Spraying ants you can see kills the workers, roughly 10 percent of any ant colony, while the queen and the remaining 90 percent continue reproducing in a nest you cannot reach. The colony replaces the dead workers within days and the problem continues unchanged.
Why Bait Is the Only Method That Works Long-Term
Ant bait contains a slow-acting insecticide mixed with food that worker ants carry back to the nest to feed the colony, including the queen. The bait takes 3 to 5 days to work because it needs to reach the reproductive source, but when it does work, the entire colony collapses rather than recovering. This is why bait placed near ant trails and left alone produces complete elimination while repeated spraying produces an ongoing problem.
Where to Place Bait
Place bait stations directly on or adjacent to the ant trails you can see, under the sink, along the baseboard behind the refrigerator, at the point where ants are entering the wall or cabinet. Do not place bait in open areas where it will not be found. Do not spray insecticide near the bait, as the spray will kill the worker ants before they carry the bait back, which defeats the entire mechanism.
Leave the bait undisturbed for at least a week even if ant activity initially increases, increased activity means the bait is working, as more workers are coming to collect it. Activity will peak around day 3 and drop sharply by day 5 to 7 as the colony population crashes.
Preventing the Next Colony
Ants enter kitchens for food and water. The entry points are most commonly around the base of the sink plumbing, gaps behind the stove, and the gap at the base of exterior walls. Sealing these with caulk after the current colony is eliminated prevents the next scout from establishing a new trail. Keeping the kitchen area clean as part of a regular kitchen cleaning routine removes the food signals that attract new colonies in the first place. Amazon carries Terro liquid ant bait, which is the most widely recommended consumer product for indoor ant elimination. For building the kitchen cleanliness habits that prevent future pest problems, When You Were Never Taught to Clean ($11.99) covers the full routine.
