Advion Fire Ant Bait

Numerous field trials conducted with formulations of this material have provided very good, consistent results. It is a conventionally-formulated bait that uses de-fatted corn grit as a carrier with the active ingredient dissolved in soybean oil, which also serves as the attractant.

At a broadcast application rate of 1.5 lb/acre, suppression of foraging ants begin overnight.

Three days following treatment, elimination of 95% or more of the ant colonies have been routinely documented! No other bait even comes close to this speed of control and it rivals that of contact insecticides.

As with the other fast-acting baits, there are few residual effects, so re-invasion can begin almost immediately. The label includes individual mound treatment directions. However, with the speed of activity being the same for mound treatment as for a broadcast application, the only situation in which mound treatment could be justified is where only a handful of mounds are present in an area, where it would cost more to broadcast, or when precise bait placement is needed such as near water or other sensitive sites.

Note that Advion use only and limited to non-ag sites.

Even though the active ingredient is called indoxacarb, it is not a carbamate.

Rather, it is a low-toxicity GABA inhibitor that must be consumed and metabolized to work. Speed of control has been the major roadblock to the acceptance of fire ant baits in both the consumer and professional markets. With control in 3 days, Advion should be a real breakthrough product.

*Prepared by: Bastiaan "Bart" M. Drees, Professor and Extension Entomologist