxforce Quantum Ant Bait Liquid

Maxforce Quantum is a superior ant bait, and the only ant bait liquid to reach our Top 4 Ant Baits of 2019. Highly effective against many ant species including Argentine Ants, Ghost Ants, Pharaoh Ants, and others, Quantum distinguishes itself by having Imidacloprid as its active ingredient along with its liquid formulation. Each Quantum bottle comes with clear plastic bait stations inside which droplets of Quantum Ant Bait can be place for safe, targeted bait placements and ease of application. 

Best Ant Foams of 2019

Ant foams continue to be amongst the most underutilized ant treatment strategies by pest control professionals and do-it-yourself pest controllers alike. In some instances, for some ant species, pesticide ant foams can provided unparalleled effectiveness because of their unique ability to expand inside voids and cavities before dissipating in a way that leaves optimal levels of active ingredient on all treated surfaces. When foams consist of non-repellent pesticides, the ant control can prove to be particularly tremendous. Do keep in mind that many ant foams may only be effective against a smaller group of ant species, so be sure to check the label of the pesticide ant foam product you are considering to make sure it is effective against the ant species you are dealing with. 

How to Apply Pesticide Foams Safely...

Many pesticide foams for ant control now come in ready-to-use aerosol canisters, such as Termidor Foam, PT Alpine Foam, Fuse Foam, and others. When using insecticide foams, be sure to shake or otherwise agitate the can vigorously, consistently, and often during the pesticide application process to prevent a discharge that is too runny to enable adequate foaming expansion. Inadequate agitation will not only prevent the pesticide from foaming optimally, but will lead to product waste and limited effectiveness. 

When applying foam into cavities such as injection into a wall void, be prepared for the possibility of product kickback, where the foam insecticide shoots back out of the entry hole. When this happens, there is a heightened risk of pesticide exposure to face, eyes, hands, arms, and other parts of the body. In addition to wearing all personal protective equipment (PPE) required by the pesticide foam product label (such as long sleeves, chemical resistant gloves, protective eye wear), consider using a stop system around the point of entry to prevent kickback and spillage. This stop system may be as simple as a towel pressed flush against the surface around the point of entry and snug to the foam canister application tube. 

#1 Termidor Ant Foam

Utilizing Fipronil, the same active ingredient in Termidor SC, Termidor Foam comes in a ready-to-use aerosol foam canister labeled for effectiveness against ants and termites. As a non-repellent, Termidor Foam can be used in combination with other non-repellent spray applications or ant baiting strategies, or as an independent means of application. When using Termidor Foam, be sure to follow all application and safety instructions as provided on the pesticide product label. 

#2 PT Alpine Ant & Termite Foam

An innovative non-repellent foam formulation using the active ingredient Dinotefuran, PT Alpine Ant & Termite Foam has demonstrated high effectiveness against Carpenter Ants, Argentine Ants, Pharaoh Ants, Ghost Ants, White Footed Ants, and others. Alpine ant foam may be an excellent ant control option for ants nesting or traveling inside wall cavities, around plumbing penetrations, beneath baseboards, or in other inaccessible or confined areas where ants may be harboring. When using PT Alpine Ant & Termite Foam, always follow all applications and safety instructions provided on the the insecticide product label. 

#3 Fuse Foam Termiticide Insecticide

Fuse Ant Foam has taken the liberty of combining the active ingredients Fipronil (Termidor) with Imidacloprid (Premise) into a ready-to-use aerosol formulation. Effective against Argentine Ants, Ghost Ants, White Footed Ants, Carpenter Ants, and others, Fuse Foam Insecticide's non-repellency is compatible with other ant baiting strategies as well as other non-repellent spray products. 

Best Ant Sprays of 2019

There are lots and lots and lots of pesticide sprays available on the market today, almost all of them effective at killing an ant. When choosing which ant spray product might be best for you, however, there is much more to take into consideration than that. What matters most is not which ant sprays might kill the handful of ants you might be seeing the quickest, but which ant spray will be most likely to actually resolve your ant problem by eliminating the entire ant colony. With this in mind, let's look at some of the ant spray options:

Concentrated Repellent Ant Sprays

Liquid repellent pesticides are insecticides designed to keep bugs out of an area by repelling them from the treatment zone. Repellents sometimes also act as contact insecticides, killing target insects such as ants or roaches either instantly or rather quickly upon contact with the spray. Repellent insecticide sprays for ants can be applied indoors or outdoors, depending upon the particular product being used and the product label requirements. Remember, when spraying any pesticide, the pesticide label is the law and must be followed at all times. 

For exterior ant control applications, repellent pesticides can be useful in quickly knocking down active ant populations in the environment and cutting off travel from the outdoors to inside the structure. When spraying the perimeter foundation of a home for routine ant control maintenance, for instance, the objective is often to prevent ants away from the home from moving back in towards the home and eventually gaining access. 

For interior ant control applications, repellent pesticide sprays can be used for immediate or quick knockdown of active ant populations or as part of an ongoing ant control maintenance program. As with exterior repellent applications, applying repellents indoors will also drive ants out of a treated area. This may be a practical ant treatment option if the concentration of ants or the location of the ant colony is known and readily accessible for spray treatment. If, however, the ant colony location is unknown, spraying repellent insecticides indoors for ant control may be minimally effective, and may in some instances actually exacerbate the indoor ant problem. 

Best Insecticide Concentrate for Ants 2019

#1 Repellent Ant Concentrate Talstar P Multi-Insecticide 

When it comes to repellent insecticide sprays, few pesticide products are able to match Talstar P in terms of usability under varying conditions with efficacy against a broad spectrum of insects, including many species of ants. Labeled for more than 75 species of insects, Talstar P can be used outdoors as well as targeted applications indoors for effective control of ants, mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, and even termites. Through its active ingredient Bifenthrin, Talstar's clear, odorless formulation provides a long-lasting residual effectiveness for up to 3 months. For a generic, less-expensive repellent insecticide with the same active ingredient, consider Bifen IT. 

#1 Non-Repellent Ant Concentrate: Termidor SC

Non-repellent pesticide concentrates have overtaken repellent insecticides in terms of top choice ant control products for pest professionals. As with termites, non-repellents allow ants to continuing foraging through a treated zone without detecting the presence of the non-repellent pesticide, often allowing for a transfer effect that can wipe out entire ant colonies. Common non-repellent pesticides for ant control include Termidor SC (for exterior ant treatments).